The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-11-29
From, the New York C1muercial Advertiser
Plain Truth-Well Put.

The National lntelligsncer, commenting upon
the sentiments so frequently put forth by South
ern newspapers and Southern officials, IN many
instances. that the South will not submit 10
Republican President, and that " election Of
Northern President, would, Of itself, reduce the
South TO the condition of conquered people,
forcibly says:
We NAV say, and we DO say. that the cousti-
tutional election OF any man in the United
States, by any number or combination OF States,
affords no ground whatever for an overthrow OF
the Constitution. lfit were 50, the Constitution
has never been worth the parchment upon which
il is written; and, moreover, on this paradoxical
theory. the only LOYALTY il has heretofore COM
manded at the South is a loyalty which has been
inspired by the consciousness of political pre-
dominance in the Federal Councils, or by the
emoluments Of official place. For il is 10 be OBJ
served tha, the mere election, if fairly and con-
s,itu;ioualy effected, OF any man, 10y any single
section of the country, would, in itself, imply
nothing more than the political defeat of the
minority in the Union, and, in itself cause for
revolution than is afforded 10 the minority in a
State tthe Wings of Virginia, for instance) be-
cause the majority denies them all participation
in the "spoils' OF office.
In Virginia il il deemed eninenty proper that
the Wings, though comprising in their number
large proportion of the wealth, intelligence,
and virtue of the State, should, a good patriots
| submit 10 the domination OF the = Tenth Lee
sion" Democracy, though that domination has
involved for long series of years their ortra-
csm from all positions of honor and influence
under the government and constitution of the
comnonw cath. So long a. their civil rights are
protected aud secured, the Wings have not felt
called to resen, their political "subjection" as a
k.i oS a ha. ltln nh 4.
change for the better in the aspect Of their af-
fairs seems about as probable as thaw in Nova
Zembia.
| No public journal in this country has better
right 10 express such sentiment than the Nation.
al Intelligtscer, and from none probably would
| the really patriotic men OF the South more viii
| lingly take the rebuke thus administered The
remark express q timely truth in words at once
forcible ard temperate. The immediate prov
ocation for this salutary teaching is the mes
sage Of Governor Melville, of Mississippi, who
held among other absurd sentiments, that which
We have quoted at the head of this article
The South to-day has no more cause, if Il;
much, to fear subugation from the election OF a
Northern President than had the South seventy
wears ago from the adoption Of the Natlona
Charter. In the first place the Chief Magistrate
of the Union, whoever he may be, Is pOwerlcs:
| to interfere WIN the sovereignty, or WITH TIE
citizens, Of the separate States. The citizens o
the several States, individually and collectively
are smenable only to and are protected 10y tn,
authorities and the laws of their own States, anC
the Federal Government has nothing whatever
to DO with them.
| The Intciiigencer has struck the keynote t.
all this foolish talking at the South. Ii South
err fre-eaters really sincere about leaving
the Union (which, however, many doubt, an,
not without rcasOn) il Northern President i
elected in 1860, then their loyalty to that Union
in days past is proved to have been Of a yer,
suspicious character, INSPIRED only by th,
consciousness of political predominance in tn,
federal councils, or by the enlolum.nts of Off
cial place" II such ia the nature of their 10y
atty, such the motive of their attachment 10 tn,
Union, many of their friends in the North hav,
been sadly deceived by the fcrvor and loudnes
of their professions in days past.