Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-01-31

AUm shs Usissd e>sAss, provided the United |
Ssstm ssasatsts ! nation.
q A second srysment against the right
Of seccssios b found in tho very words and
avowed design Of the compact. The con-
tracing parties stipulste that the Union shall
be "perpstual." A perpetual lease is one
that cannot be snnulled at pleasure. Al
perpetual grant is one which can not at
will be recalled A perpetual union is one
which can not be dissolved except on the
consent Of al parties to that union. Seccss-
ion Is a breach Of firth. II is morally a
crime, ssmuch ~ the secession of regiment
from the battlefield would be,
3. A third argument against the secession
is drawn from the historical fact, that the
right was at FIRST desired by some of the
states snd formally rejected.
4. This may be said to be res adyudicata.
All parties are committed against the doc
trine Of secession. When the New Eng
land States, under s.the pressure Of the en-
hassv lsws md sf ft1,s Svfls V thsa Of the
war Of 1912, sent delegates to the Hartford
Convention to consult about the means Of
redress, the measure was condemned with
one voice by the dominent party as tending
to secession The Richmond Enquirer, then
in the height of its influence, the recognized
exponent Of the principles Of the Jeffersonian
party at the South, elaborately proved that
no State or number of States had the right
to seperatc from the Union unless by the
consent of the other States.
s. The manifold absurdities, abnormities
nd evils which flow from the doctrine of Sc
cession; afford q sufficient proof of its un-
soundness. These have of late been abun-
dainty presented in the public prints The
United States gave fifteen millions Of dollars
for Louisiana, for the express purpose of Sc
curing command Of the Mississippi river.
According to the doctrine ofsecession Louis
ana may secede, and the whole advantage
Of the purchase be lost. Ten Millions were
paid for Texas, thousands Of lives and mill
ions Of dollars were expended in the Mexi-
can war for her security, and the acquisition
Of California. Five millions were paid for
Norida, one hundred & twenty millions have
been offered for Cuba. It is absurd to sup
pose that our government can be founded on
Che theory Of secession, and yet the people
be willing to spend such enormous sums for
territory to which they would acquire no
title. If the right exists, it belongs to all
the States and at all times. The country
may be engaged in peri1ous war, and one
half the states may legally secede and leave
the remaiueder to bear the consequences
Suppose Louisana:or Texas had seceeded il
the rear Of our army during the Mexican
war, and cut Of dour resources. Would tha
have been . legzf ptocedure7 Or If tn,
whole people should join in making thu
Pacific railroad, may Missouri and California
at its termini secede, and keep it all II
themselves? Such are some of the conse
quences Of this theory. It is refuted by ths
argumenfum ad aJsxrd,m. Secession a
Mr.. Madison says, is revolution, and revolu
ton il rebellion, and rebellion is at least il
legal. Whether in any case morally right
depends on circumstances. IF not justi6et
by intolersble oppression and injustice, it j
one Of the greatest Of crimes. That tn
Southern states are not oppressed, is plail
from their own declaration. They boast o
their prosperity and power. They claim t.
!, be the richest portion Of the Union. The
contrast their $500, o0O, 900 Of exports Wit
the 500, 600, 900 exported from the North
. Georgia has doubled her taxable propert
Il in the last ten years The same gener'
: prosperity prevails throughout the Soutf
q Of oppression, therefore, there can be 4
81 pretence. As to injustice, the only thint
: complained Of are the difficulty thrown
4 the way of the restosstion Of fugitive slave
; and the territorial question. These groun'
/ of complaiut have been considered. IT
q North hiss not broken faith with the Soui
rs to fugitive slaves. The Federal Cover
4 d(ment, which alone has the right to resto
y them, has never refused to do so. Thedif
0t CU8Hy k8 uOt In 6fIJ UIOeOn VI Aolens Ao 20
y the nature Of the service. Men at Il Q Nor
,fl are willing to let the General Governme
- do the work, but they do not choose to
!. made slaye-catchers themselves. The pm
=, ent fugitive slave law could not be execut
NJ efficiently at tke South, except by fedel
! officers. We would like to see Senai
H. Chestnut or the Hon. Mr.. Rhett called
ofl join in the pursuit of fugitive slave. III
! would do what men here do. They wo,
!. say, They say the work must be done, I
e. let thoss, whose business it is, see to
:. Neither oppression nor injustice can
~ pleaded in justification of disunion.
he wan street Joke.
no "Tis downright eztGtionp cries Sh,
who had chased
n 81