The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-06-23
For The Cecil Wing.
Parties and POlitiCS.---NO. 1.

Northern members from the National Couh-
Gil OF the American organization in Philadel-
phia. because of the adoption by that body OF
the Union Resolutions, the organization Of
the seceders aud other repre- sentatives from
the Free States into Convention at Cleve-
land, taken into connection with the existing
state Of political Affairs in this country cannot
fail to show every American, that II crisis has
arrived, in which Tor the first time, the start
ling question "SIIALI. THE UNION BE
PRESERVED ~ is fairly aud fully before
us. Another question, of perhaps still great
er Importance, st,res us full in the face, look
where we will upon the field Of politics. and
that question is: as THERE PATRIOT
ISM ENOUGH IN TIE COUNTRY TO
SAVE US FROM THE HORRORS OF DIS
UNION The old Wing party, Which to the
last kept up the show OF conservatism and
devotion to the Union. sccms 10 have reach
ed point ut which it possesses little power
for evil or good. The Democratic party.
false to the principles Of its founder, Gen.
Jackson, has. by its platform adopted at the
last Baltimore convention, declared its oppo-
stion to the supremacy of the Federal Gov
crnment and the binding force Of the Consti-
tuition and the Union. and planted itself upon
the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of
1893. In the South there is strong State
Rights Party, which standing upon these Nir
ginia and Kentucky Resolutions, declare the
right Of any State to secede frosr the Union
at its own will and pleasures; while at the
North the abolitionists supported by these
same resolutions, openly refuse obedience to
the laws OF the Gene val government, and de-
clare them ,.altogethcEyoid and ofno effect
1t may seem strange, that differing so wide
ly, as do these extremes of n orth and South,
Il ey should find ip the same instrument the
ground work Oftheirmincipes. But brief
glance at these famous Resolutions will show
how easily they may he adopted by ultraists
of both sections, and serve AS an excuse for
their disappointing schemes. These two sets
of Resolutions were adopted respectively by
the Lcgisl ,tures of Kentucky and Virginia in
the year 1898, mainly for the purpose Of dc.
c!aring their opposition to the Alien and Sc.
dltion Laws; which laws, they denominated
"altogcthcr void and Of none effect" They
assert in general terms the power Of the in
dividual States to repUdiate the acts of the
General Government inconsistent with their
rights, of which they and not Congress are to
he the Judge. Whatever may have been
the support given to these resolutions by
some ultra politicians of the Republican
School, am not aware that they served aS
the basis of any important public measure,
until after the passage of the Tariff act Of
1892, when the Legislature of South Caro-
lima, declared that act imperative and void.
Then it was, that Gen. Jackson threatened
death to the traitor who dared to deny the
supremacy of the Federal Government and
its laws, and thus placed the browning glory
upon II life singularly fruitful in benefits +"
his country; and then it was, that the Demo-
cratic party, taking this bold national ground,
laid the foundation of that popularity which
it has since enjoyed. After this Calhoun
went one step further, and declared rhnt =
State had not only the right to nullify tho
| acts Ofthe General Government but to scccde
from the Federal compact. This dangerous
doctrine was held in check by Clay and Web
| Stcr during the lifetime Of Calhoun, but on
the death Of this illlstrious trio, the seed
sown by the Southern agitator srrang up and
| brought forth frnit an undrcd fold, until dis
| union and scce SSon have become familiar as
ho lschold words. The politicians Of the
South little thought that they were manl'fac
| turing II doctrine of which the abo,ionsts at
the North weuI take advantage. and strike
them in the tcndcrcst point; but it requires
no great amount Of either legal or nictaIlys-
zeal reasoning to show, that the same doctrine
which gave toy the Legislatures Of Kentucky.
| Virginia and South Carolina ss. Fight to de-
| clare, that the Alien and Scditiun Laws and
| the Tariff act were '.null and Void and
should not he nfnrccd within their limits,
| gives to the LcgEk,tnrc of Massachusetts, the
right To declare that tc Fugitive Slave Law
| is null and void; that no fugitive slave shall
be apprchentrcd within her limits; that no
prison shall he used for his detention. and no
penalty attached to refusal to assist in his
arrest. More than this. the sixth Resolution
of the Kentucky Legislature denies in gene
raj terms the right of Congress to- pass any
| aw withholding flc pr"ilcfagc OF trial by
| jury which would ut once render nugatory
auHvod the Fugitive Slave Law.
THUS We see the South asserting her right
to sccedc from the Onion At her own will and
pleasure, the North declaring her right to
nullty the fugitive slave law and set at def
nlct the acts OF tie general government, and
to cap the climax the only party claiming to
have an existence in a II sections Of tn" Union
cndo' sing in full the very ground work upon
which these distinguishing schemes are b,lilt.
May We not well ask is there patriotism
enough in the country to save us from the
horrors OF disunioni
Such Mr.. Editor, In brief, is the political
condition of our country, brought about by
the mad ambition and the vcnal lust for pow
| or and place which have characterized our
political history for the last twenty years.
Let no man suppose that the security of the
past is guarantee for the future. The Great
Erpoundcr no longer lifts up his broad shield
to ward OIL the polished sophistries of South
ern secedcrs. or hold in check the mad fanat-
icism Of the North. Jackson is dead, Web
ster and Clay arc dead, and where is the man
who will stand up and by word and deed pro
claim the supremacy Of the General Govern
mcnt and its laws. In 1882 Jackson flourish
ed the halter in the faces Of the South Caro-
lima Nnllfc's, and in his patriotic wrath
sworc he would hang the first man who dared
| to interfere with the execution of the Laws;
hut in 1904. the pigmy incumbent of the Pres
idehtial chair looks on with indifference ne r.
haps with delight, while Parker and Phillips,
backed by his own cherished resolution OF
'as, offer open and forciblc resistance to the
| laws of land
| These, Mr.. Editor, are plain facts, which,
As Americans it becomes lis seriously to con-
slider. 1t may be that seeing our danger VIC
will ronso us from our slunrbcr, and prove
ourselves not unworthy Of the great boon de-
vised us by our fathers. -" Union.
5 ITO be eeniinued.)