Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-03-03
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN: THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1859.

Secession Historical ReminiScence
We copy the following article from
the Nashville Patriot for the inter
esting and suggestive historical re
miniscences il contains, which nc
doubt will be new to many:
The first announcement on tht
floor of Congress Of the doctrine
of secession, was made by Joshu;
Quincy, on the 18th Of January
1911. He was urging yehemently
on the Jefersonian principles of strict
construction, the objection to the
erection of the Orleans Territory in
to State, that there was no author
ity in the Constitution for the admis-
sion OF States, formed out Of terrific
ry acquired since the adoption of that
instrument. In the course Of bis re-
marks be expressed. as his deliber-
ate opinion, "ihat so Aagrant dis
regard of the Constitution. as he
considered it would be virtual dis.
solution of the bonds Of the Union,
freeing Tie States eomposiugit from
th cir moral obligations Of adhesion
to each other, and ma king it the
right ofall. as it would become the
duty Of some, to prepare definitely
for separation, amicably if they
might, forcibly if they must"
At this point, the late George
Poindexter, then a delegate in the
House from the Territory of Mis-
sissippi, called Mr.. Quincy to order,
No memberof the House, he said Ought
to be permitted to stimulate any por-
tion of the people to insuIrection and a
dissolution of the Union. The Speak
er (Var num) decided that consider
ing the latitude allowed and taken
in this debate, the first part of
Quincy's defamation bis opinion
that the admission of Louisiana
would be virtual dissolution of the
Union was admissible. But bis de-
claration as the duty of certain States
under certain contingence, to sep
arste from the Union, peaeeably .if
they could, forcibly if they must,
was pronounced out of order.
Quincy appealed from this de-
cision of the Speaker and, part Of
the Democrats voting with Quincy's
political friends, the Federalists. the
House reversed the decision of the
speaker by a vote of % to 23.
After the interruption had been
of, Quincy proceeded to
declare, "..hat he had uttered the
st, tement, which had so started the
House, rot for agitation. but as
warning; not from hostility /. to the
Union, but out of an earnest de-
sire to preserve it,"
The secession language used by
Mr.. Quincy, one of the Federal
leaders in the House from Massachu-
setts, in regard to the admission Of
Louisiana as State into the Union.
is very like that used near forty
years afterwards, by some fire.
eaters Of South, in respect to the
admission of California. Consider.
ations of political power lay at
the bottom of the violent and threat
ening opposition made to the ad-
mission of Louisiana, as they also did
in the case of the admission of Cal
ifornia.
New England, at the time we are
referring to, was jealous of the new
States to be formed in the West which
threated curtailment Of her political
weight. 4.e,
Quincy, after making the dis
cla;mer aboye quoted, proceeded
thus: =.
"The clause in the Constitution
authorizing the admission Of new
States must, from the context, be
understood to relate only to the
formation of new States within the
limits Of the Unicn asthsn existing.
The people Of that day had no idea
Eof the territorial ayidity Of theiI
successors. Nowadays (1Sl4)
there was no limit to our ambitious
hopes. We we're about to cross th.
Mlssissippii; the Missouri and tht
J, Red rivers were bu. roads upoI
which our imagination travelled Il
new Lau1s and new States to b
erected and admitted under a powe
now about to be usurped."
: Jefferson, it is we'll known, origi
: nally entertained scruples on th
r subject of the constitutional power
I1c A.. Gouocn,,o~k - oc~su1ro odd