Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-11-08

money, and wa4 nigh involving Il, in 4 iotrign /
war; iar Texas. although ii occss'oned US a war !
with Mexico, the payment Of ten million of dol |
lars to arrange its boundaries, and to acquire il
many were willing to risk war with England,
aud for distant California, although that was ae
CURED by the double title ofconques, and the pay
ment OF an ample pecuniary consideration.
II indeed the Union, under which we have 50
long and generally so happily lived, be thus fra
gle, and liable to crumble into pieces We must
cease To boas, Of the wisdom Of our oretalhers
who formed it--tear from our hearts the senti-
ments OF gratitude and veneration with which
they had inspired us, aud no longer expect an
enlightened world TO besow the unbounded
praise which il has hitherto lavished on them.
4 doctrine so extraordinary aud indeiensible,
traught with the destruction Of the Union, and
such other dretnl consequences, finds no encour-
sgement or support in the Constitution OF the
United States. 1t had none under the articles OF
confrSeiacy which formed, 10 terms, aPerpe'ual
Union, however otherwise weak aud inefficient
the government was which they established
inetheicncy arose out Of the fact, that Il operated
not on the people directly, but upon the States;
which might, and often did, fail TO comply with
The acquisitions made on them by Congress To
correct the defect and 10 form a more perfect
Union, the present Constitution was adopted
Ii has been alleged that the Union the States,
under the articles, OF confederation. was held TO.
gether only by a rope of sand; but 1t was a rope
Of adamani, compared with the cord which now
binds Us, il the right Of secession IS sanctioned
aud sustained,
The Constitution oft'e United States esab.
isl government, and, like all governments, il
was 10 be perpetual, or To have uni mIcd dura-
ton Il was not restricted 10 the existing gen
GRAFTON but complehended poderiy. The
preamble declares that, eve, the people Of the
United States. in order to form a more perfect
Union, establish justice, insure domestic tran
guilty provide for The common defence, promote
the general welfare, and to secure the blessings
Of liberty to ourselves aud our posterity,do ordaln
and establish this Constitution for the United
States Of America" Il IN kes provision express.
" for the admission Of new States into the Un,
ion; but from The beginning to the end Of II, moi
clause is TO be found which gives any authority
or color 10 the right Of secession Of State once
admitted into the Union.
The partsans of this novel and strange doc
lrine attempt TO support II on two grounds -
First, they contend that, by an express amend.
ment OF the Constitution, as oil powersnot grant.
ed 10 the Governmrn, o(the United States, or 10
the people, the power or RICH, ofsecession Is not
grated, and that il is therefore retained by the
States and The people, and may be exercised al
their pleasure.
This argument Is refi,ed by either oftwo suti
Gent answers. The contested power cannot be-
retained If it's reservation be Incompatible with
the obligations of the constitutional compact -
Bu, the Constitution was intenfd TO be perpetual,
or, which is the same thing, to be Of unlimited
existence, subject only, from time to time. TO such
amendments as might be made, in the mode
which il specifies II created more perfect
Union, which was to secure tho blessings ot Lbs
erly to the genrraiion which formed it. and to
heir poslerily The obligation which each
state voluntarily assumed to the other states. by
being atmit,ed into Union, was, tina, Il would re.
ma N pcrpetually hound with other States 10 pre-
serve that Union Tor their own benefit, and TO
inure to the benefit Of ?os,erily. To assert in
the face of that obligation that State may retire
from the Union whenever il pleases, is 10 assert
that a party, bound by solemn compact to other
parties, may cancel or violate the compact when
ever il thinks proper, without ,heir consent In
order 10 secure respect and submission to the
Union, the Constitution expressly provides "that
This Constitution and the laws Of the u. States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and
all treaties made or which shall be made under
the authority Of the United States, shall be the
supreme law Of the land, and the Judges in every
State shall be bound thereby, anything in the
constitution or laws Of any State to the contrary
moi wilhsandng,"
Thus each and every onc oi the States has
agreed, not only tha, the ordinary lPgisla.
ton, but that it's constitution, the higher la "
mafc by the people themselves IN convention,
shall, in any cause of conflict, be subordinate 10
the paramount authority of The constitution, laws
made in pur,uance thereof, aud treaties OF the u.
Slates. If therefore, any state were, "Ilter IN
it, Legislature, or in convention Of drl'ga'es
Of the people 10 declare, hy the most formal act,
! that il had seeded from the Union, such act
would be nuraioTy and an absolute nulll,y and
tho people of that State would remain bound by
rhe constitution laws, and treaties Of the United
States, az fully and perfectly as It the act had
never been proclaimed,
Bot there is another also, conclusive against
the preiension Of secession being power re
served 10 The States under the amendment OF The
constitution referred to, The reservation Of r
power implies he existence in the party reserf.
inn il, prior 10 such reservation But when a
Slale existed in its independent separate and
unassocated character, il could have had no
right of secession, there being no con'edcract
OF Other party fom which to secede. Secession
il incident to union or centederacy. ~llhon
which II can have no existence, aud, unless II Il
clearly provided for in the compac, OF Union
out of which /. springs. and still more, il !. be
utterly Irreconcilable with that com act, i cat
have no constitutional or legitimate foundation.
| 1t is commended, however, in the second place
that the right Of secession apperains 3 me
States, under and in virtue Of their sovereignty
This argument scorns any reliance upon the re
servation Of powers in the constitution cur
loose from all the obligations in that instrument
defines the power and authority OIL the genera
government, and finds solution oil the author
ty for secession in the sovereignty OF the States
Nha, tina, sovereignty lie, it does not deisn to de