The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-01-10
From the National Intelligencer.
Views Of Mr.. Madison.


We alluded 3 few days ago to the fac
that Mr.. Nicholas P. Trist, formerly CO.
cuping a distinguished position In the
Department of State. had recently cen
trbuted to the New York "Werld" some
letters addressed 10 him by Mr.. Madison
in the year 1889. during the notification
excitement Of that period. From these
letters we select tho following, as bearing
on the nementous question at issue be-
fore the American people:
Montpelier, Dec. %, 1889.
DEAR SIi:-I have received yours oi
the 10th, enclosing some South, Carolina
papers. Thers is in one OF them somo
interesting views of the doctrine of seces-
sisn, amsng which one that had occurred
to nae, and which for the first time have
sssn in print. namely that of one State can
at will withdraw from the others, the
others can Withdraw from her, and turn
her nolentem volentem out of the Union.
Until ef late there is not State that
would have abhorrcd such doctrine mere
than South Carolina, or more dreaded m
application of it to herself. The same
may, be said of the doctrine Of nulli6ca-
ton which she new breaches as the enly
doctrine by which the Union can be saved
Ipartaks Of the wonder that the man
ysu name should view secession in the
msntionsd. The essential diff.rsnc. be-
tween free Government and Govern.
msnt not free 10 that the former is founded
in compact, the parties to which are equal.
y and mutually Bound by it. Neither OF
them, therefore, can have greater right
to break eff from the bargain than tho 9th
or or sthsrs have to hold him to it; and
certainly thsrs is nothing in the Virginia
resolutions of '98 adverse to this principls
which is that OF common sense and osm-
mon justice.
The fallaey which draws a different
conclusion from them lies in confoundiag
a single party with the parties to the con
stitational compact Of the United States
The latter, having made the com pact may
do what they will with it. The former,
as one of the parties, owes fidelity to il
till realsassd by consent or aksolvsd by an
iptolsrabls abuse Of TIE power crsatsd.-
In the Virginia resolutions and report, the
plural number (Statss) is in every instan
90 ussd when reference 10 made 70 the au-
thority which presided over the Govern
meat.
AS l Am now known to have drawn,
those documents, may say. as l do with
. distinct recollection, that il, was inten
tional. Il was in fact required by the
course Of reasoning employed on the oc
ession. The Ksntucksy resolutions, be-
ing less guarded have been more easily
perverted. The pretsxt for the liberty
taken with those Of Virginia is the werd
respective" prsfxed to the rights, DO, ("
to be secured within the State. Could
the abuse OF the expression have been
fsresesn or suspected, the form OF it would
doubtless have been varied, But what
can be more consistent with common
sense than that all having the rights &c.,
should unite in eontsnding for the security
Of them to each?
1t is remarkable how closely the nulli-
Gsrs, who make the name Of Mr.. Jefferson
the pedestal for their colossal hsrssay, shut
their eyes and lips whenever his authsr-
ity is ever 80 clearly and emphatically
against them. You have noticed what
no says in his letters to Monros CARING
ten P. 43 and 203, vol. 28) with respect
to the power of the old Congress to CO.
cree delinquent States: and has reasons
for prsfarring fer the purpose naval to a
military force. and moreover, his remark
that 1t was not necessary to fod a right to
csercs in the Federal articles, that being
Inherent in the nature of a compact. II
is high time that: the claim to sscsde
at will should be pu. down by the public
opinion, and | am glad to see the task c.m.
menced by one who understands the sub
jsct.
| know nothing Of what is passing at
Richmond moro than what is seen in the
newspapers. You were right in your
foresight of the effect Of passages in the
late proclamation. They have proven a
leavsn for much fermentation there. and
created an alarm against the danger OF
consolidation balancing that of disunion.
With cordial salutations,
JAMES MADISON.
NICHOLAS p. TRrsT.