Washington sentinel., 1854-07-23

sort Of politico scholastic pedantry, that feud
was characterized as contest between the
centripetal and the centrifugal forces. Such
were the terms that our fathers loved to EN-.
ploy. Fortunately for the happiness of our
people and the safety and integrity of our in
stitutions, the federal doctrines that so fas-
cinated the imagnations Of many Of the olden
time, have fallen into disrcpute, and that poll
tician is either very honest or very reckless
man who will claim for himself the appellation
of federalist. Nearly all claim to be State
rights men, though many under that name are
known practically to espouse the most federal
measures. W
Now, what is meant by State rights? The
term, we think, is misunderstood Owing to the
fact that the Institution of slavery, now con
fined TO the southern States, has been menaced.
nay, more than that, attacked, by the north
ern non-slaveholding States, who have at
tempted, through, federal agencies, to reach
and to extirpate tive say owing to such an
unauthorized attempt on the part of some of
the non-slaveholding States, the southern States
have been driven to investigate and scrutinize
their titles to their slave property. They have
found it necessary to fall back on the Consti.
tation and on the rights and sovereignties
OF the several States. Owing to this, the
term southern rights has come into use. That
be used THE RIGHTS OF Ali, THE
STATES, NO MATTER IN WHICH SEC.
TION THEY MAY LIE, ARE EQUAL.
Each State surrendered to the federal govern
ment the same rights both in respect Of quality
and extent. Each State retained the same
rights. All the rights not surrendered are re-
served to them. Each State has a RIGHT to
make Its own constitution and laws--to elect its
Governor, Judges, and other State officers; to
establish and regulate its own domestic in
stitutlons. These are examples of what are
meant by State rights. But to carry ont the
illustration further: Slavery is domestic in
sttution that originally existed in all the States
The Constitution no where authorises the Fed.
eral government to interfere with it. An old
State, without the Intervention of that govern.
ment, can either keep or abolish it. Wherever
abolished 1t has been abolished without the
agency of the general government. In the
same manner, and for the same reason, q new
State has the absolute and perfect right to de-
eide Tor itself the same question. If decided
tor 1t In advance, and whilst Territory, by
any branch OF the Federal government, It
would, when weak and young and immature,
receive from a nsurping Congress an impe-
tus, and an impulse that would be irresistible,
and beyond ITS control. 1t is as Just and as
proper 10 cut out child's tongue, pluck out
its eyes, and then tell it to grow up and learn
10 talk, and learn to see, as it is for Con-
gress to mould the domestic institutions of
Territory, and then to so!ace it with the de-
ceitful assurance that it shall have the power
when it grows up to be State. As the child
was made hopelessly blind, and forever dumb,
so the domestic institutions of the Territory
have been irrevocably fixed and when It
comes into the Union, il comes in emasculated.
Its destiny has been decided and fixed
Such are some Of the Illustrations of State
rights Properly understood, the doctrine of
State rights, and its rigid observance are the
surest guarantee that our institutions can have
Tor perpetuity. Indiscreet men have several
times brought discredit on it, by ill-timed dis
plays of rage and selfish efforts to gain noto-
rety for themselves, even at the cost of the
principle they profess to love.
Happily for the country, the writings and
speeches of some Of the Fathers ofthe Republic,
| aided by the cogent, lucid, and conclusive
reasonings of the great Carolina statesman,
have impressed this principle on the public
mind, and given it permanent lodgment in
| the affections of the people. Such is its in
huence and ascendancy, that no politician who
looks forward to future, will dare to assail it.
Although all public men, and all parties do not
| trictly and faithfully observe it in practice,
yet they are constrained to give to It an alb
straet recognition in their creeds.
| The truth is, that the doctrines of the State
| rights school are not only constitutional doc
trines; but their recognition and observance
is great political necessity. Let it be con.
ceded that the States have the rights claimed
| for them, and are thus clothed with needful
powers of protection, against federal encroach-
ments, then no such encroachments will be at
tempted. 1t is plain that there will be no
jealousies and no collisions, when there is no
usurpation and tyranny on the one side, and
no injury and oppression on the other.
The denial Of these rights must, on the con-
trary, lead to the most serious conflicts be-
tween the States and the General government.
Human wisdom can devise no adequate protec-
ton against central power, save that which
consists in the doctrines for which we contend.
While to the superficial observer, these doc
trines seem productive OF discord and strife, 10
the profound thinker they seem, as they are,
the very essence Of conservatism.
Under this fag--the flag of STATE RIGHTS, we
mean TO stand, 1t was the flag under which
our bravest heroes, our ablest statesmen and
our purest patriots fought, and like them we
will defend and upholdit at is the flag of
the Free