North Carolina standard., 1851-07-05
For the Standard. ]
,o11sS1oN At ROCKINGHAM.

few PREDATORY remarks ne Procee
He stated that his competitor and himselI ooth s.oou
before the people of this Congressional Dls,rlc.
candidates for Congress, ana m' m ,0,h is to false
ments as opposite each other as uu'n IS u i"s
hood: and what was passing strange. each contenu
inc that the very preservation OF the Union
upon the success of the principles whlcn ,ney ,hat
,veIv advocated. No wonder then, gentlemen tilat
we both aUree, and have both proclaimed lhaI 'e
question now issue is paramount to all mere parry
considerations Yes, our former PoIlticaI olVlSiens
sbr;nk into utter insigni6cance, and are all sWao"
eli nm by the rod - which is now thrown into our
midst Such then beins is Importance, ne wlsheo
il distinctly understood that he expected the vote OF
mn man whether Democrat or Whig) who did not
agree with him in the main, in the sentiments which
he now advanced, and upon which, he honestly be-
leved, rested the salvation of these United States
But, now to the point IN dispute. Maj. Ia.oweli
laid down the following substantive and distinct
Ist. That each State was an Independent sover-
eighty, to all powers not expressly delegated to
the Federal Government
2d. That the Constitution of the United States is
the creature of the Staes it being neither more nor
less than compact or agreement entered INTO oy to
States, accomplish certain great national purposes
which could not be so we'll secured without 'ieh
conolnt efforts. c.:.
Sd. That in the formation OF the Federal Constl'u
ton, it formed, not by the people IN t,e' ;5n
gate character, but by the people OF 0'a'e III '''e
distinct State capacity. :;
is the creature of the States, In their sovereign o
acter and was made for certain speclhed purposes
the Government under this sConstltuton-that Is Con
gess-is nothing but trustee or agent, to carry out
the delegated or trust powers
eth In the very language of the Constitution, he
mowers not delegated by the States in the Constitu,
tion nor prohibited by it to the Staes are reserved
10 the States, to the peopl ple.''
The true nature, therefore, OF me e1eial CoHsti
tuition Tin the language of Mr. Madison) is, that 1t Is
a compact to which the States parties compact
by which each State, acting in its sovereign capacity
has entered into an agreement with the other States
by which they have consented that certain M
powers shall be exercised by the Congress OF the
United States.
Nothing, said Mai. Caldwell can be clearer, than
that under such system. the Federal GoVernmert
exercising strictly delegated powers, can have no
rishL to act beyond the pale of its authority.
Now for its application. We all admit that Con-
gress in many in relation to negro Slavery
has transcribed its Constitutional powers; as TO THIS
both Gen. Dockery and myself fully agree. About
this then, there is dispute. We both, TOO, nave
expressed fears that the spirit of aggression by the
North will still press forward in further wrongs upon
the South, in relation 10 our slave property yet we
both too, have hopes that the misnamed Compromise
will be observed in good faith, and US from the
extreme remedy which we both claim as our rights,
although the of the redress OF each is as wide
asunder as the poles. Gen. Dockery claiming tha
the States possess other right than revolution
while Mai. Caldwell contended that they had the re-
served right of secession.
Here said Mai CALDWELL | wish to be distinctly y
understood when say reserred right do not meai
right conferred by the Constitution, but mean tha
the States respectively, on entering into the Govern
reserved this right, many OF the ratlhcailon
by the States expressly prove, TO resume the delega
ted powers, whenever they shall be so perverted o
abused TO result to the injury oppression OF the
people, These the very words OF Virginia OF
ratifying that instrument, and the same language ii
substance is used by New York, Rhode Island, Mas
sachusetts and Connecticut.
mean still further that tits right necessarily at
taching to their sovereignty; that is, to nerpose in
their organized political character, and prevent the
oppression of their people.
And, said Mr.. Caldwell, such interposition both
legitimately and morally releases the State from any
and from all connection with the General Govern
ment !; and that such the General Government has
right. either legal or nora to reduce the seeding
State into submission
From this, said Maj. Caldwell, it follows that il
elected to Congress would not vote the President
either men money to reduce or subjugate South
Carolina in the event of her withdrawal. No Sir, |
boldly and fearessly proclaim that would not i'm
brue my hands in brothers blood still less in the
blood of those who bone of my bone and flesh of
my flesh, merely because exercising their sovereign
right, they proper to withdraw from coparner-
ship which all parties of the South admit have done
both them and us gross manifest injustice
No, gentlemen, however much may deprecate
the Precipitancy of South Carolina, and however
much l prefer that she would still lend liste ming
the peace counseIs of her sisters yet igh her
who may, for one l will not.
This Union, gentlemen never be kept togeth-
er by force. This is the language of Mr.. Madison,
Mr. Jefferson, President Taylor and of Daniel w Web-
ster.
In Inc name lnen, OF heaven, II she Will dc
not attempt to her back by tine strong arm oil
power, for if you do you strike a chord whose
very vibration will produce such thrilling emotions
in Southern bosoms as 10 overthrow your Government
al once.
What Southern man, ask you, can stand by and
see his neighbors butchered, and that too when he
knows and feels that the very injury of which they
complain has been brought about and produced by
those very hands (the Freesoilers and Abotionists
ready to be stepped in their blood, for merely
asserting and carrying their assertion into practice
that they have right peaceably to withdraw from
the. Union
Ii lam asked then what would ] do should South
Carolina withdraw from the Union, | answer that
would slet her alone; and that for two reasons
in the first for the sake peace, and secondly such
course would be most likely to preserue the Uilion
If she should ''secede'' the other thirty States
will hang together, at least so long of the South
convinced that do in safety, and we car
do so if the North will carry out the compromise IT
good faith, and not attempt any farther encroachment
1t this should turn out 10 be so, the State of South
Carolina will want to come back; but should the
aggressions still continue, (Which may Heaven avert
and of the South be forced for our self preserya
ton to take the same STEP why then it is our in
terest that our present friendly relations be observed
So that you see that in no point of view can any
good come out OF coerclng or sujugatng a sste
State. For all admit that the very attempt will nro
duce dissolution. If then withdrawal can do
nothing more, is it not infinitely better for the disso
luton to come without boodshed, if come on eithe
head it will2 l certainly think SO.
Zen. Oockery commenced his reply. He afirme,
that the States were not sovereign States He staet
mat they were not sovereign under the articles O
Confederation.
lie read from Jackson's proclamation, where bt
c!aiineu he right to whip into submission the Soutl