The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-05-28
Virginia and Secession.

II gh - W.. Hhdisons . authoflil ~ 10 nj
r.f- oi constitutional 10 erprcia' ZION. III.
correspondence .lih Hlml,ion ~ at chicf>
81. =. att o. IA kGi. known is md,idn7i ..
pi.,oa be- queslou Of the ~ At eta S0af,,
..hdnu~ rom the Uu,or. greai .a!Ur
consists ~ the kistortcdt fats OF winch 4 ~
the unimpeachsbe record. l. 'esitfies - Tia
nA'1nu. lor oil tlme, that the S'a elder. :.
the buou with an eapiie uudef siundfug u ut
The act ifreyocaj'e except tg he prn1i,ss
Of feSu'ulon, Il criiifes uat II NIr-a
parliculahy, here q e opposl ION to tie cuu-
s'itul!on was most powerful, the scheme Of re.
sewing, es cUuG.tlon al Izl iicaiop, ti.t
very ught, which South Caiohna nov ss-erls
"lhout tso,satitni was started END atand IL
ed. ihto IHgutiUui act Ne a5d TO, ltiatt
been ds,sed hut ~r,e vel aware Ihet
IN ibr Virginia C,nve n,,on, he gjsat contest
beie et n the rlenas Of The Constitution sud =
opponents was uson the qle-lou OF preuiors
or Srbseq tni amendments. Patrick l,eur
aud Geo,se Ms,ou, at lie head OF The oppns.
ton, strained all tFeir energies 10 procure
declston FOR previous emenGmenis. tie
vha.s score o: th.if arguments Sas 10 ,bne
thal he proposed Censlluuon would erect d
nuce OF " Ch Nirlinla could never recall
ard ~hch 'heIeiate, She orght ouly 10 a..
ccp' upon condition Of obtaining sucn modlt
cau6na they considered indispeuslb.e.--
! Madlsos. Maf.hall, Penolo,on aud \ cholsou
on he other haGd canleuded that the Sta'e
should iatlly Internationally, and recomHeHd
10 be fret Congress such amsGdmen,s ss she
e!shed, 10 uJder that they might be adopted
I 10 the muurer prcscr bed by tie Constitution
II the opponents Of the Consultation had con.
csived such theory, as that the State would
have the righi to sscede whenever she nigh.
becore dsssali.f fed, II is impossible TO SUP.
pose tha, hey ~ould have insisted on Prev
aus amensmeuis, or 10 other words, a condl.
uoual fatica,on. hat was the view OF is
trends s c,ld, need by Mr.. Madson's letter
20 II ,mllan. Alter The memorable debate
~hich was Voged between the opposing par.
ties iron, he 2d 10 the 25 June, the Goa.
n,le. Of The Whole, on the latter day, ts.
ported to The Cuuvenuon pEea mbe and The
no following resolutions;
] Resolp,d, That II is The opluon Of the
cnuulitee tba' the ConsItutlou be rat fed.
Reso'rtd, Ihst Il Is The opinion OF this com.
.ecommead.d to the Congress which shall
FIRST assemble under Tie sald Couslluuou, To
be acted upon according o the mode pfesci5-
ed 10 the f tn article hereof"
moIoo VAS ade 70 anend The fret res
olunon b, 'uLsraujrg:
=" R0Suirtd That, previous 10 Tho ra,ihca,
ron Of the new Constitution oil Government,
ecoumcrdpd by The lbe late Federal Conveu.
ten a declaration o. rights, asserting aud Sc.
curing from sncroachmens the great prInci
piles ol clyll aud religious liberty, and tho ina.
herahle nights Of ne people, together with
naudmen'. TO the most esceptionable parts Of
'he SAID Constitution OF Government, opght to
be referred by this Convention 10 the other
States OF the American conlederacy for ,helg
cons deraon."
The amoudmen, was Iejscted-syes so,
nce> SIS.
TIE first resolution Of the Committee Of
'a tuIe IVES then agreed o-ayes 50 noes
20; snd he second resolution was agreed 10
sGnaut DIVISION. The ratification was
msdt 20 CONFORM to the resolves, aud bill Of
-hts and vauous amendments OF the Consli
fu'.on were recommended to Congress.
1t would be easy 10 produce from the de.
bates Of The Virginia Convention many decla.
rattou., by speakers on both sides, which
show, beyond any sort Of question, that the
unconditional ratification finally determined
upon, was universally understood TO preclude
he possibility of the Stse's receding from
the Unlon. True, the form of ratification af.
firued tina, the "power granted under the
CONSTITUTION, being derived from the peopll Of
of the Uated States, may be resumed by them
~heneser III. same shall be perverted TO their
iriury or oppression; but this was only
the assertion Of the uudoub'ed rgh. Of popu
lar resistsn:s TO oppression, and not OF the
rgh, OF State to withdraw from the Confed
eracy. wl'hou. the corresponding right TO the
remaining States to Judge whether che has or
hs. no, just cause for dissatisfaction. &"
Nevertheless. we do not hold with Judge
Roane, the great head of Virginia Democra.
cy, that /" secession is treason" We believe
that State may be rightfuy cesrced by her
con'edera,es, and forced le perform her shpu.
ed o1ltga,ons as the members OF a mere
league may undoubtedly coerce any recusant
party 10 it. But We cannot consider our
/ Union as having so diyes,ed the States oil the
auribu,es of sovereignty as TO be competent
TO impose the penalties Of treason upon one Of
them which may, in he, State capacity, de.
lermne to abandon the Federal compact,
trusting in God, her own energies, the sym.
psihles of mankind, and the justice OF her
Cause to sustain her. ln brief, We eschew the
doctrine that the citizens OF such State en-
list under her banner "wlth halters around
their ntcks." But ha, they must expect to
be coerc.d into submission if they cannot
maiptain themselves in arms, is, We think, TN.
den,sble, according TO every just view 0t our
Federal cumpact, And surely we cannot be