The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1860-12-06

is but one thing more odious and absurd
than that, and it is the idea of Masssachu-
setts, herself in state of permanent re-
bellion to the Constitution and laws OF
the Union, assuming to coerce other
States into punctilious obedience to the
Constitution and the laws of the Union.
Nay, if there be any article or articles OF
the Constitution, which, with her partlcu-
lar notions of right or wrong, the State OF
Massachusetts, cannot or will not fulfill
and obey, then every consideration Of
honor, truth, faith, conscience, virtue, re
ligion, would impel her either to secede at
once from the Union herself, OF to coop
crate with Virginia in the call of Con-
stitutional Convention to revise the terms
Of the federal compact, or at least mantrl-
" to extend to South Carolina the right
hand of cordial notification and secession
fellowship.
Our forefathers, when they found the
government of their country not to be up
to the height of their standard of hbcr-
ty or morality, strove in the first place TO
change the government, and, failing in
that, they withdrew themselves from it.
Ia such course there was dignity and
spirit both-there is none in keeping the
good of the Union and refusing its price
asserting the bond of the Constitution
where it is favorable to Massachusetts,,
and repudiating itwhere it is favorable to
South Carolina. Conduct Of the latter
sort, in ordinary life, has ugly names--as
cheating, ,swindling, fraud-and it deserves
no softer appellation in the acts Of State
or people.
furthermore, SO long as the State Of
Massachusetts, pcrseveres in this nullifica-
ton of the Constitution, she affords, not a
prctcxt only, buta justifcatory cause to the
State of South Carolina, to that of Geor-
ga, Alabama, Mississippi, or any other
State, otherwise disposed to secede; for
the violation of the fundamental compact
of association by one of the contracting
parties, serves, in morality as well as law,
to release the others and the unconstitu-
tional and dishonorable attitude Of the
State in this matter is not less mischelv-
Gus in another respect, to wit: its obvious
tendency to paralyze the conservative CT:
forts of other Southern States, not yet
prepared to secedc, such as Maryland, Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Ten
nesscc.
I think there is duty in this behalf
which it is incumbent on Massachusetts,
and every loyal citizen of the State to per-
form one, which it is never too early to
enter upon, and never too late to persist
in; and which it is peculiarly fitting. for
us to undertake now-namely, to repeal
unconditionally these laws-which are
scandalously false in their profession OF
purpose-which are tyrannicalin their do
mcstic and reasonable in their Federal
rclation-and which misreprcsent the spil.
it and disgrace the legislation of our Com
monwealth.
AS this is the duty of all, it is the duty
of every one; and, therefore, it will give
me pleasure to speak on the subject; to
expose the gravity of the situation; TO de-
monstrate our obligation regarding it, and
to participate with you in the initiation of
measures, for the wiping out of this foul
blot from this escutcheon of the State of
Massachusetts,.
Having done that, we shall then have
the right, happen what may, to stand
erect, to hold up our head in the Union, to
look our sister States in the face. and if
need be, to address fraternal eXhortation
TO the State of South Carolina.
am, very faithfully,
G.. CUSHING.
Newburyport, November 10, 1869.
THE COVERT Acr."-A writer in the