Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-10

entitled The consequence would be that the choice OF
Representative would fall exclusively into the hands
those opposed by suppositon TO the State on the
side Of the Onion 1t would not help the matter that the
Legislature should have acted under injunction from
Convention Tie ordnanc Of Convention cnjoning the
act would be OF higher toriy than the Constitution
theory part of tire State Constitution but the Constitu-
ton Of the United Ses expressly declares that all
made in pursuance thereof shall be the supreme law
the land and that g se judges in every State shall be
bound thereby any this9 in the Consttioa laws Of
any State to the contrary Thus will
be seen that Representatives. elected under the crcum-
stances described by handful Of people in
OF the state would have to be regarded lawful Repre-
sentatves not only by the United States authorities
by the udeal tribunals of the State itself And should
the Legislature, in obedience to nuncroD from Con-
yenton declare IT an offence t,parpate in such cleo
ons the State courts would be bound by oarhs Of Office
to declare the act of the Legislature unconstitutional and
void There would be way of generating the State
courts rom the necessity Of thus deciding even upon
broadcast doctrines Of State Rights unless the Convention
pronouncng uay upon the Constitution of the United
States should solemny declare that the State had
intended to grant to Congress the power provide
elections And where Is the possibility the desirabty
that Convention Of the people of South Carolina should
ever be brought to utter palpable falsehood?
But is needless to say more with the view Of show
ing that the Convention and the Constitution Of the State
have nothing to do with the matter Of United States Sem
ators and Representatives. If, as have already said,
the people should choose not elect Representatives
der an act Of Congress for the purpose, they would yo
States but it must be borne in mind that though every
in the State except fifty voters should refuse
go to the polls these fifty would be considered const
tutng the people, and the persons elected by them would
beawul Representatives Representative
from South Carolina was once elected by thirty votes,
there being opposition
But in point Of expediency what good consequence
be ponted out likely follow Not one, appre
hend That portion Of the people who, for any
should choose to respect the win of the Convention, would
become DISTINGUISHED to the election of Representa-
hands Of those who would disregard the will Of the Com
venton To prevent this monstrous injustice the judi
cial tribunals would be resOrted to; but have shown
how these authorities would inevitably be placed in
ct with the Convention and the side of those who
should despise its command and love the Union How
long would sucA state Of things be tolerated by the
people?
Nor can it be doubted that public opinion in our sister
States would be unanimous against Our friends there
being in great measure, held responsible for acts
would feel that had uselessly put upon them
reasonable responsibility and that it stood them In hand
be foremost reprobate act which it would be vain
attempt to defend, whether MS constitutional
lutionary for the would be not repugnant to
the Constitution than would be unworthy of the spirit
of revolution. The worst thing that could befa and
would be the doing Of act which, instead
of arousng the generous and manly sympahies of
brethren in other States, would obge all suspected Of
having sympathzed with to repudiate u.s. be repu
dated themselves by their neighbors. There high
considerations Of patriotism and craftsmanship, obvious
to the minds of ALL why State should not yet awhile
secede from her Southern sisters And let us pursue such
course that will be able to dispute that
actuated by those high considerations Let not do
just much, and such sort of things as will make it
manifest the world that abstaned from doing
only because afraid Let the State secede not
secede do what viii touch the hearts of men, what
will challenge the approval of statesmen rresolute
experimenting with political quackeries.
Anxious that the movement in the South should not
nroye ftless one for long time to hope
that circumstances might Justify the Convention in pro-
pounding to the other States an amendment of the Cons
tuition, such suggested by Mr.. Calhoun. Upon
that proposition know that Mr. Calhoun looked to
proracted and ample discussion, involving, it would
all the relations between the North and the South, COM
pretending every form of injustice and danger from the
Union present and future and displacng the nsdiou
policy Of our enemies which is that of weltmed peri
odical assaults with intervals less extended
cajoery fatery and pledges Of platforms, election Ju
bilees, and intrigues with Southern ambition But tn
Convention hand and the state of public opinion
is fully known, and satisfied that the proposition
would be most inopportune and worse than useless Ou
friends sufficiently strong to institute discussion
upon it, and it would find in every State overwhelming
orities committed and in many instances organized
embittered against it. know that Mr.. Calhoun meant
practice than usual caution, both as to opportun
and rs to the from which the proposition shou
come cannot however in state of things not foreseel
by him. make armatiohs to what his advice
would be, but have opinion perfectly satisfactory e
myself
ton is pain mere numerical majority cannot consis
tently with sound policy the doctrines of the State
undertake to secede. The supremacy Of the numerical
majority the object Of adherence and detestation
with Mr. Calhoun His great work the greatest Of works
on government is almost exclusively devoted to the
posure of the enormy Of this dea and the maintenance
of the proposition that upon the opposite idea depends
nearly thing great valuable in human society
His grand idea is that Government should be that OF
the whole, and not Of part" To the adjustment of
power between the low and the up-counry in South Ca
rolina, making the Government in some degree of
concurrent maorities he ascrbed mainly those social
pecuiarites which undeniaby the subject of COM
mendation and eulogy throughout the Union This prn
cple he would have applied to every, the least
siderable act Of the legislation for instance, act to
charter ferry incorporate reading club and judge
what he would think Of attempt by numerical majo
rity to sweep from existence at single blow whole
system of government to ordan order of things
take under its control vast and complicated soca
question extending immensely beyond the limits Of the
State and in relation to which there in sister States
ffynine times many people directly and equally in
teresed there persons in South Carolina in favor
of isolated secession Why let what process the
State has thought II wise adopt to make the smallest
modification Of the State constitution Twohirds Of the
Legislature, elected upon the principles of concurrent
maores, required vote for the change The ques
ton is then submitted the people, and Legsa-
ture elected with special reference to the question: and
two-thrs Of the Legislature must also vote for the
change. But shall not dwell upon this point
The Convention has before the very simple task Of
setting forth the true reasons why it ought secede
under the existing state of opinion at home and in the
other Southern States There will be no need OF resort
ing to fiction Ii do than this. Ii can submit
to the people Of the South the why we think they
ought provide for their separate existence and ndepen-
dence The other States win secedc except upon
their convictions of what is sound policy They VIII
never admit south 1-tvna 10 sls Ss'1s.~- ~.-s
If and the other States