Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-11-19
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country promoted.
From Nsy Jersey pdper
at Is evident from the solemn &C ion taken by the
several States the formation Of the Constitution that
was then believed that Union could not be dssolv
ed in day or n a year. Otherwise the experiment would
be lightly entered into ard lightly thrown aside
When the Convention tba formed the Constitution had
concluded its abors they y resolution, directed the in
tumcnt they framed to laid before the United States
in Congress assembled ah declared that their opn-
ion il should afterwards besubmed to Convention OF
Delegates chosen in eactSate by the people thereof
under re nmendaon Of heir Legislature for their as
sent ard ratification II was believed tina. each State
had power undo at peaure all that had been effected
by this labor it would hahy have been deemed worth
this trouble Delaware the hrst State TO rltify the
Constitution which she diCon the Ith Of December 1851
Pennsylvana New jersey Connecticut and Georgia fol-
lowed promptly, but in Massachusetts, the Convention de.
bated the matter long anC gravey, and 60ay adopted
| IT, at the same time suggesting certain alterations and
amendments which they eclared were necessary 10 re-
move the fears and quethe apprehensiOns of many Of
the good peopls of that commonwealth No mention
was made OF the power nulfy the instrument far
Massachusetts, concerned If her fears proved TO
be 50 well grounded, audno such right was used Us an
| argument in the Convenpon by those in favor of the
Constitution which woul not be the if such right
was supposed TO exist.
The seventh State 10 atty the Constitution Ma
rvlard The matter was erously deberated in that
State and her assent was not sent in until April l7Ss
five months after the Coutituten was formed Ia May
| l7ss South Carolina s9ifed her assent coupling il
with several amendments of which that all pow
ers not expressly grants to the General Government
should be reserved TO the States New Hampshire was
the ninth In order. Gre opposition existed here, az in
Massachusetts, but the OnstitLtion finally ratified
on the 2lst OF June, l7SS many amendments being
pested some OF which wee afterwards sgreed to. The
consent of nine States oily being required the Const
tuition now went into efct Virginia was the tenth in
order; she accompanied assent by declaration Of
rights, of which the following is the substance:
"That the people may rSune the powers Of govern
ment when they perverted and abused their injury
aud oppression: that every power not granted remains
with them at their will bat no right can be cancelled
abridged or restrained by Congress, the President
any department oilicr of the United States except
xhere the power is giyn by the Constitution for these
purpuses aud that the lights Of conscience and Of the
press cannot be restrained mod fed cancelled"
1T will be remembered that in the numerous amend
ments suggested it nver caimed that one State
any number OF States cold secede from Eis compact
Had this been believed instead of soemnly considering
the matter for year. heStates would most likely have,
with very little deliberatbn, formed partnership from
which they could withdraw at pleasure.
"In no State thcIemOre opposition made than in
New York She signifedher assent the 26 Of July,
| l7SS She coupled With twenty anne dments, and was
unwilling to come in unles they adopted The fol-
lowing e ter from Alexander Hamilton TO James Madison
shows the feeling on thatpoint:
"'You will Understandable the only qualification pii
be The reservation Of rht rcede in case our amend
ments have been cded upon, in Of the modes
pointed by the Constu ution, within certain number
OF years--perhaps five II this can, in the first
instance be admitted as a ratification do not fear any
further consequences Congress will, presume recon-
mend certain mendments 10 render the Of the
government more secure This will satisfy the con-
sderate aud honest oppsers of the Constitution, and
| with the aid Of them wllbreak up the party.
~ ~. Nlv A IIaRfT TTnNl
"It clear from this tat Hamilton did not understand
that New York had OF the right to secede he
would not think il necessary TO stpulae for it, Madi-
son replied as follows, which Is explicit as anything
can be:
'NEw YoRK, Sunday Evening.
"'My Dear Sir Youis Of yesterday is this Instant at
| hand and have but lew minutes TO answer it. am
sorry that your situation obges you to listen TO propO-
sons Of the you describe. Ny opinion is that
reservation of the right to withdraw, if amendments be
not decided on under the form Of the constitution within
certain time, il conditional ratification that It does
| not make New York u member Of the Union and
ousequenty that she should not be received that
plan Compaeis must berecprocal; this principle would
not in such be preserved The constitution re-
0uires an adoption ia toto aud 1t has been
adopted by the other States An adoption for limited
time would be defective adoption Of some Of the
articles only. In shoIt, any condition whatever, must
ilte the ratification What the Congress- by vir
tue Of the power TO admit new States, may be able and
disposed to do iu such case, do not inquire and
suppose that is not the material point at present have
| no. a moment to add more than my feyent wish for
your success and happiness The idea Of reservng the
right to withdraw was started at Richmond and consider
ed as conditional ratification, which itself abandon
ed-worse than rejection. Yours,
"JAXKs MADISON
"New York, then, had the option of remaining out o
the Union or OF adopting the constitution which is It's
basis the language OF Madison n and foreger-
She chose the latter alternative aud with her sister
states for veal or woe forever and forever formed one
! Of the United States.
ut is clear from all have quoted that the founders
OF the republic believed that they forming united
governm n. unlimitedso far as humanity could see-n
its duration. The legislation took especially in
the early days OF the government confirms the opinion
Vast sums OF money spent works of internal i'm
provtmeut often within single states and though this
was opposed and the policy for obvious reasons dis
countenanccd It never was held that state might ap
proprse for her owa benefit what she owed to the gen
eral government We purchased territory, or we ac-
quired il by conquest would we have either fought OF
paid for that which might pass Of hands without
resistance as state government was formed y
From, the Buffalo Commercial (LineolH).
The South ontertains strange ideas OF RepublicanSm
We looked upon in that region aggressive and in
tolerant disposed 10 overstep the limits OF the Oonsttu
ton and interpose our voice in sfars which beloog
purely to local law All this is wrong. The North and
the party in power at the North have no such purpose
desire But the South, nevertheless believes IT, and viii
continue to believe it. unless with that noble moderation
which is the best attribute Of generous victor the North
puts herself right before the world, claiming all that L
hers, but saying and doing nothing in spirit Of provo
cation or insult.
For ourselves, in our own humble capacity do no
hesitate 10 avoW sympathy with the Southern oppo
elton to Democracy and desire to cooperate In the
future as in all time past with that gallant body of mer
who the real friends Of the Union in that section
To DO So the Republican party need sacrifice princi
pie need lower It's flag not inch, or strike from III