Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-11-24
The New York Tribute OH the Right Of
Secession.

Secession.
The right Of State to dissolve her con-
nection with this Government has long been
question of serious considerations. The
old Federslists denied it, but since the doc
trinc of State sovereignty has been more
thoroughly discussed, the right of its exer-
else is becoming generally conceded. North
ern politicians never boldly took up the cud-
gel the rights of the States rs sovoreigns,
until the passage of the Fugitive Slave law.
Then they began to dcclaim against the ty-
ranny of the Federal Government, and ven
tiate strict construction. For this reason,
we are disposed to regard the passage of the
Fugitive Slave law as very fortunate oc-
currence. 1t gave Grcey and bis party
tendency in the right direction, and forced
them i'll their efforts, to sustain themselves
in multiplying that law, to ASSUME the strong
est State Rights attitude. TO this do we
attribute IT, that the Tri6umc can write such
a sensible article as the following vindicating
the right of pcaceable secession. 1t is an ex
tract from its editorial columns of the 9th in
slant:
"Thc telegraph informs us that most of
the cotton States are meditating n withdraw
al from the Union because of Lincoln elec-
ton. Very we'll they have II right to med
itatc, and meditation is profitable employ
ment of leisure. We have II chronic, invin-
| ciblc disbelief in disunion as remedy for
either Northern or Southern gricyanccs NC
/ cannot perceive any necessary relation be-
tween the alleged dis "se and this ultra
heroic remedy; still we say, if anybody secs
lit to mediate disunion, let them do SO I'M
moIcStcd That was II base and hypocritc
row that the House once raised. at Southern
drtation, about the cars of John Quincy
/ \ dame hnnuusn bf. al
tho dissolution of the Union The position,
had a right to make the request; it was the
members duty to present it. And now, if
the cotton States consider the value of the
Union dcbatabc, VIC maintain their perfect
right to discuss it. Nay, we hold, with JET
tcrSon to the inaenublc right of communi.
ties to alter or abolish forms Of Government
that have become oppressive or Injurious
and if the cotton States shall become satisfied
that they can do better out Of the Union
than IN it, we Insist on letting them 60 in
peace, The right to seccdc may be reYolu-
tionary one, but it exists nevertheless; and VIC
do not see how one party can have right to
do what another party has a right to prevent
! We must ever resist the asserted right Of any
State to rcmain in the Union, and nuIlify or
defy the laws thereof TO withdraw from the
Union is quite another matter. And whom
ever considerable section of our Union shall
deliberately resolve to 90 out, we shall resist
all cocrcive measures designed to keep it in
We hope never to live in Republic whereof
ono section is penncd to tho residue .by bayo-
nets
&" But while we trust to uphold the practical
liberty if not the abstract right of secession
we must insist that the step be taken, if ever
it shall be, with tho dclibcrntion and gravity
bcfittng SO momcntous issue. bet ample
time be given for reflection ; let tic subject be
fully convassed before the people, and let a
popular vote be taken in every case before Sc
c&ssion is decrccd. Let the people BIZ told just
%hy they arc urged to break up the confedcr-
alton; let them have both sides of the qu%s-
ton fully presented ; let them reflect, dclibc
rate, then vote; and let the act of scresssion
be the echo of an rIhmistakablc popular fiat
! A Judgment thus rendered, demand for Sc
paration so backed, would either be ac1ui-
rsccd in without the cfYuson Of blood. or
those who rushed upon carnage to defy and
defeat it, would place themselves clearly in
the wrong