Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-05-17

ment 50 long AZ she renalnt'i IN the Union.
Now, was the Union fouEde.i u! poo the Yolun-
t.ry consent OF he S,Mtes t" ne peFpetuated
by force, contrary to the wishes Of the peo-
pie? Ii we reflect for IL moment upon the
circumstances under, and the theory upon
watch the Union was formed we must at
nee conclude that such was never the lnten,
ton of the parties to the contract. Virginia
bad been a loyal colony.
The historic rcnown and national grandeur of
Great Britain were cherished By the culonists with
fiiial devotion. There was not glorious achieve
ment either in arms arts, IN laws or literature,
that was not regarded by them rs the heritage of
glorious ancestry; and the proud ensign that
had foated in triumph on every sea was venera-
ted by 81 their memories of the past and all their
hopes for tho future Yet Notwithstanding thsir
devotion TO their Government, the freest the best
the world had ever l.nowu-when 1t Jailed to fulfil
It's high purposes of protecting tho rights and
liberties OF the pcople-in the manliness of deter
mined resistance to oppression, no matter how
venorated the authority by which il WAS inflicted
they severed the dearest ties they had known, and
sacrificed all they most cherished to liberty W no
them shal! say That people who haG sacrificed so
much for indcpcndence--who had sundercd rela.
tions more intimate IL hundred fold than any that
could ever bind SOvorc On States tosother-Who
of L seven years war to achieve their Liberties,
were 80 blind, SO mad while all these rccoections
Of the cost OF independence were fresh in their
memories. Us to shackc themselves with bonds
far more revolving and intolerable than those
which they had just east oil forever! VINO VAL
dare rcproach the memories of our revolutionary
heroes and sages by imputng To them III the very
hour Of their triumph, the base abandonment OF
all the glorious fruits Of their memorable struggle!
,c,E.,. pAltY la INV
one into the belief, that they, after having vindl-
Gated The right Of II people to govern themselves,
while in the full enjoyment OF this dearly purcha-
scd right, should have entered into a compact by
which they forever renowned all the blessings the
value of which they know so well how 10 appre-
ciute Bcses if we reflect tor moment upon
the acknowledged theory of our institutions,
which is that al government proceeds from, anu
is founded u:On the consent Of tue governed, the
conclusion is irresistible, that there could not pos
sbly have been nuy obligation to an uncondtion
al perpe tua league. 1t was true, there was IL NOR
nj obligation to sustain the compact as long as
conducive to the ends for which it was established.
But Virginia alone was to be the judge OF its in
iraction--E irginia alone was TO decide upon any
question affecting her interest or her honor AS
long as il was possible for us to live upon terms of
anity with our Northern COntederatcs. ana the
General Government was administered IN accor-
dance with the Constitution l think no State
could have justly seeded Secession would have
been an ACT Ui sovereignty, however, which all
must have ncl Tlodgcd, though ali might have
condemnel The Union was founded upon tho
presumption that it w's to tho interest OF each
State to become Il member oi il, ana thntal would
ante 10 make it desirable for every State To re-
main in it. Tne idea o. compelling State to
Join the Union against it, wishes aud contrary-to
its interest would have been no more abhorrent
than the inteuti IN of cnmce!ing IL State to re-
main in The Union unier such circumstances IL
then, there is obligation binding the State not
to secedc, and the State according 10 he: Judg-
mant has been aggricved rs to justify this exer-
else Of her sovereign power, it is unqueStlonably
right for her 20 do so.
THUS fur we have been discussing the right of
State 10 secede necessary consequence OF
State sovereignty. and Il Legitimate inference
fran the nature. and theory Of our Soyernment.-
But the question whether State has Z right t. Sc
sede, and who shall judge Of the propricty of tx
ercisng that right is not m open question, NJ
least in Virginia BY the net ratifying the Con-
situation of the United States, the General As
sembly Of Virginia. "declaycd and made known
that the powers which the State Of Eirg inia and
all the other States granted under tae Constitu-
ton 10 The General Government, were derived
from the people Of the States respectively, and
that those powers might be resumed when
ever they perverted. either 10 The injury
or o. preston OF the people Gould anything he
more rlainiy expressed? 1t is beyond question
true that Virginia claimed the right for Herself,
and conceded il to the other States. If any es
tate was either injured or oppressed b. the GCn-
eral Government, she had right to withdraw
from the Union. But then the question arises,
whO was to iud 20 whether Il state was inquired or
oppressed The General Government, the in ur-
ercr a,,.! Uppr.ssoc? Vas it to SET III iud gment
upon lis owu act aud declare that it had injured
or oppressed d State and that in consequence OF
such iniur: Or oppression, tho state was ahso.ved
from I'LL allegiance 10 the General Government,
aud al liberty Ia soccdc! Sgcl proposition is
simply absurd. |; then the General Government
was not to decide in this ease, who was invested
with .acrra right of lie tcrmmiug 50 Important L
glIeS ton? Nothing can be more evident hnu con
elusive than that each State was to decide for
itself
Having suon that Virginia has the right to
cede il in her judgment she has been either nJur-
cd or oppressed by tho General Government, L
proceed without pausnS, i'll this connection 10
discuss the qucStu -! interest or safely inV"tYeG,
to cOus Ter briefly some Of the grievances which
she has suffered Firginia was loyal to the
Union. Mindful OF the admonItlonS OF the father
of his COuutry, she has Indignantly ir"wncd upon
every attack upon the General Government. AS
late Is i'll February last, after most Of the SOUTH
rn States iu the exercise Ell that sovereign power
which she had solclnny conceded to them, had
Withdrawn from the Union, her people declared
by an overwhelming vote that Virginia ought not
20 secede IT WAS true that many OF the free
States had been fnithlyss to the constitutional OBJ
legations; il was true that while in the Union,
they had attempted to nullify the laws of the Uni
ted States. which they had solemnly pledged
tn msclvcS to Obey-it was true that they had con-
soidatrd themselves into one great sectional par
ty whose declared object was war uptn the favor
lite institution of the State,-t was true that up'n
tho ayowef principle they had chosen from that
c;icn the chief executive officers Of the govern
mcnt-it was true that the press and the pulpit
had combined their forces in hostile array TO tho
interests and r4hts of her cijarIiS, yet, nOtwlfh
standing all of these pruv"catons: she Was willing
TO bear ri ger tbs rcpr"achcS am. injustice oi thc
North and TO trust to the reaction OF public scnti
mGnt for that separation, which thu General Il ~
eminent was either pOwurl*ss or ind!spVsed to al
ford.
Her delegates in convention assembled were
faithful to their constitueuts-and unrcmo|e.'
either by appeals FROM the South tannts from
tho North they chung to the Union with unwaver-
ing devotiuu Animated by the hope that the
unnatural infringement which was last alternating
the sections beyond the possibility of rcconclia
ton might yet be arrested. standing between the
hostile coufoderacics as mediator and friend the
Legislature of Virginia asked peace conference
for the adjustment Of The matter in controvorsy.-
In thai cunferencu tho North was uncomprolns!ns
and defiant ana its deliberations suited in moth
inv hensicial or p,ciic. Still unwilling to aban
don the cherished hope of preserving all that was