Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-03

dissolving rs the constituent power, and that
power can be exercised by them only under
the tie of conscience, binding them to the retri.
butive justice of Heaven.
With these qualifications, We may admit
the same right Us vested in the people Of every
State in the Union, with reference to the Gen.
eral Government, which was exercised by the
people of tho United Colonies with reference
to the supreme head Of the British Empire, Of
which they formed a part; and, under these
limitations, have the people of each State in the
Union q right to secede from the Confederated
Union itself.
Thus stands the right. But the indisso.
luble link OF union between the people Of the
several States Of this confederated nation is,
after oil, not in the right, but in the hsart.
If the day should ever come (may Heaven avert
it) when the affections Of the people OF these
States shall be alienated from each other
when the i~raternal spirit shall give way to cold
indifference, or collisions ofintercst shall tester
into hatred, the bands of political association
will not long hold together parties no longer
attracted by the magnetism Of conciliated in,
terests and kindly sympathies and far better
will 1t DO for the people Of the disunitcd States
to part in friendship from each other, than to
be held together by conStraint. Then will be
the time for reverting to the precedent, which
occurred at the formation and adoption of the
Constitution, 10 form again a more perfect
Union, by dissolving that which could no longer
bind, and to leave the separated parts To be re-
united by the law Of political gravitation, tc
the CENTRE"
That is what Mr.. Adams said about it. lie
says we have had two Prcsidcnts-onc when we
seeded from England, and the other when
we seeded from the articles Of Confcdera
ton and when the day comes that the
hearts Of these people are divided, when the
Government no longer rests upon kindly sym
pathies and affections, then it is time fol
them, rs Abraham and Lot did, to separate
in peace. Adams uien present, listen TO the
voice Of your father. Come mp now; you can
not shut your eyes to the fact that the period
has arrived when kindly sympatLics no Longer
exist, and instead Of keeping Virginia in I
~free-soil Contederacy, and keer;ns her dowr
as a moro ..-,:-:~.i ueprtIuancy upon that cen
tral empire at Washington, use your efforts e
bring about a peaccabie separation Of people
that can no longer live together in peace ant
in harmony.
Sir, what did a distinguished gentleman
of Virginia, whose portrait hangs yondcr, ant
whose ashes repoSe, as | have been informed
near the residence of Il distinguished gentle
man now upon this floor, (Air. BouLDly, 0
Charlottc.) l alludc to John Randolph. VIVA
did John Randolph say in his celebrated resi-
buttons at Charlotte Court House in 1888, upor
that subject, Here it is, in the fourth resolu
ton
THAT Virginia has never parted with thu
right to recall the authority so delegated, fol
good and sufficient cause, nor the right Il
judge of the suticiency Of such cause, and t
sscede from the Confedrracy wheusoever sh,
shall find the benefits Of the Union exceeded
by its evils"
That is what John Randolph said in 1888
and he understood well the nature OF this Gov
ernment
But I have a letter here to which | wish [,
call the attention Of the distinguished gentle
man from kanawha, CIR. SrMMEHs.) he, (Mr
SuMMEEs,) spoke in warm ard eloquent Ian
guage of Macon, Of North Carolina, as on,
who, the gentleman to whom | refer declared
had never taken a position until he had sur
veyed tho whole field, and whenever he took
position he was right, and when he was righ
the whole world could not turn him from Iii
position. Let US hear what he said upon tina
subject. | happen 10 n,rc a letter here frcr
Mr.. Macon dated tire 9th of February, 1888
and addressed to the Hon. S. p. Carson, il
which he says:
Il have received your letter Of the 24th ul
tino. There can DC no doub. that the United
States are in q deplorable situation, ard tha
the publication If the opinion you desir
would be useless. 1t has never been 4 secret
and always stated to those who wanted Il
know it. In the year 1924 The Constitution
was bnried in the Senate, the Senators WIZ
were then present will, it is believed, ~recollcc
the fact, and never afterwards quoted by N;
while | continued in the Senate. The opinion!
of General Washington, Mr.. Jefferson ant
Governor Clinton arc known, but not respect
I'd. | have never believed that a State could nul
lily and remain in the Union, but have Away
believed that q State might secede when sh,
pleased, provided that she would pay her proper
ton of the public debt; and this right I hnv'
considered the best guard 10 public liberty
and to public justice that could be desired
and it ought to have prc~vcntei--wiiat is nov
felt in the S0uth-opprcssion."
There is what q wise mana man who, &C
c0rding to the distinguished gentlemen from
Kanawha, never was mistaken; who never too!
q position until he had surveyed the wholt
field. and whose grasp Of wisdom was SO grea
that he ioresaw all the difficulties before him
there is what that man said upon the subject
lie said that the greatest safety for public lib
erty and public justice, was the right Of
State to secede from the Union, and the only
condition attached was, that she should pa,
her part of the public debt; and We all vii
agree to do that. Isay, sir, that il, when yol
exercise that right, you arc to be denounced
as being guilty Of treason and revolution, tina
yon Government falls into q military deSpot
ism, and liberty will be buried, and the battle
of the Revolution will have been fought il
vain. That will be the consequence if thi
doctrine is to prevail; and | fear that this Con
vention is determined that it shall.
Mr.. Jefferson, in his letter to Mr.. Giles
dated the Goth of December, 1925, distinct.
admitted the right Of secession, when he dc
clared that We ought to separate from our con
federates, "whcn the sole alternatives left, ar
the dissolution of our union with them, o
submission to q Government cith0It Hmato
ton Of porers."
The gentleman from Harrison, (Mr. CAE
LIE inYokes the great name and fame Of MI
Calhoun against the right Of secession. All
have to say on that point is, if any gentleIna
will refer to his elaborate letter written t
Gen. Hamilton, on the 2Sth day Of August
1892, he will see that while Mr.. Calhou
draws a distinction between notification an
secession. yet he distinctly admitted the RICH
Of secession, and ably commended for both.
Thus, Mr.. Chairman, have passed thus ia
in the discussion Of this subject. And here
want to make nm enquiry Of the distinguish
Chairman of that distinguished Committee {
Twenty.one. They say in their report that
State has a right to withdraw from the UnioT
but he, the Chairman, in his argument her
the other day in which he denied the sorcr
eighty of q Statc-and if a State is not So
ereign, | don't see how it could withdraw
said it was n revolutionary right. | want I
know what ne means by a revolutionary rigi
i ask for information