New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-15
JErPRRsON ON SECESSION.

neut. nor vet the idea OF Secession as remedy
| for political grievances and means OF escap'
inc the predomnance of disrelshed majority, can
BE- called of recent origin. They may be traced back
at least to the date Of the famous Virginia reso'
lutions of 90, which, after the death OF their au'
thor. were made the basis Of the doctrine oil
notification, and which are now employed as the
foundation of the political theory on which the
idea Of Secession is based.
But, though expressly brought to his notice,
this Secession project found no countenance from
Mr. Jefferson, with whom the resolutions OF %
originated. In that year, John Taylor OF Caro-
lila, leading Democratic politician OF those
times, disguised at the new strength which the
administration of John Adams had obtained IA
consequence Of the insolent behavior of the
French Directory, wrote to Jefferson suggesting
that it would not be "unwise to estimate the sep
.arate mass of Virginia aud North Carolina, with
ga view to their separate existence" The ga
cacious mind Of Jefferson at once perceived the
understandable character of this proposition
md he gave it q prompt and explicit negative.
ain every free and celebrating society," he
wrote, "there must, from the nature OF man,
"be opposite parties and violent dissenslons aud
"discords; and one of these, Tor the most part
"must prevail over the other for longer or
"shorter time. Perhaps this party division is
"neeessary to induce each to watch and to re-
sport TO the people the proceedings OF tho other.
"But if, on temporary superiority OF the one
s.Iarty, the other is to resort to SESSION OF
"the Union, no Federal Government can ever
"exist. If to rid Ourselves of the present rule
"of Massachusetts, and Connecticut, we break
"the Union, will the evil stop there' Suppose
.sthe New England States alone cut off, will
"our nature be chaDgedl Are We not men
'stlll to the south of that, and with oil the
s'passions of meni Immediately we shall see
Pennsylvania and Virginia party arise In the
| ..residuary Confederacy, and the public mind
will be distracted by the same party spirit.
"W hat game, too will the one party have IN
'their hands by externally threatening the other
"that unless they do SO and 30 they will JOIN
a. their Northern neighbors. If reduce our
"ULion to Virginia and North Carolina, immedi.
ateIy the conflict will be established between
the representatives of these two States, aud
they will end by breaking into their simple
cunts. Seeing therefore, that an association of
"men who will not quarrel with one another ls
"a thing which never yet existed, from the
greatest coniederacy of nations down to
"tOwn meeting or vestry-seeing that we must
"haye somebody to quarrel with, had rather
keep our New. England associates for that pur-
"uose, than to see our chickering's transferred to
"Utherr."
II is indeed obvious enough that no permanent
or solid government can be formed if the princi.
pie be once adopted, that the beaten party In an
election is at liberty to signalize its dissats-
faction at the result by carrying Of out of the
Union such members of it as that party may
De able to control. Suppose the PROJECT to be
cnIr,d out of n Slaycholding Contederacy there
would be just as many seeds of controversy aud
conflicts of interest within the limits Of such
Contederacy as there are now in the existing
Union. Even the controversy on the subject OF
Slavery, instead of being e1tnguished would re.
appear in such q Confederacy with as great viru-
ence as now, if not greater. The revival OF the
African slaye-trnde is but logical sequence OF
the new views as to the perpetuity, extension,
and benefits Of Slavery which have so much to
do with the existing Secession sentiment in the
South. Quite as violent conflicts of opinion
might be expected to arise upon this subject be-
tween Virginia and Texas Us any which now ex-
list between the North and tho South touching
the extension of Slavery into the Territories.
With respect to the navigation laws and the
tariff, which are urged as grievances by the cot
ton-growing States, there would be in the new
Conederacy just as much ground Of quarrel and
dissatisfaction as there exists now. Mary land
ard Virginia have ports and hsrbors, and great
facilities fer ship-building, and would naturally
expect to become to the new Coniederacy, 80 far
us navigation is concerned, what the Eastern
States are to the existing Union. In these same
States, aud also in Tennessee there exist great
facilities for manufacturing, which the new Con-
iederacy would he called upon to aid in develop
ing by means of protective tariff.
In fact the policy adopted by the Southern
seceesionists may DO said to begin by repudiating
altogether the idea Of any practical union among
the seeding States. BY way Of giving popularity
to the movement, and inducing many to joio in
it, or tolerate it, who would otherwise hang
back, Southern Confederacy is talked of az
tie ultimate result. But what is proposed to be
done is, that State after State should separately
secede from the Union, setting up its own seps.
rate Army, Navy, Post-Olice system, and Gus.
ton. House establishment and opening its own
Diplomatic relations with foreign states, leaving
the formation of the talked-of Confederacy to tho
dim uncertainties Of distant future. Here is o
file opening for place-seekers and ofhce-holders,
and no doubt dreams Of the promotion TO which