The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-03-16


remainder. | refer, of course, to the
peaceadle right The right of rcvolu-
ton, the right of resistancs to oppres-
sion; is governed by no rules, aud must
be determined by the necessities of
time.
promised to refer to the opinions
of the irainers of the Constitution.
quote first ar extract from tho pen Of
Mr.. JAY. 1t is in the second number
of the Federalist:
"lt is worthy of remark, that not
ollly the first, but every succeeding
Congress, rs well as the late con
vcntion, have invariably joined with
the people in thinking that the pros
pcrity of America depended ON its
union. To preserrs and peypetuate it
was the great object of the people in
forming that convention, and it is
also the great object Of the plan which
the convention has advised them to
adopt"
Mr.. JAY here tells his countrymon,
while urging the adoption OF the Con
stitution, that its great object is to
preserve and pcypetuute the Union; and
can it be conceived that men having
such objects should have Il mere
rope of sund-tlat they should have
scwn i'll the Constitution itself the
seeds of its own dcstruction! And
unless we do give crcdcllcc to an alb
sllrdity like this, what becomes OF the
constitutional right of secession?
In the 4lst number OF the Federal
list, Mr.. Madison, after cnumcrating
the evils of disunon, proceeds thus:
''Ihis picture of the consequences Of
dislmion cannot be too highly colorcd,
OF too often exhibited. Every man
who loves peace, every man who
loves his country, every man who loves
liberty, ought to have it ever before
his eyes, that hc may cherish in
his heart due attachment to the
Union OF America. and be able to set Il
due value OH the means Of preserving
it,"
In the same number, IN reference to
create II prejudice against the Con-
stitution, on account Of the provisions
i'll relation to the army, lie says:
'Ihr attempt has awakened fully
the public attention to that important
subject, and has led to Investigations
which must terminate III thorough
and universal conviction. not only that
the Constitution has provided the most
eflectual guards against danger from
that quarter, but that nothing short of
a Constitution fully adequate to the
national defence, and tie preserroto,.
of tie Union, can save America from
as many standing armies rs it may
be split into States or Contcdcracics.'
Where can we look for stronger
evidence that it was the purpose oithe
trainers of the Constitution to make
a Government strong e"ough t. pre-
serre tie Union? And how utterly
irrcconcilablc with this object is the
right ofa single State to destroy it.
Again; in the 43d number of the
Fcderalist he quotes an article of tic
Constitution, as follows:
'Thc ratification of the conventions
of nine States shall be sufficient for
the establishment of this Constitution
between the States ratiiyiny the
same"
And adds:
'sThis article speaks for itself. The
express authority of The people alone
could give due validity to the Con-
stitution. TO have required the un-
ani1nous. ratification of the thirteen
States would have subjected the c.,-
scntial interests. OF the whole to the
caprice or corruptimn of single
member. 1t would have marked
n want of foresight in the convention
which our own experience would have
rendered incXcusablc."
Here we find Mr.. Madison asserting
the great truth, that to have required
the unanimous ratification of all these
States would have subjected the cs-
scntial interests OF the whole to the
caprice or corruption of single
member. Can it be possible that
those who, i'll the formation Of the
Government, were unwilling to subject
their happiness to the caprice or
corruption Of il single member. sloulL.
when that Government was formed.
subject it to any caprice? Will any
man assert ,hat men in their sense.
much less men renowned for wisdom
-mcn whose names history will per
pctuatc throughout all coming time
could have been guilty of an incoi,-
sistency 50 glaring, II folly 50 i'll
cxc,sablc?9
! read now from tie 1i!h number
OF the. same work:
"1hc question, therefore. whether
this amount of power shall bc.gruntcd
or not, resolves Itself into another
question: Whether or not Gov
crnncnt commensurate to the OK.
igencies OF the Union shall be cs.
tablishcd! Or, III OTHER words, whether
the Union itself shall be prcscrvcd.'
Everywhere, throughout all his
writings, the great object expressed is
the preservation Of the Union and
the establishment of Il Government
strong rnOImh for that cul N,v.h,,,