North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-09-03
For the Slandard.l

}! For the Standard
! Mr.. HOLDEN: Ny attention called 10 the let
ter OF Mr. Cobb by what said of i: by your cor
: respondent =" Vindexse and | acknowledge I was
greatly surprised to find the Wings of Georgia sup.
porting candidate entertaining the views as advanced
IN that letter. If these be the opinions of the Wings
In regard to the question Of secession, then mos,
clearly our people have been most egregiousiy de-
celVed With us they have attempted to make it an
issue OF Union or disunon, and here isa candidate
LOT GoVernor supported by that party who, whilst he
denies the right of State secede auitnut js cause
admits the right for cause and she herself is to be the
Judge as to the snficiency of that 1t may be
sald this right of secession exists right, then
follows that it be exercised the part of every
State at will and pleasure. Not SO, the very
right is claimed the grounds that the constitution
al compact, to which the State was party, had been
violated and to justify this State action, the violation
OF the compact must be not only polDa6Le in the Ian
guage of Mr.. Madison's Resolutions, but al so
De d0fSerOus to authorize this State lntepoSltion
order to arrest the evil. Such, too, is certainly
the Inference 10 be drawn from Mr.. Jefferson's Ken
lucky Resolutions IS To this compact-lhe Con-
stluton-each State acceded State, and is an
integral party; that this Governnent-the Federal
erected by this compact, made the exclusive
or final judge of the extent of the powers delegated
to ITSELF since that would have made its discretion
and not the Constitution, the measure of its powers /;
but as in all other of compact among parties
having no common judge, each party has equal
right to Judge for ITSELF yell Of iractons, Of The
made and measure of redress - Language certainly
could not be more explicit than this First, there
must be shown inraction, of which the Stale is
Judge, and of the remedy 1t is idle talk of the
existence of this right without just cause, because it
is that, the cause, which produces this right.
not arguing for the rght-about that / express
opinion, nor do understand your Corresp ondent
VIncex but to show that the right itself, accord
ing TO the argument OF its supporters Is founded
just cause, that is, violation of the Constitution
In this the friends and opposers of the doctrine diff
er. Its opposers say, whether there be viola
ton of the Constitution not must be decided
Surname COurt-theV he
Judges. That majority of Congress having enacted
the laws, however unequal UNJUST it is to be sub
United to until the only legal trbuna-,he Supreme
Court-shall pronounce it void. This may be true,
say the State Rights advocates, regards ordinary
neutrality-suspicious. which admit of legal adjudica-
ton But there certain great political questions,
such for instance, the refusal of the non-saveh
ing States to execute the Fugitive Slave Law, any
other law of like import; such too, the refusal
OF Congress to admit new State into the Union,
though its form of government be Republican, be-
cause of the institution of Slavery. Here two
cases not involving any issue upon which the Su-
Preme Court can pronounce Judgment yet involving
matter both of Constitutional obligation and of vital
importance to the safety and wel-being Of the South.
1t questions of this kind that those State Rights
advocates say, the State is authorized in the last re-
Sort to decide as to the remedy. Such would also
seem to be the opinion to be drawn from the Speech
of Mr.. Livingston, who says " If the act be of
the few which in its operation cannot be submitted
the Supreme Court, and be that WILL in the opin
ion of the State, justify the risk OF UihdraWa! from
resOrted to- Here, again, have, the cause,
the adoption, by Congress, of measure which, in
its nature, admits of decision by the Courts, and
therefore calls for State interposition in order
rest the evil. Still, say the opposers of State Rights,
this does not justify secession, BUT withdrawal from
the Union, which is revolution. Then, as under
stand the argument il s-here must exist just cause
to justify either revolution secession and of this
the people of each State Judge, in their
sovereign capacity, in Convention assembled. Then
if comprehend the argument correctly, the Wings
in late Congressional canvass have created great
smoke-raised great hue and cry about the Union,
when Mr.. Cobb, their party candidate in Georgia,
comedies all that any one in :is Safe contends for-the
abstract right of State peaceably to withdraw from
the Union, whenever Congress shall DO that WHICH
shall justify it..
Now, MIR. Editor, am who havs attentively !
considered what has been going on, having nothing
to do with either any of the candidates before the
public; 50 | have deliberately read and considered
all that have heard said this ques ton of the
States right secede, and have brought myself to
the conclusion that great exists about the
ter; that the Wings, Mr.. Stany for instance, have
turned and used it to their advantage, when it is
mere speculative question, in way threatening
or involving the stability Of the Union. Both parties
deny they submissionists, and they will resist
when the hour of trial shall arrive. Now, That hour
may come, and if it should then it will be for
the people to decide 10 the and mode of
redress. Such, it to me, must be the fair and
legitimate conclusion of all whose reason and udg-
ment not lost in the preudices of party.
PHILO VINDEX.