The southern press., 1851-10-01
The Right Of secession.


ers, we have inserted the celebrated resolutions
of Virginia and Kentucky in '9s, in full. We
also publish extracts Of the debate in the Vir.
ginia legislature of that day on these resolu-
lions, and extracts from Mr.. MADIsos's reportin
defence Of them, and extracts from his letter to
Mr. EVERETT, in 1880, explaining them away.
This is the boasted age, and ours the boasted
people Of progress. In sixty years We have ex-
tended our colonization from sea to sea, and our
commerce to the ends of the earth. We have
constructed many thousand miles of canals and
railroads, and we travel with the speed Of steam
ers and locomotives We have about thirty
thousand post offices, and write every year many
millions of letters, and print many millions Of
newspapers, pamphlets, and books. We have
over thirty grand political debating clubs an
nually assembled at the seats of the federal and
State governments, and throughout the year the
stump is vocal with defamation on politics.
Yet, notwithstanding this freedom and univer
salty of the pen, the press, and the pulpit, who
can aver that the human mind has made a single
step of moral or political progress? Has one
inch been added to the moral or Intellectual
stature of man
1t is now seventy five years since the Declare
ton Of Independence was adopted. And yet
the cardinal principle of that document, and OF
the great movement that gave it birth, is dis
puted by nearly every State in this confederacy,
The principle of the revolution was the right Of
secession. The Declaration of independence
asserts the right Of people to alter, amend, OF
abolish any existing government, when they
deem it subversive of its proper objects. Yet
now the general doctrine is that if the people
of any State in this Union were to attempt to
abolish their government, it would be treason,
and the penalty would be death. 1t would be
more criminal than all the felony that fills our
penitentiaries.
In this respect, the doctrine now maintained
is precisely that which was lately asserted by the
despots of Russia and Austria, with nearly half
a million of bayonets on the plains Of Hun
gary. Yet We have sent public ship to bring
to our shores, as an asylum, the illustrious rebel
of Hungary; but if such man were TO arise
among us, his doom would be the gallows
The resolutions of Kentucky, by Mr.. JET
fERsoS, which We publish, commence with as.
serting that the States Of this Union are not
united on the principle Of unlimited submission
to the federal government But the popular
doctrine now is the reverse. The only alter
natives now are unlimited submission or the
doom Of traitors. No matter how much cur
area is extended, the number Of States increased
the distribution Of power changed, the interests,
the opinions, the words of the parties, and the
compact revoluiionized, unlimited submission is
held to be the moral aud political obligation OF
every State to the will Of the prescribed ma.
jority. .....
Nay, the original compact may be radically al
tered by three.fourths Of the States nobility
and national religion be establisbed-the righ'
of trial by jury and of haGeas corpus be abol-
ished-this might all be done now against the re-
nonstrance Of seven Of the States, and accord
ing to the modern doctrine, il would be treason
10 secede.
This doctrine is said To result from the plain
words Of the Constitution, which provide the
mode in which laws are TO be made, and require
the Executive to take care that they are faith
fully executed
Let US look at the practical consequences OF
this theory. Suppose some old.fashioned be
nighted State werc TO resolve with unsnimity
that she would change her present government
and establish one unconnected with the other
States. She creates her own army and navy, for
her own defence, and does moi in'eimeddle with
her late associates She directs her president to
zee her own Iws faithfully executed, Well,
the PresideH { the other States marches a
force into eding State to put down her
rebellion. Jse he overthrows her armies
What them, She refuses to re. unite. She will
elect no representatives or senators. Issue still
a Stale Of this Union7 The present Constitu-
ton binds the federal government TO guarantee
20 each State republican form Of government.
Can a State have q republican form Of govern
ment when vast majority Of her people are
held under subjection by federal army! Can
a government be republican which is maintained
by force, against the will Of the people Of the
State? There can be but one answer II, there.
fore, President were to attempt to maintain
government, or the law Of government, over
State which had repudiated the authority Of such
government, he would violate the Constitution.
which guarantees a republican form OF govern
ment to every State, and he is s~,rn to support
the Constitution.
The resolutions Of 80 assert, in substance,
Aat the federal Constitution is a compact to
which the States are parties, ard that a, such,
they have the right, in the last resort, to deter
mine the meaning Of the compact, and the ex-
tent Of their obligations. All compacts which
are not, 10 terms, Of fixed duration, are terrnina.
BILE by any Of the parties at pleasure. Such il
the nature Of compact, and il is entirely compati.
bic with the right Of the people Of each State 10