Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-05-24

and set up Government for themselves, and enter
into relations with foreign Governments which
might be prejudcial 10 the rest of the States
What right have they thus to act but the right Of
revolution ! A right which lies enveloped in mis
and darkness, and which can only be exercised by
people on the borders of despair. Secession is
but one other step after nulfcation both doctrines
being grounded on the same principle. A State
secedes 10 consequence Of series of unconstitu-
,ional acts. By what right does she Judge them
unconstitutional Because, being one of the parties
TO the compact, she alone judges of the mode and
measure OF redress. This may either be nulli6ca-
ton or secession, as she thinks best. But may
be told this is not Southern doctrine that am advo-
eating reply, that climate and latitude may affect
mems temperaments, but they by no means furnish
the standard Of truth
This ARerican Constitution is laudcd to tho skies,
and prpclaiptcdas model wortay of all imitation,
- s1s Psf5cct0u OF sfIe human insclloot. But If
il is TO bear the Interpretation placed upon il by the
extreme State-rights school, think il will fall short
| far short of its pretepsons. A number of depu-
ties meet together from different States to frame
constitution, in order to establish more perfect
Union. This constitution contains nothing but de-
lega.ed powers, while all other powers are reserv-
ed to the States. All powers, however, are conceded
that are necessary to carry the granted powers into
execution. Now, is it not too much to suppose
that these delegates should have thought themselves
capable of so exactly defining and describing these
powers that it would have been impossible for any
controversies to arise respecting their extent and
Limitation, especially when they must have known
that man was liigious animal, prone to contro-
versy, and that communities, great and small, were
equally liable to ncroach upon each other!
| We are gravelf told that this Union was to de-
pend altogether upon the love Of its members-that
if one party enGoached upon the other, the ag-
grieved party hid only to give timely notification,
and the grievance would be redressed; or that in
of obstinacy OF the part of the majority, the weak
er section hadthe right to nullfy the acts Of Con-
gress; and if hat were not sufficient, 10 part COM
pany altogethS. And this sentiment of love, being
a great American sentiment, enjoyed by US pecu-
liarly as people every other people on earth,
was to be thu only principle-the sole Ingredient
Of the cement to hold us together. The political
millennium Ind come. We were all to unite or
disunte in ine, il was to be sort of political ma
riaQe, in which divorce was contemplated before
the ceremony. So far as concerned, if this be
the right construction, am very much obliged to
them for the good opinion they had of the innocence
j of their posterity; but would have esteemed
their intellect much more, if they had taken more
extensive view Of human nature, and formed the
Government upon The consideration that man is
an animal that can hate as well as love; that he
has lad, and ever will have, spice Of the devil in
his compositions, and that in fact he is more prone
to hostility than affection. / do believe, if they
had not provided the Supreme Court as an arbter
chat she ConsiiMion was bns frebrand thrown
besueen Che Ostes. 70 form more perfect Unior
at first that they might hate each other ever after
wards upon acloser acquaintance, and that so fa
from being monument of the wisdom of that, age
it was most stupendous memorial of their entire
simplicity ~ ----