The national Republican., 1860-12-20
THE RIGHT OF SECESSION.

We cannot conceive of more glaring incon-
sistency than to deny the right of State to
secede from the Union at pleasure, and at the
the Federal Government, to secure the execu.
ton Of the Federal laws, in State that may
assume to seccde and set them at naught. The
President is bound by his oath of office, to see
that the Federal laws are faithfully executed
throughout the bounds Of the Union. Unless
he believes State has constitutional right to
secede, he must regard every State as continu'
ing in the Union, notwithstanding any pretended
acts Of secession. How then, can he be alb.
solved from his obligation to see that the laws
are faithfully executed, in n State which he re-
CARDS as member Of the Union?
We often hear it said that the Federal Gov.
ernment has no power to :" "coerce State " to
remain in the Union. This may be very true; ;
but has the Federal Government any power to
let State 90 out of the Union? A State be-
ing once in the Union, must remain there, un.
less she has right to secede at pleasure, or
unless there is some power in some department
Of the Federal Government to consent to her
secession. What department Of the Federal
Government has such power, and what clause
Of the Constitution confers it?
1t is mere begging Of the question, TO acy
that the Federal Government has no power TO
coerce State to remain in the Union, If it be
admitted that the State has no power to secede.
1t may be conceded, that the Federal Govern
ment has no power to "coerce a State to do
anything-because the Federal laws do not op-
crate upon the States, but upon individuals.
1t has power, however, to coerce the citizens
of a State to obey the Federal laws, and no
State has any power to absolve its citizens
from their obligation to obey them, either with
or without the consent of any department OF
the Federal Government.
If the Federal Government has power to con.
sent to the secession of a State, when major
ity of it's citizens resolve to secede, it has power
to erpel citizens from the Union, and make
them aliens, without their consent. Because a
majority of the people Of South Carolina pre-
fer to separate themselves from the Union, are
the minority, who remain loyal to the Union,
to be denied the rights of citizenship, and
made aliens TO the United States, against
their own will !?
This is a question which may be judicially
settled and no doubt will be, whenever a
State shall assume to secsde. After South
Carolina shall have passed her ordinance Of
secession, suppose some citizen of that State
should bring a suit against citizen of New
York, in one of the Federal courts of that
State. This would bring the qrestion imine.
distely before the court, whether the plaintiff
WAS a citizen of one of the States Of this Union.
Ii the Supreme Court should decide in favor OF
his citizenship, as 1t certainly would, we should
he compelled to accord to the citizens Of South
Carolina all the rights, privileges, and immu
mites, of citizens of the United States, when
ever they should see fit to claim them, although
We refrained. from. holding them to any of tbs
obligations of citizenship. And it is precisely
this absurdity which the policy Of not attempt
ing to enforce the laUs in seeding State di
rectly leads to.