Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-09-13


position Of every honorable nan wllhia her lin
lis It's therefore right and Picper that he peo>
pie should know. uol only who wi submit 10 he
decisiaa ofihe State. but also who approves and
viii sustain that decision.
Your frs insefgoeAsoty directs my attention
to the question d secessi6n and you have pm tue
issue upon tke tigkt Ola siaiesO seeede from tie
onion without osI canse a. this right Is
claimed by many as a constitutional right. end
by all Of those whoadvocale It ia its'nnadsrn scS
cepgation as consistent with Constitutional obli-
saiioas shall consider il It s0me length infei-
erenrc 10 is constitutional heafiugs.
W hen asked t. coneede ;heTigheof Slate 70
secede al pleasure liop the Union, with or with.
%, ia.s cause. we arc called upon to admit that
the trainers 81 the cons,aniioa did that which
was never done BY any olher people possessed Of
lheir good sease aud intelligence -shat is, to pro
vide in the very organization Of The goyetnsnen,
for its own dissolution. Il seems to ms that such
course would MOI only have bern an anoma-
lous rsoceeding hui wholly inconsislen, with the
wisdom aud sound Judgment which marked the
deliberations Of those wise aud gaod men who
framed our federal governments Whilst fee
ly admit that such an opinion i enlefteined by
many for whose Ildgmen. tenctlain the highest
resnect, have 40 hesitation IN declaring that
the convictions of my own judgment are well
sened, that no such principle WINS contemplated
in the adoption Of our constitution. II Il was
the purpose OF the trainers Of the constitution to
subject The perpeuy Of the uuion 10 the will
land. indeed, may add. the CAPRICE Of each
State, il is most remarkable fact iha, pfiuei
/ pie &c such vasi Importance involving the very
| existence of the republic. shoud have been Tell
an omen QUESTION, 10 he decided By inlerenres
and metaphysical deductions OF the most com
lplicated character. When one rises from a
careful study Of the constitution II The United
States. he feels impressed with its wonderful a.
daplalion 10 the wants and interests Of The grow
| ing people. Notonly does he find wise and D.,
dicinus provisions md guarantees inr the siale
! ofthe country as it then existed, bah with pros
phelic wisdom, It's trainers seem % have penes
i rated The future, accommodating the government
Ia he necessities and requirements Of lis present
increased population and extended resources. |
/ am notprepAred 10 admit that the men who ex-
hibied so much care and foresight IN reference
| 10 ail the various parts Of this complicated mas
chine would haye left to vague conjecture tue
existence Of the important and vital pnNer, How
claimed for each State, Of dissolying Al pleasure
Iihe Union whial, had cost them and their com.
patriots so much Toll, aud labor, and anxiety. Il
they had Intended % provide lor ihe destruction
I DC iha, noble structure which they were then
erecting with all the care and wisdom OF
able statesmen and devoted patriots. by such
\ simple and obvious means as The withdrawal "
any Stats iron, The coniederacy, they would have
4 manifested their intention BY some plain and pal,
pahle provision of tbs constitution. Such 4
course would have hern characteristics ot the
thoIies. praclica and enlightened statesmen Of
the convention Their failure 10 do 50 carries
/ the strongest conviction 70 my mind that 10 such
principle was recognised wv them. IL connex.
1 ion with this view o. The sihjccI. he inquiry
forces itself upon our minds. II each State re.
! served The rightio withdraw al pleasure rom The
/ Union, why was there SO much difficulty en-
couutered by the friends Of The constitution IN
obtaining It's ratification BY the different States
There we're few, If any, who were opposed 70
the formation of The Union afer the Constitution
had been submitted to thn States Identification
provided they could ingralt certain amendments
Upon Ii. The policy &c adopting the constitution
ON condition that these amendments should be
scceded 10, was urged with great earnesness ~
4 the conventions and among the people Of several
of tho States, but was finally abandoned Oh the
ground that Ii would be conditional raiilica.
4 ton, and thereof inadmissblc On this poiut
must refer 10 The opinion expressed by Mr. eiadii
son, who has been called sihe father o. the con-
| stitulion, and 10 whose exposition Of Tint sacred
INSTRUMENT tie republican party have been ri
cusonird 10 Iook with such implicit condolences.
Mr. Madison sass:
"lIy opinionb thai u reservation o. right g
withdraw, II fpeadineuts BIZ upi decided On un'
der shs !0S5B ae constitution within certain
lime, Is adiilonA ratification; that i does
moi make s&w 1gYk meribpf Of The new I'M
! iont III b, s{asfq1cGiy, ilias she would not be
re.I Il I. III isiai plan CompacSi nust BIZ reclp-
rocal this principle would not in such . case b.
preserved. The Constitution requires an odoP.
Il;on Ia toto and FOREVER.
4 If the righ' was reserved 10 each State q
1 withdraw, would have been net ofsupercrfga'
lion pn the part II New Y TX, Of any Other SiaIe
10 declare, ii advance, thai STE woild withdraw
% secede II The amendments she proposed % she
lconstitulion were NOT adopied. II che righi IS
listed, Il could BE- exercised as well without n
with the condition annexed to hefS raiiiiratiol 2
The constitution, and the assertion Of i wouc
4 have been a useless, interpolation ndity q
Il was not 50 regarded, however. at the time. by
4 those who have been active participants N The
framne If The constitution. Mr. Madison con.
H sidered the reservation 81 right 70 withdraw
from he Uaion is "a condition that would yi
liiate the ratification He says further. u writ
ling 10 Mr.. Hamilton on this subject I" The taet
il of reserring tigst 10 rilidrdU was started a
I Richmond, aid considered ~ conditional raii
acation. which was itself dbaad0Hed as worse
/ than rejection"
y II lhc opinion of Mr.. Madison. which have
here referred TO- Be well folinIed, i puts an eii'
Iioihis controversy. There can be nodouh aDou
1.-The fact thai he did not recognise the right Of eacl
State ID secede from The Union q her pleasure
In addition ID Tie facts which have Just cOnsa
cred, there is strong illusIratcn Of ihe opinion
that prevailed among Tic trainers cl lhe rons'i
tuition on THIS subject u the action q me S.ase
4 k4.L fsz.<t..s 81 Qhafa Island Ines