The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-13

P'"o'AS"is "'s"Au "nicu lucy arc imperative ""
paramount, then would the men of Massachu-
setts-received at Mr.. WEBSTER valuation, as
desiring freedom only with America, and pre-
ferring to share her subjagaton if subIugatlon
were her destiny-have been recreant to their
soil and their race. But we think better OF
them, and We call in question Mr.. WEBsrER's
| facts.
! The early patriots of Massachusetts,
hopored be their names-whie liberal and phil.
anthropic enough to desire and to aim at the
liberty of all the colonies, not the continent as
result concurrent with and in aid of their own
purpose, yet gave their allegiance and directed
their efforts, if we have read history Alright,
primarily to the welfare and liberty of Massa
chusetts. Alliance was the path to success,
and they chose it, Having entered into union
for the war, honor and good faith elements as
vital to nation AS liberty ITSELF demanded that
they should make common cause to the end
But it by no means follows that, could Massa
chusetts have seen her own separate way to
independence, she would, or should, have sur
rendered that certainty for the problematic
liberation of ALL The truth is, that this colony
was urged to war by its own grievances, and
net by abstract aspirations for universal liberty.
Such theories were then unknown. Her people,
already advanced to n high state of civilization,
were large consumers of those Injuries and
appliances on which Great Britain laid heavy
taxes; upon her towns were fastened the often.
Give bur.hens of British garrisons; her leading
spirits learned, able and accomplished, were
Called by an iaterior position in the State which
tsisy ea'l slabssed to govern. With the other
esoon'ua aie,r cauusxve aud sympathy was
comparatively small TIE Puritans who had
,eso rariar it'clired 10 the roasting of Quakers.
would scarce have been moved to war at the
prospect OF Lord NoRrH's picking the pockets
Ut Friends !n Pennsylvanis-nor had they any
sxcesslve stfeetion for the Catholics of Maryland
But they felt that, however distinct in national
the colonies had all common.
interest As against the dominating power which
their natura! rights and fettered their
material energies they saw that in the union OF
the weak lay the only hope to overcome the
strong. They embraced alliance as a MEANS
no. an end-and faithfully, honorably, they
played their part in that alliance up to its sue
:sssful issue Doubtless, in the hour of victo-
y, their noble hearts rejoced in the fact of its
having been so ordered by Providence that the
same blow which struck for the rights of Mas
'acbusetts, had been potent for the achievement.
Of continental freedom. But shall we predi.
;ate upon this laudable sentiment the probabi.
ity, or proprety. of voluntary abandonment of
heir own liberty in order to share the fate
If their neighbors under different CON-
'ination of circumstances? Not so. Let |
,s illustrate by the case of Hungary and
italy, revolted against Austria both at the same |
lime and with similar ends, but too far separated
or intelligent and useful cooperation. The
ormer country had at one time we'll nigh wrest
ID from Austria peace and independence. Had |
uch offers been made her, we apprehend that |
neither Latriotism nor philanthropy would have
justified the Hungarians in replying: We &C
:ept no independence--we seek no rest-we
lsk no peace-until tho doubtful and distant |
went Of universal European emancpation-or
Until struggling Italy at least is free. There
Exists perhaps breed ofsuch madmen-but we
ire happy to believe that they cannot control
The patriots of any country now on earth-we
are very cure they could not have led revolu
'ionary Massachusetts, The history of that
State, from the hour Of liberty achieved and
through the formation and earlier stages of thi4
constitutional Union, shows high appreciation
by her leaders Of their paramount allegiance to
her sovereignty and duty to her interests Many
of them hesitated about jeopardzing that soy
ereignty by what might prove too liberal del
egaton of its powers. ELBRlDGE GERRY re.
served its rights in opposing grants of control
over the militia to the President, lest such pow
er might be used for the coercion of States
and for the prevention of disunon The Hart
ford convention had its foundation in the asser-
ton of distinct interests and separate cover
eighties. It remained for the degenerate sons
of Massachusetts, at later day, to offer her
birihrightin barter for mess of pottage. Mas
sachusetts had once rights to defend against the
aggressions of majority. The march of events
has since thrown power into the hands of that
section with which she is most identified in
interest and sympathy and the maxims of ber-
ty then cherished as barrier against aggression,
have now become an obstacle in her path.
Hence the principle of State sovereignty and
State allegiance is now ignored by the WEB
STEERS, WNrHRoPs, and statesmen of their
school, not as an idea for which they have really
lost all reverence, but as a plea too convenient,
for minorities in their clamor for equal rights
and their justification of resistance to wrongs
We have denied that the more recent course Of
Massachusetts and her statesmen has evidenced
the large love of liberty, and extended philan
thropy 80 often and 80 compacently claimed for
her. We wish we had more space to set forth