Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-10-29
ma. Clay ON sKcNs,lox.

lately, inviting him to visit that city ana
address public meeting on some OF the ex-
citing topics of the day. He excused him.
self from attending, but sent long, and
able letter. of which the following is an ex-
tract. The letter is dated Ashland, BIRD
October:
"In turning our attention to the South,
and 10 the saye-holding States we behold
enough to encourage the friends of the u
mon, aud but little to excite soiicitude and
alarm. In all these States, except three,
there is acqmescence in the terms of the
compromise, and firm attachment to the
Union. In two Of these three Georgia aud
MlssissiPpi,) we have much reason to hope
from their known patriotism and intelll-
gence, that the same attachment exists, on
the part of large majorities of the people,
AT all events, those among them of whose
devotion and fidelity to the Union serious
apprehensionS were entertained, have been
constrained, il difference topublic opinion,
materially to change their principles, and to
go to the polls upon new issue. They have
reaoua:el. and denounced the practical right
OF secession at present, and taken shelter
under the convenient mask of the mere ab-
stract right. Whether this shifting of posi-
ton will satisfy the people of these two
States remains to be seen. They will doubt
less seriously consider, that there is but a
short step between the theoretic assertion,
and the practical exercise Of that right; and
in contingency, neither remote nor i'm
probable, if thcy affirm the right, they may
BE soon called upon to involve themselves
H., oc o.,
"South Carolina alone furnishes at pres
emit occasion for profound regret and serious
apprehension ; not so much for the security
Of the Union as for her own peace and pros-
perity. We are compelled, painfully and
reluctantly, to yield to the force of concur
ring evidence, establishing that there exists
in that State general dissatisfaction with,
and general desire to withdraw from, the
Union; and that both parhes-that which
is for separate State action, and that which
insists upon the necessity of the co-opera-
ton OF other States-e9ually agree as to the
expediency of secession, and differ only in
the degree of rashness or prudence which
characterizes them respectively.
Qualification and secession have sprung
from the same metaphysical school; and the
latter is the ally if not the offspring OF the
former. They both agree that singh
State is invested with power to nuliify the
laws of all the other States, passed by Con-
gress but notification claims right to &C
complish that object, and to remain at the
same time in the Union; whilst secession
asserts right to attain it, by withdrawing
from the Union, and absolving the State
from all obligation to the Constitution and
the laws of the United States. They both
maintain that a resort to either process is
peaceful and legitimate. Notification de-
rived an ambiguous but contested support
from the memorable resolutions of the States
of Virginia s Kentucky, adopted in 1883 !;
but these resolutions afford no colour or
countenance to the pretensions OF secession
"The doctrine Of secession assumes, that
any one Of the thirty-one States composing
the Union, wherever or however situated,
whether in the interior or on the frontier,
has a right, upon its own separate will, and
according to the dictates Of its exclusive
Judgment, to withdraw from the Union
whenever it pleases that this act Of seces-
sion is peaceful, and not to be controverted
or INSTRUCTED by the rest OF the States, OF
by the application of any force, within the
limits of the seeding State, to execute the
laws of the United States; and that there
upon the State and its citizens are absolved
from all obligations and duties to the United
States, and become power as independent
and sovereign as any of the nations OF the
earth. The doctrine maintains that this
right NAV be exercised whenever the State
deems it has sufficient cause at all times
in q state of profound peace and prosper
ity, or in the midst of furious war, raging
in all our borders and that, in the latter
case, transforming itself into distinct and
independent nation, it may escape the Ca
lamities of war, make separate treaty OF
peace with the common enemy, become
neutral, or even ally itselfwith that enemy,
and take up arms against the United States.
Itasserts this right, although it may lead,
in the process of time, to the promiscuous
dottinq over, upon the surface of the terri
tory of the United States, of petty independ-
ent nations, establishing for themselves any
form of government, free or despotic, known
TO mankind, andinterruptlng the intercourse
and violating or menacing the execution Of
the laws Of the dlsmembered confederacy
II contends for this right, as we'll for Loulsl-
ana as for South Carolina, although the
province of Louisiana cost US so much mon
ey, and was nigh involving us in foreign
war: for Texas, although it occasioned us
war with Mexico, the payment of ter
millions Of dollars to arrange its boundaries
and to acquire IT, many were willing to risl
war with England; and for distant Cali
fornia, although that was acquired by the
double title of conquest and the payment o
an ample pecuniary consideration.
If, indeed, the Union, under which w
have so long, and generally so happily lived
be thus fragile, and liable to crum6le int
pieces, we must cease to boast of the wis
dom Of our forefathers who formed it, tea
from our hearts the sentiments Of gratltud
and veneratior with which they had inspir
ed us, and no longer expect an enlightene
world to bestow the unbounded praise whic
n has hitherto laviShed on them. A doc
trine so extraordinary and indeiensiblc
fraught with the destruction ofthe Union
and such other direful consequences find
no encouragement or support in the Const
tntion of the United States. 1t had non
under the articles of confederation whic
formed in terms, perpetual Union, how
ever otherwise weak and inefficient th
government was which they established