Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-09

! Mr.. H. j. HALL of Alexandria is authorized to act
as an agent procure subscribers the Times in that
quarter OF the State.
SECESSION.
We quote from long and able article in the
National Intelligenoer the following remarks upon
the doctrine of secession, as they furnish des-
rable opportunity OF drawing distinction between
one very common view of that subject and our
own
With regard to the right Of SECESSION, which,
State Rights doctrine presented bold front q gear
ago in the Capital OF Virginia, pumng itself upon its
derivation from the Resolutions OF 1882, and Mr..
Madison's Report that day-the error OF which was
then exposed and exploded by producing the authority
of Mr.. Madison himself, directly against tive never
expect to hear OF again doctrine OF the State Rights
school, after the evidence which has been just brought
TO light, that, in the opinion OF the Head and Oracle
of that school, Spencer Roane aud his political asso-
ciaes, expressed more than forty years ago. sEcEs-
SION" Is"TREAsoN" The occasion which called forth
This denuncation of a doctrine which last year, found
many supporters in Virginia. was doubtless the threat
OF secession thrown out from New England about
that time when suffering under the excrucatlng pres
of an Unlimited embargo. A like menace, as some
of our readers may remember, subsequently reera
ted the floor of the House Of Representatives, by
distinguished gentleman who then represented the city
OF Boston 10 Congress, (who yet lyes-and has lived
long enough to regard dream the which he
in hisyounger days bore part3 who declared with
studied precision OF language that a certain bill
Chat for the admission OF Louisiana into the Union)
would free the States from moral obligation, and
it would be the RIGHT Of all, it would be the duty of
some to prepare for separation, peaceably it they
could, VIOLENTLY IF THEY MUST" Whatever the oc-
casion which eXored it, the sentiment OF the Virginia
patriarch, repoted in substance and unanswerably
forced by Mr.. Madison more than twenty years alter
wards, true the violent OF State from the
Union, as it cannot be effected without evying
against the United States is Treason and nothing less.
When it comes 10 be understood by persons OF the pre-
sent generation under whatever party banner they have
heretofore ranged themselves, that the doctrine OF the
Right Of Secession originated with the Essex Junio,
was arralgned and condemned, promuIga
by the Conscrpl Fathers of the Ancient Dominion, and
IS as revived but scky sprout from the root OF
Modification. we shall hear no more be assured from
any respectable quarter of State Secession. whether
as has been figured in the flowers OF oratory as grace
tul retirement from the Union, in the for m, more
consistent with the reality of fearful and fatal avul-
sion OF one OF Its limbs from the body OF the Republic
The lntegencer appears to US to be so welded
to It's cherished object of maintaining the Union,
that it can suppose no possible contingency in
which its dissolution would be justifable. ASST
ming with Judge Roane and his associates in the
Richmond meeting of 1908, that secession is
treason, it seems to hold that secession never can
be looked upon with the least degree of favour by
iaw-loving men. In this judgment we certainly
cannot concur, although we agree that secession
ding State ought to expect to sustain by force The
result of the appeal to the sword will probably
determine in the eyes of the world the merits of
the enterprise. But, it is no part of our political
creed to believe that all resistance to govern
ment de facto, is to be regarded as the heinous
crime OF treason. The true character of the act
depends on its intrinsic justice. Washington re-
sisted the tVr1Dnipal Art IF tha British
ment Yet who will now affirm that he deserved
the stigma of traitor? Had his noble undera-
king miscarried, he might indeed have suffered
the penalty of treason but at the bar of abstract
justice, and we believe by the verdict of the civil
lized world, he would still have been esteemed a
patriot. When government, not absolute in its
character, but restrained by the obligations of
settled constitution, transcends its powers, and
violates the conditions of its existence it is the 60
vernment which attempts revolution, and not the
people who rise up in vindicaton of their estab-
lished rights. And so if the common govern
ment of our Confederation of States disregards
the fundamental compact, the States injured by the
intraction not justly to be accused of treaso-
nable purposes, if they refuse to acquiesce. Sc
cession is mode of resistance, which may be
peaceable or not at the option Of the government.
If the cause be sufficient, we hold that the act
should command the applause of the world and
the suthciency of the cause must be judged of by
civilized nations according to their understanding
of the relations and obligations of the parties re-
spectively. The right to abandon the Federal
Government whenever it violates the constitution,
is one which Virginia at least cannot be expected
to surrender; for it lis ever to be remembered that
she entered the Union, with this solemn decara-
ton:
I'VE the Delegates of the people OF Virginia duly
eieeteo &c, do IN the name and behalf of the people
OF Virginia, declare and make known that the powers
granted under the Constitution being derived from the
people oil the United States may be resumed by Them
WhehsoeSer the same shall be perverted to their injury
OF oppression and that every power granted thereby
Ieihains WIN them and at their will"
II the people of Virginia, then, believe the
powers OF the General Government peryerted
to their injury they do but conform to the spirit and
letter of their ratification of the Constitution
in resunling these powers But the oues.
ton whether those powers are nArvor,od is
one which they cannot undertake to decide ov-
cept with the sword in hand, and this was tho
way in which the meu of the Convention Of
1888, asserted their rights
THE FUGITIVE BILL IN CONGRESS-.
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