Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-10-05
UT tIIU TUC DOKiION The Old Line Democrat.

A LOCKER ON.IN VENICE.
 
 For the True Democrat.
 The Old Line Democrat EDITOR TRUE DEMOCRAT
 We had the pleasure of reading the Old | Line Democrat, and as there exist various opinions concerning this paper, we, in com mon with many others, have something to say, relative to this mammoth enterprise. Whether the Old Line Democrat will tend | to promote the harmony, and to produce that union of effort and concert of action. so indispensable to render the party suc- cessful; or whether 1t will breed division and prove "an apple of discord'' in the ranks of the democratic party, is left to time, the greatest of prophets, to determine. But 1t comes to us with the most allur- ing promises and the most attracting as- sertions, promising "to be guided and go- verned by the ancient lights and land marks of the old Jetfersonian school of politics, and strictly adhering to the old republican doctrines of State rights, and strict con- structon as expounded by Mr. Madison, in his celebrated report, and set forth in the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions of | 179S-9," etc.
 Now to determine, whether the Old Line Democrat rigidly adheres to the doe trines promulgated by Jefferson or brought l to bear in the Virginia and Kentucky reso- lutions of 1889; or advocates doctrine, foreign to the proper construction and in depreciation of these resolutions, is our pre- sent object.
 In looking over the Old Line Democrat, our attention is arrested-our senses start led, by an article called the right of Seces- sion, as an absolute right, and indispensa- ble to State sovereignty.
 | We maintain that the State rights school of politics never advocated the right of se cession or countenanced doctrine, so de- structive of the liberties of our country, and subversive of the very end for which our government was created
 The doctrine of secession carries with
 it all the evils of dissolution of the Union, and at once saps the foundation of the go-
 vcrnment, and strikes deadly blow at the
 vital principle of the whole Union. Then
 to say, that the doctrine of secession IS In
 keeping with the old democratic school of politics; or that the democracy, as a party,
 ever indorsed or countenanced such doc
 Urine, is, in our humble opinion, going a step beyond that which can be sustained by f the political history of our country. , The doctrines of secession and nullifca- . tion are the same in result, equally dan gerous to the peace and liberty of our coun, : try, and revolutionary in their tendency . and contrary to the letter and spirit of th,
 constitution of the United States "The constitution does not provide fo events, which must be preceded by its ow ' destruction
 1" The constitution does not provide for S n, cession, for secession presupposes the col " stitution violated, trsdden under foot | Y adequate to accomplish the end for whi, - 1t was created, and failing to give that pr IL tection to the States necessary fora Unio Y hence it IS nugatory, worthless and inetle | tual.
 ', Now does the constitution provide fo <. countenance or support any doctrine, tn ' destroys itself? Surely not
 ' It would be more consistent for the Ol = Line Democrat to argue, that our constitr . tion is imperfect, that 1t is deficient, an
 fails to extend it's arm of protection, so a 7 to admit the States to maintain their so 7 vereign capacity. Then should have no Z "veil to curtain the dark design we debate. ? ,, Secession, since 1t mnst bring all the con- sequences of a revolution, Is revolutionary
 and whenever every other remedy shall have failed, suggested by the constitution, and : the constitution itself torn to pieces and dis regarded and union no longer necessary ol desired, then the doctrine of secession, as
 a last resort, could with propriety be main
 tained.
 "The constitution itself suggests severa
 modes of interposition, competent for either
 the States or the people. It provides foI
 the election at brief intervals, of all thu
 functionaries of the federal government
 and hence the interpretation of the will O s the States and people to effect a change O n rulers; hence a change of policy. It pro , vides that the freedom of speech and tn r press, shall not be abridged, which is equi u valent to provision that those powerful c means be perpetually interposed to affec |, the public conscience and sentiment-t | counsel and alarm the public servants-t }, influence public policy-to restrain and re g medy government abuses. It recognize : the right, and provides that 1t shall not d abridged, of the people to assemble an Il petition the government for the redress 0 Is grievances hence, contemplating that ther d may be grievances on the part of the go ic vernment, and suggesting the means c IS meeting and overcoming them. Finally T it provides that, on the application of e designated proportion of the States, Con d gress shall cause convention to be calle l. to provide in the constitution itself, shoul, e it be judged necessary, additional securitie e to the States and the people, and additiona l. restraints on the government"
 e But the dogma of secession is not coun e71 tenanced by the constitution. by no authori ,r tative act of the democratic party, henc D we conclude it is subject, now being agi d tated, in order to arouse the passions O lel the southern democracy, arraying one DOT
 ton of the party against the other, anC Ut ultimately tending to dissolution of th o Union.
 IL Now we ask the patriotic democrats o ! Arkansas are they willing to support an' ' encourage a paper that advocates the doc
 Urine of secession?
 i cannot think the democracy of thi State will so far stultify itself as to b '. thus far led astray from the time -honoreC Y principles of the democratic party as to en o courage so dangerous an enterprise. n We have only glanced at this matter, bu l. stand ready, and fully prepared, to prov p. by the most reliable authority now extant ,e if necessary, that the old Jeffersonian schoo d of politics-the old republican doctrines o i, State rights-the resolutions of Kentuck. n Hand Virginia in 179S-9-never favored tn d Ildoctrine of secession.
 OLD MARSHALL. V CoVegecHe, Ark, Sept. 23d, 1859.