The daily union., 1852-02-14

maintained by the leading members of the republican
democratic State-rghts party since
The opinion OF Mr. Jefferson OF the right and duty
the States 10 separate rather than submit 10 usupaton
oil the federal government which would make "gov
ernmenl Of Unlimited powers" may be further seen from
to the Virginia legislature, in 1924, when the question o
The powers OF the State and general governments were
again under consideration as in 1899. He says
"They the assembly of VirginaI would indeed CON
slider such rupture among the greatest caaInites
which could beia them but the greatest There YET
one greater-submission 10 of unlimited po
1t is only when the hope of avoiding this shall
absolutely desperate that further orbearance could be in
contrary the expectation hope this assembly pre-.
fer at this time acqniescence in these power
tient and suffer much the confidence that tme
1t be too late, will prove them also the bitter
quences Ia which that usupaton will involve all In the
meanwhile will breast with them, rather than separate
from them every misioune save that only living under
government oi unlimited powers
| Again Mr.. John Quincy Adams. in eulogy delivered
some years since the life and character Of Mr. Madi-
son, ailndng 10 the opinions OF Mr. Jefferson said:
"Gpncunng in the doctrines that the separate States
have right to iaopoe In cases of papabe nirac cons OF
the constitution by the government of the United States.
and that the alien and sediton presented Of such
and void and thought the State legislatures competent
only declare but make them so, resist their
to secsde from The Union rather than submit them, il
attempted to be carried into execution by force"
shall refer to but single other authority this
pendence. It's:
"That governments are Instituted among men secure
the inaenabe rights Of life, liberty, and the pursuit Of
the governed that when any form ofgovernment
destructive OF these ends it is the right of the people to
aging its foundation upon such principles and organizing
its powers in such form TO them shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness.
The great fact which was achieved by the American
revolution the independence of the colonies and
their recognition by Great Britain free sovereign, and
independent States The great principle which was es-
abshed was, that man, under certain condition OF cir
cumsances, was capable of self-government; that he
had right to institute such government as he might
deem best o secure the nalienabe rights OF life liberty
and the pursuit of happiness and ii the government be-
came obstructive OF these ends, o alter abolish it,"
and institute new government, laying It's foundations
upon such principles" should "seem most likely to el-
feet his safety and happiness" Before this time, The
power of desposm laid down the law regulating changes
in government. The will Of the yran the rule OF
peoples oppression could only be thrown off by force,
and change OF government a revolution accompa-
MED by violence and boodshed. The American revolu.
ton established new principle. II recognised the right
people to change alter or abolish their form OF govern
ment, whenever IT became destructive OF the ends for
which il created; and this change was 10 be made
peaceably, without force the hand or coercion
on the oher-wi,hou violence, and without boodshed
Ii this principle not established by revolution,
hen nothing has been gained 10 the gea! principle OF po-
ical liberty and American freemen, with all their boast
ed liberty, in the hopeless condition of all who have
lived under ancient modern despotsms, with no relief
from political tyranny, when their government becomes
the natural and barbarian rightio " FIGHT IT OUT"
have concluded this branch of the subject; and
will say again, that although the democratic State
rights party IN Mississippi asserted tile right Of seces
sion, they did not contemplate lis exercise but in the Ian
guage OF the Declaration of Independence and in the
spirit of attachment and devotion 10 common country
we more disposed TO suffer, while evils sui
erable, than 10 attemp to right ourselves by abolish
ing the forms OF government to which they were accus-
tomed.'
1t has been said further that the democratic
party of Mississippi in their opposition TO these compro
mise measures, were IN favor OF dissolution OF the
Union, because they proposed TO go into southern
convention with South Carolina, and other States
which might choose TO go into such convention,
and because South Carolina had, as was at one time
supposed, by a majority of her people, taken po-
son in favor OF secession from the Union on account OF
these desire TO put party right on this
question: and TO say that did propose to go into con-
venlion with South Carolina and other States, with ref
erence TO the position which the southern States should
take account Of these measures but that our object
not to operate with South Carolina In favor OF
the exercise OF the right OF secession in tina, council On
the contrary il repeatedly stated by the late honora
bic senator [Colonel DAvs] his speeches before the
people of Mississippi that Mississippi had invited the
other southern States 10 meet her in convention TO
determine the course to be pursued on account OF
these measures OF compromise, and as South Caro-.
lima had taken position in advance OF The Stale OF
Mississippi and other States, i was the duty of Mis-;
sssippi TO meet South Carolina in convention, and
counsel with her, and advise her against The step oil ac
tua secession. That the position which he took,
and was the position which humby took myself IN
my addresses 10 the people of Mississippi And that was
the object which influenced when found other
State willing 10 go into convention with South Carolina
Ii 10 counsel her against the act oil secession when
we believed she had determined 10 exercise that right
and 10 ask her Join appeal to the other States
in seeking the redress Tor the past and security Tor the u
ture which desired, and thought could be obtained
by the united demand OF the South Some even went so
far 10 call disunionists, because we did not de-
Sosth Carolina for the she had resolved
upon. denounce anybody for the opinions they
may entertain have reasons for my course, and
am willing 10 give those reasons, but never denounce
any one who does not agree with me. Ii was the right
OF South Carolina if she considered herself injured to
sufficient extent TO warrant it, 10 exercise the right OF Sc
eesson. II was proper remedy IN the last resort and
The State had right II the arguments and the authori-
ties TO sustain il which have advanced above be cor
rect TO Judge when the remedy should be used There
fore could not denounce her in exercising that right,
although might Judge, and did judge, that il was not
eypedient for her 10 exercise it.
lhave said Mr. President, that never denounce any
body did not do so even in the late heated in
my own State But there is an exception. will say
that perhaps did say hard things in reference 10
my late colleague, Mr. FooTE,l wbo at the commence
ment OF the agitation of the slavery question in the last
Congress, took the most ultra southern grounds who
went so far TO intimate threaten the hanging
of certain senator il he should to Mississippi,
who, when the resolutions OF compromise were first IN
troduced by Mr. CLAY denounced the resolutions and the
speech then made by that distinguished senator as one
more calculated to "morty southern sensbilites, TO
awaken dissatisfaction, and TO provoke resentment on
the part OF the people OF the South than anything that
had been uttered by professed aboionists not ex
ceptng even the far-famed Garrison, Phillips Doug
lass y and said that the senator from New York Mr..
SFwlRDl would never "dare TO make such speech
here" and that the senator from New Hampshire [Mr