Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-04-03
EXTRACT FROM WASHlNGTON'S FARE
81 : q WELL ADDRESS. 20


be taken, many articles employed, your politca!
fortress against which the batteries of internal and
external enemies will be most constantly and &C.
lively (though often coverty and nsiduousy) direct
ed; it is of infinite moment that you should proper.
" estimate the immense value of your national
Union to your collective and individual happiness
that you should cherish cordial, haoitual, ana
immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourself
to think and speak of It as palladium of your po-
lcal safety and prosperity watching for its preser
walton with Jealous anxiety; dscountenancing what
may suggest even a suspicion that it can IN any
event be abandoned; and Indignantly frowning up
on the first dawnng of every attempt to alternate
any portion of our country from the rest or to en-
feeble the sacred ties which now link together Its
several parts"
Again in the same address, he says:
"In contemplating the causes which may disturb
our Union, it occurs matters Of great concern,
that any ground should have been furnished lor
characterizing parties by geographical discrmna-
tions-Northern and Southern, Attantae anu "es-
tern whence designing men may endeavor TO ex-
cite belief that there is real difference Of local in
terests and views. One of the expedients OF party
to acquire influence within particular districts is 10
msrepresent the opinions and aims OF other dlsrics
You cannot shield yourselves too much against the
jealousies and heart burnings which spring from
these Misrepresentation they tend to rendr alien
to each other those who ought to be bound together
by fraternal affection The inhabitants OF our wes-
tern country have lately had useful lesson on this
head They have seen in the negotiation by the
executive, and in the unanimous ratification by the
Senate of the treaty with Spain, and in the unver-
sal satisfaction of that event throughout the United
States, a decisive proof how unfounded were the
suspicious propagated among them of policy in
the general government and in the Atlantic States,
unfrendy to their interests in regard to the Missis-
sippi They have been witnesses to the formation
of two treaties that with Great Britain, and that
with Spain, which secure to them everything they
could desire in respect to our foreign relations to-
wards confirming their prosperity. Will it not be
their wisdom to rely for the preservation Of these
cured? Will they not henceforth be deaf to those
advisers, if such there are, who would sever them
from their brethren and connect them with aliens ?
3 y
Extract from the Proclamation Of President Jack
son, December II, 1882.
"The Constitution of the United States then
forms Government, not a league and whether it
be formed by compact between the States, or any
other manner, its character is the same. 1t is a
Government in which all the people are represented
which operates directly on the people individually,
not upon the States-they retained all the power
they did not grant. But each State having expressly
with the other States single nation, cannot from
that period any right to secede because such
secession does not break league, but destroys the
unity of a nation; and any injury to that unity is
not only breach which would result from the con-
travention of compact but it is offence against
the Union. To say that any State may at pleasure
secede from the Union, is to say that the United
States are not nation, because it would he sole
cism to contend that any part Of nation might dis
solve its connection with the other parts to their in
jury or ruin, without committing any offence. Sc
cession, like any other revolutionary act, may be
morally justified BY the extremity of oppression !;
but to call it constitutional right, is conounding
the meaning of terms, and only be done through
gross error. or to deceive those who willing to
assert right but would pause before they made a
revolution, incur the penalties consequent on .
failure. Because the Union was formed by compact,
it is said the parties to that compact may, when
they feel themselves aggrieved, depart from it but
it is precisely because it is a compact. that they
cannot.
Again, he says in the same proclamation
FOR the dream Of q separate Independence
dream interrupted by bloody conflicts with your
neighbors, and vile dependence on foreign power
If your leaders could succeed in establishing a
separation, what would be your situation? Are you
united at home? Are you free from apprehension
of civil dscord with all its fearful consequences -
Do our neighboring republics. every day suffering
some new revolution, or contending with some new
insurrecton-do they excite our envy? But the
dictates of high duty oblige me solemnly to an.
nounce that you cannot succeed. The laws of the
United States must be executed. have no dis
cretionary power on the subject; my duty is en-
phatically pronounced in the Constitution. Those
who told you that you might peaceab!y proven,
their execution, deceived you; they could not have
been deceived themselves. They know that forc
BILE opposition could alone prevent the execution Of
the laws, and they know that such opposition mus,
be repelled Their object is disunion; but he no,
deceived by names disunon by armed force is trea
son. Are you really ready to incur its guilt? L
you on the heads Of the insgators of the act b.
the dreadful consequences; their heads be the dis
honor; but ON you may fall the punishment; or
of the conflict you force upon the government o
your country. 1t cannot accede to the mad projec
of disunon of which you would be the first victims
its first magistrate cannot, If he would, avoid tn,
performance of his duty; the consequence must b,
fearful for you distressing to your feow-citzen
here and to the friends of good government through
out the world.
Gen. jackson, in his notification message of Jan
uary l6 1888, says:
1.-THE right of the people of single State to alb
solve themselves at WILL and without the consent o
|
and hazard the liberties and happiness of the mil
lions composing this Union, cannot be acknowledg
ed Such authority is believed to be utterly re
pugnant both to the principles upon which the gen
eral government is constituted and to the object
which it is expressly formed to attain"
In conclusion, he says:
~ have so much cause to love, and for the Amer
can people, whose partiallity honored me with thci
highest trust, have determined to spare no effor
to discharge the duty which. in this conjuncture,
devolved upon me- That similar spirit will actual
the representatives of the American people is not
be questioned; and fervently pray that the Grea
Ruler Of nations may so guide your deliberation.
and our joint measures as that they may prove salt
tary examples, not only to the present, but to tn
future times; and solemnly proclaim that the Cor
stitution and the laws are supreme and the Unio
indisolu6le."
Letter from Gen. jackson, to Reo. Mr. Crawtore
Of Georgia.
WASHINGTON, May l, 1888.
IL have had laborious task here, b.
notification is dead and its actors and courtiers wi
A-1.,I l.. L. I.x Al - l.