The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-20

nor 50 established The States were not to be
merged IN the new government, and their dis
tinctlve character, as political comnunitieA, was
To DO retained. Ii every inhabltant OF every
other State had ratified, and the stiaIl State oil
Delaware had refused, il would have been no
constitution to her She had the right to Judge
for herself, what was necessary TO her prosperity
and happiness. IL was for the promotion OF III csc
great objects, that the people OF the several
States ratified the Constitution. They judged
OF It's adaptation to this en- by the language in
which it was expressed They could Judge OF
il in no other manner. They believed its pro-
visions to be wise and just, and that If 1t should
DO administered according to its letter, justice
would be done To all, the rights of the people
OF The several States would be mutually re-
spected, the bonds of all strengthened for the
common defence, the general welfare promoted,
domestic tranquility ensured, and a more perfect
union formed But if not so administered, it
would be violation of the popular understand
ing, breach of the condition on which it was
accepted, for these great blessings could not be
expected to flow from prevented use of it.
IL must have been beautiful spectacle to see
the States assembled in convention, engaged in
the solemn discussion Of matters for promotion
OF the common good, and for the purpose Of ac-
comprising this great object, forming a const-
tuition, made up of voluntary grants of power,
and OF prohibitions to them selves of the exercise
of certain specified powers. :. But the people,
ever watchful Of their rights, through their re-
present tives, at the first session of Congress
after the adoption of the Constitution, proposed
amendments thereto. which were deemed salutary
limitations or restrictions Of some of the powers
given to Congress, and explicitly decIaratory of
the limited nature of the government created by
the Constitution. Among these last are the fol
lowing "The enumeration in the Constitution
of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny
or disparage others retained by the people"
"The powers not delegated to the U. States
by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States, are reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people," The States nor the people
thereof, nowhere renowned the right of re-as
Stunning the portions of their sovereignty, which
they had conceded in the Constitution whenever
the conditions of the grant wer, broken, of
which they had not parted with the right to Judge
for themselves. A State, then, in my judgment,
has the right to secede from the Union. The
people of the seeding State alone, in their SOW
ereign capacity, have the right to determine on
the necessity of its exercise. The sections
have quoted from the Constitution prove this
You had as well say that they were incompetent
to Judge for themselves, ia adopting the Consti-
tuition, as to maintain that they are incompetent
to take care of themselves, when the govern
ment instituted thereby, wrongs and Expresses
them.
1t follows from the right of State to secede
from the Union, that the government of the
United States has no right to compel her to re-
turn for there cannot be two antagonistica
rights. Such right on the part of the federal
government is not be found in the enumeration
of its rights in the Constitution. To concede
the principle that the federal government can
use military force against State to coerce her
into the Union, after her people have determined
that it is necessary to their peace, safety and
happiness, to withdraw, is to yield State rights
and State sovereignty, and to grant principle
which, if acted on, must lead to the overthrow
of the Constitution and the liberty of the people
But while give these opinions on this sub
ject it may not be improper for me to repeat
what have said elsewhere, that Georgia has al
ready determined that it is not to her interest to
exercise this right on account of any wrongs she
has heretofore sustained at the hands of the fed
eral government, and that her decision ought
not to be disturbed. | however, fully acknowl-
edge the proprety and your right to enquire of
me my opinion in the position am in. The
right of State to secede from the Union has
been denied by some. If the denial of this right
to the States should become the established po-
tical doctrine of the country, will repeat there
will be an end of State rights and State sovereign
ties and the government intended by our patrio-
tic fathers as confederacy of co-equal States,
will become an odious despotsm, with all power
consolidated in the hands of an irresponsible
majority, limited by no rule and restricted by no
constitution.
The disposition to tresspass on sectional rights
which has been recently literally encouraged,
will grow, and relieved from all apprt hensiou of
resistance on the part of the States, will exc
cute its plans of outrage and ruin in this fair and
hourishing portion of the Union. But should
the sovereignties of the States, as reserved in
the Constitution, be maintained, and the right
of secession established, there will be no ocea.
sion to resort to it. The determined purpose Of
an injured people to use the remedy when i'm.
PEELED by the necessity, will arrest the progress
of wrongs and usurpations on the part of the
government This right of an entire State to
withdraw from the government is one Of the
chief beauties, yea, gories of our political sys-
tenn. When the people Of the States cease to
derive the advantages from the Union for which
they entered into it. they may in their sovereign
capacity, depart in peace, without revolution,
without war, without the shedding of blood
There is no treason in this, no resort to sword
but simply gentle removal from under the
burden that Expresses them.
II is scarcely necessary for me to add, that I
maintain the doctrine Of a strict construction of
the Constitution Of the United States as ncul-
Gated in the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions
Of 1889. It'll the republican doctrine, and the
only security Of the people against political
wrongs.
| have the honor TO be, respectfully, your obe-
dent servant, CHAS. ]. MCDONALD.
Col. Clemens Denies the Sovereignty Of Ala
bams
Col G. in his speech on the 2Sth nit, in the