Newbern weekly progress., 1860-12-04

The " g. iStu7d07d has the Glowing ar:
ticle on Secession, Revolution and III Var
which will be read by every citizen with inte-
rest at this time
SECESSION AND REVOLUTION.
A good deal is said just now about the right
of State to secede from the Union. We believe
that the Constitution adopted by the people of the
States in 1899, established government of dele
gated powers; that the States parted with only
so much of their sovereignty necessary to
render this government efficient as a common
agent that the powers not delegated re-
served to the States respectively to the people;
that this government consists of three depart
ments: that these departments intended to
act as checks upon each other, to protect the
Constitution and the reserved rights of the
States and that if this government shall violate
me Constitution and attempt to oppress iniure
the minority, that the ma ority thus controlling
the government and violating the Constitution
will have committed a revolution; and that in
such an event the minority States would be re-
leased and would have the right to secede from
the maj ority and establish new federal Union,
or to take any other steps which they might deem
necessary to their protection, prosperity and hap
piness,
This is the true doctrine, call it what You will.
It may be secession, or it may be revolution, or
it may be rebellion, may be war between
States and their agent which hes usurped undel-
eeated powers. We have never advocated ,and nev-
er exnect to advocate the right of State to secede
from the Union, and to that extent break up the
government from mere whm. impulse or caprice
The infracton of the Constitution must be clear
and palpable to Justify State in dissolvlng re-
lations with the Union; or the danger which i'm
pends over the State must be so serious, SC immi-
nent, so certain that no hope is left to it but in
seeding from the Union. This has been our po-
sition from the first this question. We have
uniformly held the same doctrine both an Edi-
tor and citizen. In address which we
had the honor to deliver before the people of Raj
eigh, on the 4th of July, 1856, said: eff this
Union should ever be destroyed, it Will be done
by such triumph and such predomnance of
sectional power as to leave no hope to the minor
ity or by palpable violation disregard, by
all the departments of the government of the Con-
stitution, which is the bond of the Union, Eth
would, in itself, be dissolution" But has that
time arrived? Has the Constitution been dis
regarded or violated by "aU the departments of
the government ?'' Has it been violated or dis
regarded by any of these departments No
one will say that it has. Has there been such
triumph of sectional power as to leave no hope to
the minority :? We think not The South yet
has two departments of the government against
one; and the recent contest for the Presidency
the people of the non-slave-hoiding States poed
nearly as many votes against Lincoln as for him
Is there. then, hope? We think there IS
ground for hope We are. therefore unwilling to
go with the disunionists in their efforts to dis
solve at this time relations with the federal
government. That government was established
more by the sacrifices. the wisdom and the blood
of Southern men than by the blood or wisdom of
the North We at least have as deep interest
in the Constitution, and in the government
which it established, as the North has. We are
not yet prepared to abandon this government, and
to take a leap into the darkness beyond. Let
those who are prepared TO take this leap say so
like men, and not resort to secret combinations,
to intrigue and management to commit the peo
pie OF this State against their will to disunion and
civil war
PARDoNED.-Owen Norment, who was con
demned to death by the last Superior Court of
Mecklenburg county, has been reprieved by Gov,