The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-01-05
])oltltol.
From the National Tntelligcncsr
what are We Quarrelling About !?


1t is well. amidst the hurry and rush of
events at this exciting period in our history,
TO revert to the points from which our immc
diatc sectional differences take their lines of
divergence, that We may not suffer the mat
tiers really at Issue to be ovcrlaid BY vague
and dcclamary appeals addressed rather to
the passions than the reason of the public.
Wcmay say, then, that the pending agita
ton is not founded On any reasonable apple
hcl.sion that the political party which ha,
prevailed at the late Presidential election
proposes to interfere with slavery in the
States. If this allegation was not sufficiently
negntivcd by their platform Of principles
enounced at Chicago, it is just to remark that
the opponents of the Republican organza.
tion, as represented in the Senate Committee
of Thirteen, raised under Mr. Powcll's rcso-
luton, are understood TO have proposed an
amendment to the Constitution Of the United
States in exclusion of any SucE SUSPICION
We learn from the papers of the day that at
recent session ofthis committee MIR. Seward
offered the following resolution:
No amendment shall he made to the Con-
Sitution which will authorize or give to
Congress any over to abolish or inter (rre in
any State with the domestic institutions
thereof, including that Of persons held to ser.
vice or labor by the laws of such State"
This. it is reported, was carried by the
following vote:
"IEAs-Mcssrs. Powell, Hunter. Critten.
den, Seward, Douglas, Collamer, Wade, Big
Ter, Rice, Dooltlle. and Grimes Ill.
"NAYs-MeSsrs. Davis and Toombs-2"
The complaints of the Southern States
against the enactmcnts of such Northern
States aSnrc designed to obstruct the eXecn-
tion Of the fugitive slave law will, it is be-
lieved, he speedily removed by the disap-
pcarance of the latter from the statute books
We shall he surprised, and we need not say
disappointed, if the Legislatures of the Offend
ing States, as soon as they meet, do not take
such steps in this direction as are due no less
TO themselves than to their Southern conredcr.
atcs We presume that none who has sub.
mtted to the Federal Government under
Democratic rule will find il these obnoxious
statntesa reason for the Instantaneous run.
lure OF Federal relations, since the logic Of
such augmentation should have constrained
secession under James Buchanan as well as
under his successor. On this point we have
10 commend to our Southern readers the
advice OF Southern statesman, who, while
holding the theoretical doctrine of secession,
advises measure of prudence in its exercise.
We quote from the recent letter of Mr. Sena.
tor Hunter:
l believe that each State, acting in its
sovereign capacity, has political right to
secede from the Union. when 1t believes that
there has been palpab.e and dangerous
iniraction of the Constitution or compact
But whilst recognize its right to Judge for
itself, attn also Of opinion that the act is
morally unsuitable only when the infraction is
OF s"th Il character as 10 make secession The on!v
remedy. or when the danger of such an IN
fraction is so imminent shat secession must
be immediate to be remedy at all There.
fore 1t is that when was Questioned during
the recent Canvass to know whether would
regard the election Of Lincoln, by constitu.
tional means as just cause for secession.
replied that for such a Cause mouM not ody,se
lre'n'a II secede; but that. if any State did
deem il just cause. and for that rcas son secctle
from the Union, hold that She had a right
thus to act, without question from the, ard
that there was no riahlful authority any where
to force her back within the jurisdiction of
the General Government. In the case of
Virginia, where, as q voter and citizen, |
have a right to speak, would say that.
although such an election, in my opinion,
affords just cause for serious apprehension,
and makes it prudent 10 prepare the means of
selt'defrnce, in case of the worst results. still
! rouh not desire TO break mp this Union, uiii,-
o"t al least an honest effort 10 preserye II, mpon
terms consistent nth tie rights and The safefy Of
the South. Topreserre The Union of The Con.
M'u''on J roahl be utlling, / trust. TO make
any personal Sacrifice"
Immediate secession" such as Mr.. Hun.
ter dcprecates in behalf of Virginia, so far
from being remedy of the constitutional
infractions comr tilted by any of the Northern
States in the matter of the fugitive slave law,
would at once defeat the ends of Justice to
the South, and deprive the States in question
OF any opportunity to revise their ohjrctonal
Legislation in time to avert the catastrophe
which finds in such legislation one of It's
motives.
The third cause Of dissention, and that