Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1860-11-29
in the Convention had introduced the prop.
osition for unconditional ratification which,
subsequently, prevailed. ..

osition for unconditional ratification which
subsequently, prevailed.
Thus al the Tins of the adoption ofthe
Constitution the question Of the right Of So
csssion was brought up and decided with.
out the dissenting voice Of solitary State.
The idea Of frsserving the right Of secession
by express stipulation was started at Rich.
noad, and abandoned as worse than the
absolute rejection Of the Constitution; ii
was started again at Pouehkeepsis, under
the seuers stress Of the opposition encoun.
tered by the Constitution, bat was sgain ..
bandsnsd, and appeared no more in all that
glorious period. The idea Of having the
right without the express reservation Of it
was never started. No str.ss Of oppo.i.
ton to the Constitution, no wantonnsss of
metaphysical subtlety, suficsd to evoke
this mOnstrous absurdity at that day. It
slept uhdisturbsd in the Limbo Of Vanity.
Ssuth Carolina herself did NOT molsst its
slumbeYs. .,..-. ....
Not only was this most irrational Of ideas
not even started at the period Of the adop.
tion of the Constitution, but the starting Of
it at any future time was vigorously pre-.
cludsd in reason and in authority. The
unawakened idea was not only not called
forth, but the door was shut and barred
against its egress, if it should ever awaken.
In abandoning the idea of reserving the
right of secession by express stipulation,
on the ground that such reservation would
be verse than the absolute rejection Of the
Constitution, Virginia declared unequivo-
cally in effect, l. That the RICH, of seces.
sion could not exist without express reser.
walton, and, 2, That the existence of the
right would prove shame and curse to
the country instead Of benefit and q re.
lief. And Nav York, in abandoning the
same idea on the same ground, and the rest
Of the States in never raising the idea, sol.
emnly sanctioned Virginia's view of the
subject. The original States of the Ualon
without exception therefore, put the seal Of
their condemnation on the right of secession
in respect to beth theory and prsclice.-
They repudiated the existence of the right
and denied lis value; nay, they protested
against its destructiveneH. They rejected
it totally and sesrnfully.
"I am sorry" said Mr.. Madison in his
letter to Hamilton abovs.queted, "that your
situation obliges you to listen to propositions
Of the nature you describe" What think
you, men of the South, this pure patriot
and matchless statesman would now say If
he were living and were called to express
his opinion on propositions Of the nature so
many Of you are listening TOP Madison
thought 1t humiliation 10 be obliged to
listen 10 even proposition to reserve the
contingent right of secession in the forna.
tion Of the government. What would he
think Of proposition 10 exercise the abso.
lutte right Of secession under the govern.
,nent after the reservation Of the right in
any shape vas rejected in the formation Of
the government? If 1T was humiliation TO
listen 10 the one. it surely is nothing shor,
Of guilt and ignomipy to listen to the other