The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1860-11-01
C0eTCing Z, state.

nj Government is threatened to bc employ
ed to force any State to remain III The Tn
ion that may feel inclined to leave the Con
federacy rather than submit to the Chief
Magistracy of Abe Lincoln and his nigger
associates, the following views, from the pen
the subject of cocrcinga State, are entitled
to attention. The language of expression
is eloqueut-the reasoning unimpcachablc:
From what part the Constitution is de-
rived the right and authority to coercc
State that may, through convention cf her
people, withdraw herself from the Union
as her only means of safety, and her rcfu2e
from intol-rablc oppression! 1t is said that
it is the duty Of the President to "take care
that the laws be faithfully executed.
These words, it is true, are in the Coustitu-
tion; and upon these words the great power
in question is founded But this is to b..
the question-to assume the whole matter
in controversy. have already spoken 81
the distinction between the action O! !.
sovereign State and the action Of unau;har-
lied combinations OF individuals So lons
as State recognises the authority OF the
Union, her citizens have no choice bat to
obey the laws Of the United States; but il,
according to our view, she may rishttu!y
secede, then, upon the exercise OF that ri iii.
her relations with the Union are terminated,
her delegated authorities are resumed. ana
the laws of the United States are, within
her territorial limits, of no more virtue or
binding efficacy, than the laws OF any other
foreign nation whatsoever
But have We no historical proofs or evi-
dences on this point Of the power to drayogn
State? 1t could hardly be imposed th,t
matter OF such magnitude would aitaecth
er escape the attention ui the Convention ut
l716; aud in point Of fact, it did nog cscupy
attention. The Journals show that the 6th
reso.aton OF edward Baudolph's propusi,
tions, provided that the federal executive
should have power ITO call forth the torcy
OF the Union against any meU,6, .. t}hc
JRjon, failing to fulfil his duties under the
articles thereof" And Mr. Patterson. also.
Sn the 9Th resolution OF his propos .ions,
after making acts and treat es the supreme
law, provided rs follows: And If oly .S5tfr
or body of men in any State shall oppose
or prevent the carrying into execution such
acts or treaties, the federal executive shat
be authorized to call forth the powals q.
the Coniederated States, or 50 much there
OF as may be necessary, to compel obedience
to such acts, or an Observance of such trc:t.
ties" In both these Instances. the conycn-
ton was distinctly inyi cd TO authorize the.
employment OF the IDfce or pD,cryS @. the
Union against any State or member Of tho
Union, that shuuid fail to fu,Hi i,s JUt5. or
oppose or prevent the execution OF ac,s ,r
treaties; but no such provision was inaar,at
In Me Coasiti@ipn. And whatever force
bil :, or bloody Bills, Congress IN the leN
or madness cf the tiHe and in Che lauc;v.
pieHtliude OF as powers, hl> bought proper
to enact into laws, it has not yet proceeded
TO such pitch Of iniatuAnou, 20 to diSiiguic
the federal statute book with any nc; or
acts designed to coercc the submission. or
compel the return Of amy ) vcreign : ate.
that might solemnly determine. in fu,!
view oi all the consequences and respom,i-
bihtIcs, to sever forever her connection with
the Union, and to place the lives, pr1pcrt.
and iiberty OF her citizens under the rro.
lection OF her own separate sovereignty
Tho union OF these States Is u voluntary
union-an association of cqu,l- or tnelr
Tree will ants by cOmmo "a. State
cocrced would be asul ju lt,d province; no
longer voluntosS b an 90. member. but
the conquest on captive Of the rest. With
her freedom cloycn down, aud the cmblon,s
OF her soy ove,cignty tr.mp.vd ~nlcr foot and
trailing In the dust, Deg liIclcSS bod would
be to the living ncmh. ra OF tho Unio. like
the dead bod Of lIcc,or, dragged IN bru.
tai triumph by The yi..yr'aus chariot OF
Achilles round the walls Of Troy. Better
that the last spark les OF hcr ashes were
roddcn out, her name forever lost o HIS
tory and tradition, than that She shogid
lIVe to swell the triumph 81 h.rc.aale.o->.
Ana this to preserve the 'niuu. i u..ign
ot the living and the dead, bound fast to.
Gethrr IN loathSonc and indi-,ouble con
taa! Say, rather, aunion OF The ,,s/inya aud
the dead Tor the lie Of al viii have received
mortal thrust, their Independence but
name, tl'eir forms Of Liberty an insnltiug
mookery, and their only privilege that OF
surviving until the iron heel Of one many
. despots shall he ready, in turn, TO crush on,
the miserable remainder Of their exist
ence
such and 50 disastrous would be the oi:
1ect OF coer-ion, even il successful. Ent
1t could not be succcsstul-lcast of ail in
q case OF common feeling and common in
tcrcst The people of the States are too
spirited aud sagacious not to feel and know
that the military conquest Of one. in such
case, would involve, sooner or later. ihe
military conquest of the rest The ties Of
common cause--onc hope, one fear, one
destiny; the promptinss OF generous man
hood; and perhaps, above all, the ovcr-mas-
tering instinct Of sclfprescryation, would
drive them into irresistible sympathy and