Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-12-06

doctrine OF secession. he advocates "i thlN
doctrine. themselves, might have voted ior The
resolution In It's present shape, and voted eunsis-
Jently with their admissions. They agree tha;
no such doctrine is found rj,ktH the Federal
Constitution, but like another set 1T nltralsis IN
the Northern States, they profess TO know a
"hisher law" rithoW that instrument, behind
which 10 plant aud grow the seeds OF their here
+ sG would have preferred that the Convention
should have struck also at this posliisn, aud thus
I have placed the very broadesi seal OF condemns
. nua on the entire doctrine
/ Infinitely connected with the adoption Of this
resolution vas the rejection Of an amendment
proposed by Southern Right. delegate 20 the
effect, "tha, the general government has IA pow
er conferred on Ito cofrco q sovereign State of
( his conf deacY.' some wiseacres profess 10
rcgatd This Is 4 vita conservative principle, and
while Admitting that the doclrinc Of sec sslon has
no legal existence they carp and cavII al any eN-
preston 81 allegiance to the federal government
There /, no more deletcrious principle afolt Than
( this. Il was both right and proper to reject that
amendment. The Convention was not composed
OF men who delight to leach that the federal gov
/ eminent i, to be jealousy regarded as an alien
power, The enemy of the States, and an engine
/ Of oppression lis mupuly consisted 81 those
who rather look all clionaleiy TO The Constitution
as the great protecting shield both to the States
aud to the people, as the common fountain of
civil aud political immuaities, aud as the "su
prcme law of the land embracing alike the
people and the States, Ii it's not all this, il Ut
lers ttlsehaod on its face when II 50 declares
is entitled 10 no weight or respect, and Is the
mere spawn Of Thirty One other supreme jns,ru-
mems, each claiming sovereignty yet acknn"l-
edging subordnaton 10 an inferior Absurd aud
irreconciiahe as such a proposlJian may appear,
it is the only alternative It wa REJECT the safe
constitutional theories taught by Washington and
Madison, and afterwards illustrated by Jackson,
with the full concurrence and advice oil Henry
CLAY.
Nor was the general government to act on the
States, either by coercion or persuasion. The
federal constitution was ratified ~ the people, Is
binding on the people, and is intended to act on
the people, in their individual or collective clpac.
nv, whether of the States or the United States
There IS nothing more unmcanng than the PIRATE
nbou "cocrcing State OF this coniederaey -
But the general government, possesses the IN.
questionable right TO compeI obedience, and the
President is sworn to execute the laws OF the
States The first man, or set Of men, who lt
up arms or "leyy war" against the laws and au-
horilies OF the United States, must therefore ia
ey,tab.y be held % come within the definition and
penalty of treason. This point cannot be denied,
4 lhi, conclusion cannot be resisted; although re-
beon eyen may acquire an Importance that viii
compel respect, that will defy mere staiuary pen
allies, aud finally reach responsibility AMI ind, =
nIeuce. This is proudly Illustrated by our
| own revolutionary history.
The essential differences between your dele
CATION ended with the adoption OF the fourth res
: oDon Ga this we each voted our sentiments
! with like honesty aud sincerity. The question
had not been raised before our constituency, anc
we felt free TO act as our opinions respective ll
dictated. With his known vie VS. on these sub
rcis go ably maintained on the floor Of the Con
yculion. our friend aud cole que, Capt. Bark
dale. could not vote, and ought not to have yotec
with Col. Btiups and myself. His name conse
quenlIy, is recorded in the negative. The tltl
resolution Of tue I invention is but reiteralor
Of the uitmaum, contained in the Union plat
! form Of this State and which are familiar TO yot
, a, the ground Of contest which marked the can
yass in this county. We all three voted " tt
the entire Union delegation in is favor, though
am free to say that considered II 10 have beet
amply embraced in The first and third resolutions
am ready and willing 10 defend every feature
If it, but am unable 10 see much ph or proh
ia announcing umatums already sufficiently
met by the Compromise bills, aud which are ac
uay provided against ia the federal constitution
Itself. | may also here say that ! consider the
4 IL rt,a
because il i. embraced both to language ant
spirit in the closing line Of the drst-a proylsC
offered by Iudgt ohnsOn, Of Kinds Tbs
seventh resolution, As It passed. did not at al
meet our views ether as TO principe Or policy
0 ihough II very great Importance attaches TO It
in ny own opinion IN The FIST place did no
quite Ike the word decided" AS therein en-
pIoyed. Some If the resolutions had evident
y not been decided by the votes Of our cousltu
J EMS, although they may have fully reflected
. their opinions. But our principal objection wa
that the resolution declared that it was unneee /,
sary 10 refer oar action to the people. was my
, self opposed to the ordering Of anY special cleo
) ton that the people might vote on our proceed
a ngs, but thought it advisable to invite their APP
proyal or dlsappfoyal at tie mex, general cleo
=
effect and zealously adv Gated its adoption in ih'
speech to which have already adyerted I'm
e fortunately, a motion was made TO lay the amend
ment on the table, Just at the moment when di
rect vote was about 10 be taken on lis adoption
Al that period OF our session, 50 impatient hat
many delegates become, that verify believe {
motion to lay on the table would have carrie,
along any question that was submitted no mat
ter what ts character or merits Ol course
therefore, my amendment was lost, aud slrang'
y to say. it was lost mainly by the votes Of tue M
. norty gentlemen, after they had made an express
. demand both in their report and on the floor 0
n the Convention, that our action should be reierre'
n to the people. They alleged in Justification 0
this course, that my anendmeD, had lost fayo
, with them in consequence Of lis being couples
With provso, offered by Nr. Acorn Of CJaho
e ma, to the effect that in enumerang the vote
NJ cast for representatives, all who did not vote