The southern press., 1851-09-01
Mr.. Coss thinks that il would never do to lie

! Mr. CoBB thinks thai il would never do to let
! Louisiana secede, because she is IT the mouth
Of the Mississippi Well that ls perhaps, a mis-
orsune for her, for on the same principle IL
would never do to let her exercise the right
of revolution, which Mr.. COBB admits to belong
TO all people. Bot the idea Of denying or quail
tying the political rights of a people, because OF
their geographical position, is rather funny. We
have seen this difficulty presented before by one
or two precocious politicians, bat did OF expect
it would eaptiyate Mr.. Com. Why is the off
Guilty greater with Louisiana than other States
She produces sugar and eotton--some of them
bread and meat Would it not be more terrible
for Ohio or Indiana to secede, and thus cut off
the supply Of pork and flour from Louisiana,
than for the latter to withhold cotton and su.
gari But Louisiana holds the mouth of the
Mississippi. That is not the fact. And if il
were, it might be cause of war, If she refused
the interior States outlet, but not reason
for denying her the right of secession.
But Mr.. CoBB cannot quite undertake to deny
that State has the rig TO secede " for just
cause" He says f" Ga the other hand admit
the right Of State to secede for Just cause,
10 be determined by hereJ" Then Louisiana may
spp No, but Mr.. CoBB says that the other
parties to the compact possess corresponding
right to Judge for themselves and there being
no common arbiter to decide between them,
each must fepend for the justification of their
course upon The justice of their cause, The cor
recfncss Of their judgment, and their poacer and
ability 10 maintain their decision! Well, the
right of secession must certainly be the most
unfortunate and mprncticable right in the world
For it cannot be exercised even for just cause,
but must have the assent Of all The other parties,
or must be supported by force enough to over
come them in battle. Mr.. CoBB admits the right
of people to change their form of government,
but that right depends for its mantanance
upon the stout hearts and strong arms Of free
people" That is to say, that right depends on
power-that is to say power is right. Such is
the conclusion to which the profound political
research of Mr.. Com has led him-a conclusion
absolutely below the political ethics Of the Pot
towatomes and Winnebagoes-for not one of
their chiefs has yet delivered a speech in council
or in treaty, in which he did not recognize
higher law than mere force Nay, they all recog-
nize the paramount authority of truth, of right,
of the Great Spirit over all human power
Whatever ene people has a right to do, no other
b,, ii. "a
to resist right.
But Mr. CoBB admits that it would not be
treason for the citizen of State acting under
her authority, to resume their sovereign powers,
that is to secede from and resist federal nu.
thority because he says they would be obeying
Il regularly organized government. Well, if not
treason, what would be the offence thus CON-
mitted If no offence, then secession is practi
cally admitted.
But Mr.. COBB considers whether it ould be
his duty, if governor of Georgia, to obey
rcquisiton of the federal government for troops
to put down seeding State. He says he would
call a convention of the people of Georgia and
submit the question to them. This is one of the
most curious evasions by a candidate of an Issue
that we have seen. Mr. CoBR is candidate for
governor--a neighborng State talks of seces-
sion--Mr. COBB denies the right, or admits the
right of reducing her to submission by force The
people of Georgia want to know if Mr.. Conn
would call on them to engage in that business,
and he declines to answer by saying he will
submit the question to them when the crisis ar
rves. But if there is right in The federal gov
ernment to call on the governor of Georgia for
troops in such case, would it not be rather in
convenient to wait until convention could be
called in Georgia? And after all, what on earth
would Governor CoBB or the people of Georgia
do, if Congress were to pass law to draft them
to war against sister and neighbor State
But we need not pursue the subject further.
Mr. CoBB's admissions are fatal to his position
and these admissions were extorted by the state
of opinion in Georgia, and by the memorable de-
ductions for the principles of our government