Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-11-29
TreasOni Whnf Is III

Treason! What Is IL?
During the entire canvass that has lust to,u
says the Oxford (Miss.) Intelligencer, the comba3
position, through all their organs, and upon evr
have been shouting hosannas to /" the gOrionS s
and constantly endeavoring to terry the gno, .a
timid, and the credulous, by the declaration tbat
event of secession of any State from the Union -
man, who sustained his State in that measrre ~
an effort, on the part Of the other States, to ross
into submission, would be guilty of the crime # wy
and justly deserve the condign punishment due os
who are guilty of that offence.
In view of the use that is attempted to bemaia.
bugbear of " treason" by the Union shrpkpr n
day. it becomes proper that we should nouir
treason really is, and, also, whether there is nOd
that those who is now denouncing its penalties ,mm
others, may not, themselves become liable torsr
against as traitors.
The Constitution of the United States provides A.
3, Sec 81 that L" Treason against the United Shtsyj
consist only in levying war against them, Or aae,
to their enemies, giving them aid and comfr" 4
constitution of Mississippi, in like manner, IAip
81 declares that Treason against the State shall
sist only in evying war against it, or.in adberDg m
enemies, giving them aid and comfort" 1t wnhe,
seen that treason may be committed against Sa
we'll as against the United States. The penalty d-
in either case, is death.
Before the adoption of the Federal COnsituim
offence of treason could not have been COMMITTED gz
the United States. 1t was only the indlvisMG j
against whose authority it was possible to commit
crime. When, however, the several States, actin
their sovereign capacity, ratified the Consitlia
thereby delegated to the general government 0g
common agent, the specific powers enumerated
instrument, aud conferred upon that gOvernmata or,
ity 10 compel obedience, on the part OF the IlTa
citizens of all the States, to such laws as might
acted by Congress, within the limits of the defa
powers, and to punish as traitors such of those G
as should resist, by armed force, the authorize j
Union.
The citizens of the several States are bOundb5
the general government because, and only becaug
have been commanded TO do so by the sovereign
supreme authority of their respective Statistics
authority which binds them to the duty Of Obelas
the Constitution and laws of their respective Sas-
That commandment at any moment, may be wi5iaT
or reversed by the same authority, either becu
State is of the opinion that the compactS OfdCr
stituton have been violated, or because, as malta
simple expediency, she deems it proper to Wtldr
from the Union. The powers conferred uTOn tLesa1
government are merely delegated, and not suTreda
is apparent from the tenth amended article Of the lE
stitution in which it is declared that "the pOT@
delegated to the United States by the CoDstitudn
prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the M
4 respectively or to the people" Any State, thereof
may rightfuly revoke her delegation of authority 1-
general government, at her own pleasure, etha
cause or wathom cause; just as antndiVdual who aa
J ecuted power of attorney, whereby he has dat:
authority to another person to sell a tract OF ala
rghtful!y revoke that power of attorney, either o'l
q he thinks he has discovered indications OF ds!S
the part of the agent to beray his trust or SnP!
bo 70 bic bucin
D or to employ another agent.
e Let it be supposed that a State-MlsSESlpp III Z.
. ample-chooses to exercise her undoubted right W..
: drawing from the Union, and that the otld G1s
b under the leadership of Lincoln, Hamlin y Co,~-
# thereupon undertake, as has been imprudeny tf"-
q ed, " to whip her back" Our State, until SN !"
whipped back" would, unqueStlonaly be gu, w.
: Union. She would not be Eone Of the Onda Sas
;. Her citzens, therefore, could not be guilty D Y
offence against Great Britain, or Spain oeca .s
very essence oftreason consists in violation Wv
duty of allegiance and fidelity which the cl'Iua
to government which had the right to claim jug s
ment of that duty at his hands. On the oIa ., ~
e should any citizen of Mississippi, in an afnl s
r. between his State and other and foreign oIaNs
e the cause of the enemy, and be found hgnuDY ~
b ranks, or "gvng them aid and comfort n.st
If thereby incur the guilt and shame of treason a1
d lrqf
denounced by our laws against offenders Of ln'' Wv
# ton. .uta
The first and highest duty Of the citizen Is '.r ,y
a he owes to his State. To his State bis soe aI'
II is due, and not merely his first allegiance y, ID
\ commonly expressed. So long, and so lar a. .l
commands him to obey the general govern
N and so far by reason of his duty OF allegano a
State it is his duty to obey and, for the sam, ov
when his State no longer commands him !" 2
f. government it is no longer his duty 70 oVS
- reasonable means he resists the VIII OF MS o@
70 mately expressed it will constitute no oelenTs
- when she arraigns him for bis CRIME thaI EuI. S
Q was authorized by the laws OF Union u II rGn
State was no longer memoer. AS wen 5
American deserter IN our late war WIN MT W yrs
in arms against his counuymen, and about y,r
'. tod have ATTEMPTED to evade his doom BY pfaop'
ie the laws of Mexico authorized what he had dGu|
~ answer would have been, that those laws, lu!
ne might have protected the Mexican soldiers '0"'
- no protection to traitor, like HIM I'm sAroj
II. therefore, there are any timid ones WIZ go I1
. terror when the phrase, F." treason agains. tbp
q States" is uttered in their bearing and WU 'o a
to escape all danger, would basely betray' VI Sta.
" surrender the rights and honor OF lneh toir fg5
section, let them not rest too securely III In 81
Immunity from peril for they may hnd %uI t they
ct late for them to profit by the discovery ina, rb
e encountered danger greater than thai [TI tbens
i thought to flee. They may perhaps hnu who fiji
q the predcament of the unfortunate WretCn rc
Iened by painted ion and seeking 10 eo'I GrasU
II imaginary danger, exposed himself 10 slN
? real monster, by which he was devoureo 40 il ps
e Treason against State, however lSn| nyrobs To-
thought of by the Union shriekers Wno oapm ,sDg
pore the separation of the States now cO otna su
Union is real offence, and may lead to d Tnen Sd
latiou by the rope; treason against the NAV be PIT
on the other hand except in so far as ~ actually
Gated of the citizens of these States Wnlen onv
pose the Union, is but painted sham ~ Tu grow
children with, and those female children Vi 10 sD
who, without the spirit that should pelOuS will s
Ion the inexpressibles." Men, we imaSH'