The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-03
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 5, 1861.


Adjustment is steady in the employment OF all tbs means
which can nfame the public mind and widen the breach
caused by the question OF slavery II circumstances
arise 10 Justify the hope that South Carolina will abandon
the purpose OF secession and that the entire South united
in maintaining the execution of the ugitve-slave law,
can once epose the that the northern
portions OF the Union better ntormedupon the nature OF
that compact OF the constitution which guarantees the right
of properly slaves this organ of evil renews the res oil
its furnace and sends forth fresh streams OF the dva oil
its treason and disunon That these terms are moi too
harsh to characterize the conduct OF the Southern Press
will appear from the slightest glance at OF It's lead
ing avowals.
Our readers cannot have failed to observe that the
Southern Press has constantly haped the line OF 80
80 as concession YET TO be yielded to the South before It's
scquescence the adjustment OF the last Congress can be
obtained Obeyng this respect the under which
was felt at Nashville, and which obtained the declaration
from that body that this line would be satisfactory to the
South, when it was well known that that line an
imposslbty, this organ dsnters the idol Of pre-
tended zeal for southern interests and hopes to nfame
still longer those passions which the aliment of fac
ton and fanaticsm. 1t is matter susceptible OF demon
straon plain that OF any mathematical problem, that
the line of SO 80 could have been obtained il the South it.
self had been willing to acceptit But were unwse in
the Nashville Convention TO talk of this line a sasfac
tory concession before the Compromise law, what
term is proper for the motive which would now proclaim
that upon that concession alone yet depends the question
Of union dsunion in the South The assumption that
Congress could this line is only preposerous
account of its mpossbiy but faithess and suicidal,
inasmuch as it proceeds on the supposon that this gov
eminent will violate its constitutional powers, assa State
sovereignty, and nullify its engagements with the public
creditors-an assumption that would bring into contempt
III the principles that have heretofore been held sacred by
every party in our land.
1t would be as rational to say that Virginia could
revoke her ordinance cedng the Northwest Terrific
ry to the Union, to say that Congress could now
run the line OF SO 80 10 the Pacific. 1t would be
as constitutional for Congress to interfere with the dis.
cussons which are now pending in Virginia respecting
the basis OF hes representation, and, by way of settling
al controversy on the subject TO line forming two
States out Of that home Of Washington and Jefferson, as
to divide California in the manner suggested by these
modern scklers for State rights Propositions mon
require only be stated be rejected by all calm
and rational minds.
But the Southern Press fails in its other efforts to create
false issues in the South Its mask OF respect for the
resolutions Of Virginia in 1885, for the amended poca.
nation of General Jackson, and of opposition to the
federalism of Messrs Clay and Webster is as thin as
that which its purpose of dsunion when insisting
on the line of SO 80 bare glance at historical facts
and authoritative expositons will show, without argu
ment, the truth in these respects.
Mr.. Madison, in August, ls3O-when the doctrine OF
notification and secession hough then tested as was
soon afterwards by the ordinances of South Carona)
was distinctly Swallowed forth the speeches and essays
of prominent statesmen-examined carefully the whole
subject, and gave, in letter to Mr. Everett the mos,
unqualified denial 10 the assumption that such doctrines
were recognised by the Virginia resolutions: The fol-
lowing extracts from that letter are conclusive on this
subject:
THAT tho legislature coald not have intended sanction
such doctrine. is TO be inferred from the debates thu
house Of delegates, and from the address of houses
their constituents tho subject Of the resolutions The
Of the debates, which ably conducted and
understood have been revised for the press by If
ALL of the speakers dscoses reference whatever
a constu tional right in individual State arrest by
force the operation of law Of the United States Con-
among the States for redress against tho alien and sed
ton laws, acts Of usurped power was leading senti.
men; and the attainment Of concert, the immediate OBJ
ject OF the adopted by the legislature which was
tina, of inviting The other States to in declaring the
be UNCONSTITUTIONAL and to eooputs by the neces-
and measures In MAINTAINING unlmpared The
authorities rights and liberties reserved the States
respectively and the people That by the necessary
and proper to be corcurrtrty and comparatively
taken, meant measures known 10 The
particularly the ordinary control Of the people and ega
OF the States the government of the United
States, be doubted and the ntepositon OF this
control, the showed, equal to the occasion
at is worthy Of remark, and explanatory of the Intentions
of the legislature, that the words not law but utterly null
void, and Of no force effect, which had followed
Of the resolutions the word unconstitutional were struck
by common consent. Though the words in fact
but anonymous with Unconstitutional yet, to guard
against a Misunderstanding OF this phrase than
decaraory OF opinion, the word demonstrations alone
was retained, as not liable to that danger
The Psbshed address of the Legislature the people,
their constituents affords another conclusive evidence of
Its views The address them against The encroach.
ing spirit OF the general government argues the uncon.t
utionslity of the alien and sedon points
in which tho constitutional limits had been
lcaped dwells upon the dangerous mode Of deriving
by implication and In general the necessity
of watching the consolidating tendency of the feeders
policy But nothing is said that be understood look
to Of maintaining the rights OF the States, beyond
the regular ones, within tho forms OF the constitution.
g." any further lights the subject could be needed
strong is reflected in the the
tons, by the States which protested against them Tho
main objection of those beyond few general complaints
Of the nhammatory tendency OF the resolutions, was
objected against tho assumed authority Of State legsa-
turs 10 declare law OF the United States
which they pronounced unwarrHnabe interference
with the exclusive jurisdiction OF the Supreme Court
United States Had the been regarded a. avo
ing and maintaining right in individual State to
rest by fosos the execution of a of the United States.
1t must be presumed that it would have been a oon.picn
object of their denunoisdon."
But ia addition to this testimony there i, other .,;ll
more pointed. to which will refer more particularly