Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-12-11
STANTON STRAIGHTFORWARD GENERAL ADVERTISER.

and there be sentenced to be hanged, for 0iozatins
the Constitution and laos Of ny country"
Such is the admission OF the leader whom yot
profess to follow, aud you make an earnest ap
peal to me to unite with you in assuming tht
position of rebel and traitor, for which
may be sentenced to be hanged for violating thu
Constitution and laws of my country. Pardon
me, my impetuous friend, but 4 had rather not
am impelled by every consideration OF honor
and duty to decline your very polite invitation
Do you doubt, or does any sensible and refiec
ting man doubt that Mr.. Yancey described truly
the situation which every man occupies who ia
vors the movement of South Carolina because
Of the election of Mr.. Lincoln? for even she
does not pretend, that she would have occupied
her present position If Lincoln'had been defeated
and vet are you not surprised to see SO many O
our own people turning 'srebels" and TRAITORS
at her bidding? are you not indeed even sur
prised at yourself9 Rebels and trsitors! Very
I'M losing and high sounding designations truly
But have no particular desire that they should
attach to my name-either now or In after life
my aspirations do not run in that line.
South Carolina, spurning the counsels and co
operation of Virginia and other Southern States
has of her own accord, and upon her own hook
chosen to raise mighty and fearful issue with
the General Government, and upon the Genera
Government rests the responsibility of settling
the question Hands off and fair play to both
say l. In its present stage We have nothing tc
do with it, and as far as | am concerned, | turf
her over to ''Uncle Sam" and if she can main
tain her position against that respectable and
powerful old gentleman, let her have all the
honor, and glory, and benefit of the achievement
to herself. | hope she may have good, pleas
ant and merry time of it. She will still be q
State OF the Union, On q state of rebellion, and
have not shadow of doubt, either of the right
or the power to control her; the only question
would be IS 1T aoorth wh5le? Would it not be
had made the experiment, and like the prodgal
son. returned to her home to eat of the fatted
calf2
But that unfortunately would lead to another
perplexing difficulty, which is, that it would a
mount to an acknowledgment that we have nc
government, and never had one; that our fathers
were a set of old fools and fogies, who thought
they were making for their posterity a govern
ment that would endure forever, whilst it was
nothing more than mere voluntary association
of States, to be tolerated only so long as it was
entirely convenient and agreeable to all parties
to remain in, but that the moment it became
irksome to any one State 1t might be broken up
as readily as an ordinary whist party whenever
one of the partners might happen to get sleepy
And it requires but little reflection to satisfy any
reasoning man, that if the doctrine of the right
of secession is once recognized by the govern
ment, all it's powers cease at once, even though
the doctrine may not be carried into practica
effect. The government is now supported by
loans and treasury notes, and has been, with the
| oh int f.>rt ho1
What credit would the government be entitled
to, and what credit could it obtain, either al
home or abroad, if it were lodged that
any one State might at any moment, break NJ
the government and thus cancel the debt, a;
! South Carolina now purposes to cancel hers?
| When would we be safe in declaring war fol-
the defence of our honor or rights, or for thu
protection of our people, if in the midst of thu
war, the Union could be dissolved and the gov
eminent destroyed, because some one of the States
might be disappointed in the election Of her ia
vorite candidate for the Presidency, or because
her interest wonld be promoted by doing SO, o.
because it would enhance the Price Of cotton tt
open direct trade with the enemy2 Wha
government on earth would thereafter treat will
US as one of the nations of the world. do no
wish to be disrespectful to any body, and mos
surely not to you but l hope you will pardon
me for saying that one of the nconceivable and ir
reconcilable things of this world to mind is, tina
an idea, of such unmixed and unqualified non
sense and absnrdity as that of the right of
State to secede at pleasure, should ever have OBJ
tanned place in the mind ofany man, who wa
not an absolute lunatic. Mems minds are diff
ferently organized | know, and we see thing
through different optics, aud dare say you ant
others look upon me in the same light as | lOol
upon you and upon them. Well, be it so.-
Honors are easy J; and we break even.
| 1t has become favorite and fashionable
mode of expression to say, ''this is not gov
ernment of force"-"the government was no
made by force, and cannot be kept together b,
force" 1t is very true that the government wa
not made by force, and it is for that very rea
son that there is no right to break it up, AM
that it can be kept together by force Wheth
er that is a desirable mode of doing it is alto
gether different question. If it had been form
ed by force, if some tyrannical despot had force
government upon the people which had nev
er obtained their approval or assent, then an
of the parties would be justified in throwing
off, whenever they could get rid of it. But
is precisely because it was not made by force
that it was lee and voluntary compact, en-
tered into one with another, and each one wit
all the rest, that there is power to enforce th
compact.
| Debts are not, and cannot be created by force
but if voluntarily entered into the payment
the obligation may be enforced by the stron
arm of the law. And it is no government at a
if it is not one of sufficient force to protect itse
against treason and rebellion on the part of ii
citizens. If it is not government of force, VIII
was Congress clothed with the power ito pro
vide for the calling forth the militia to execut
the laws of the Union, suppress insurrection
and repel inyasions," whether they come fron
within or without9 Pshaw that's all fall TAI
to tickle the ears OF groundlings. 1t aoas gov
eminent of force, and very efficient force il
| 1888, when the force bill passed democratic
Congress in the House by vote of 149 to 4s
and in the Senate by 80 to 1. When and how
has the constitution been changed since9 or i
| it only because statesmen have grown more wise
! of late?
Establish their doctrine of secession and it i
at once settled that there is an absolute impos
sibity of ever establishing fixed, permanen
and stable government out of.two or more States
For if our constitution does not make this
permanent government as designed by its foun
ders, then language cannot be employed tina
would mike it so; and our institutions are M
better than those of Mexico
| But If new confederacy were to be formed
could not go with you, for | should use whatev
or influence might be able to exert against en-
tering into one with South Carolina, who ha
played the part OF q common brawler and dis
turber of the public peace for the last 80 years
and who could give no security that would b,
willing to accept, that she would not be as faith
less to the next COmDact as she has been tO thi