The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-21

perfect liberty choose taat form OF government
which thay thought most conducive 10 their own int
rests. II happened that they elected 70 form one
great confederation, which, acting IN subordinaton TO
central federal admnsrat left 10 each the manage
iDent 2 its local AFFAIRS. Tie milcontents OF south
Carolina with Governor Brown at their head, now
insert that the southern slave states have an abso
ute right, lot only u dissolve the Union, bat y
that position Of sovereign independence which,
b. their act, they surrendered seventy eighty
4rlrs ago. Questions &C this Kind only be deter
Il. iad IS compromise b. force The abstract right
my exist, The authority which gave the consent mty
ao revoke ~ but at the same time IT cannot be forgot
ten that tile ctJect OF that consen. was not tho focmi
ton 81 confederation the duration Of which
70 depend upon the popularity Of the federal government
but the ostbils nuout OF nation which, il was hopel,
would endure for all time The constitution Of the United
States the work Of the people Of America comprises
machinery which is necessary for their welfare for
their power The head Of the executive with the assent
Of the senate, declares peace and War; the supreme
Court Is armed with the jurisdiction of deciding
upon til" legality ilegality OF the acts Of the federal
Legislature Tho revenue collected BY means OF fe.
dea officers and the expense Of The navy, army and
POET oice deray out Of taxes which are levied by
Congress- Tho con enton OF tbs south Is that any State
may without mourning the danger Of treason, revert
that position of sovereign independence which occupied
dispre may arranged by the North surrendering its
fugitive slave laws, or by aifxing some geographical
Limit as in tie case of the Missouri compromise beyond
;els IF this kind shosld not rerdii, the Meorcal right
4 SEPARATION mns DC cat 70 ne ,oisis and the
,,,nes as % az ,nres ~ 1 IT, ''nso 4
osdrce 10 the ldo and constitution a duty ,ohich for HE
general benefit government ichtch the necessary
pgvr rfrdin from exercising Ireland at the present
time affords in point. After long and happy
ntervalone during which the material prosperity OF
that country has been largely deveoped-a foolish sec
tion OF the people Is camorous for repeal % the Union
The Irish agators do not ask for entire separation but
for separated Parliament The people Of the South
states are, however, exactng IN their demand
They require absolute sovereignty, that ndepend
emily q the federal government, they may declare
not only peace ana war, but extend indefinitely
the domestic institution Of slavery, forgetful that
with weak aud scattered white population they
are pursuing a Of policy which at
distant day may prove their own destruction. But
believe that the southern states viii place either
Air Buchanan Mr. Lincoln in the unpleasant position
IL being compelled by force to ydicate the authority OF
the federal government. We are told that troops are
not be employed but that notl ng be easier than
TO establish blockade from Georgetown, In South
would include the Atlantic coast Of South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida, and the Gulf coast OF Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas all slave
states II this should be adopted, simply
as a or enforcing the existing law, what
we may ask, would become Of the cotton trader
fine South would suffer, next the North, and ult
macly Liverpool and the other seats of manufactures
this country The monetary crisis in the United States
would BE- to have its effect in England and thus
have immediate and personal interest Ia desiring 70
the removal of q difficulty which would not only
weaken the power Of great oognate, Ind friendly
ton but embarrass OF the most important branches
OF Anglo American commerce II the Southern states
the advocates of lees perncious and dctesa
bic than the extension Of slavery should still think
their proceedings foolish and suicidal but under existing
circumstances they can have neither the sympathy nor
good wishes OF any man. either IN America OF In England
who has the slightest regard for the progress " clvzI
ton and the interests of humanity.