Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-07-12

concerns only the state should be left ex-
clusively to the State. This is all there
is of the original principle about it.
Whether the National Constitution, in
defining boundaries between the two, has
applied the principle with exact accuracy,
is not to be questioned.
VIVA. is now combatted is the position
that secession is consistent with the Con-
stitution--is lawful and peaceful. 1t is
not commended here that there is any ex-
press law for it, and nothing should ever
be implied as law which leads to unjust
or absurd consequences. The nation pur-
chased with money the countries out of
which several of these States were form
ed. Is it Just that they shall go off with
out leave and without refuoding? The
nation paid very large sums--in the ag-
gregate / believe nearly hundred mill
ions--to relieve Florida of her aboriginal
tribes. Is it just that she should now be
of without consent or making any return?
The nation is now in debt for money APP
piled to the benefit of these so-called Sc
ceding States in common with the rest.
Is it just either that creditors shall 90
UNPAID, or the remaining States pay the
whole? A part of the present national
debt was contracted to pay the old debts
of Texas. Is it just that she shall leave
and pay no part Of this herself? Again,
if one State may secede so may another,
and when all shall have seeded none is
left to pay the debts.
Is this quite just to the creditors p
Did we notify them of this sage view OF
ours when we borrowed the money? If
we now recognize this doctrine by allow
ing the seceders to go in peace, is it diff
cult to see what we can do if others choose
to 60 or to extort terms upon which they
will promise to remain.
The seceders insist that our Constitu-
ton admits Of secession. They have as
sumed to make a national Constitution of
their own. in which of necessity they
have either discarded or retained the
right of secession as they insist it exists
in ours. If they have discarded it they
thereby admit that it ought not to be in
ours. IF they have retained it by their
own construction of ours, they show that
to be consistent they must secede from
one another whenever they shall find it
the easiest way Of settling their debts or
effecting any other selfish or unjust object.
The principle itself is one of disintegra-
ton, and upon which no government can
possibly endure.
If all the States save one should assert
the power to drive that one out of the
Union, it is presumed the whole class Of Sc
ceding politicians would at once deny that
power, and denounce the act as the great
est outrage on State rights. But suppose
that precisely the same act, instead of
being called driving the one out, should
be called the seeding of the others from
that one, it would be exactly what the Sc
ceders claim to DO, unless indeed they
make the point that the one, because it is
a minority, may do rightfully what the
others, because they are the majority,
may not rightfully do. These politicians
are subtle and profound in the rights Of
minoritias. They are not partial to that |
power which made the Constitution and
speaks from the preamble, 1--WE, the peo-
| pie" 1t may we'll be questioned wheth-
er there is to-day majority of the legal
ly qualified voters of any State, except,
perhaps, South Carolina, in favor of dis
union.
MAJORITY OF UNIoNIsTs IN THE SOUTH |
There is much reason to believe the
Union men are in the majority in many,
if not in every other one of the so-called
seeded States. The contrary has not
been demonstrated in any one of them.
1t is ventured to affirm this, even Virgin
ia and Tennessee, for the result of an
election held in military camps, where the
bayonets are all on one side of the ques-
ton, can scarcely be considered as DEM
popular sentiment. At such ,
an election all that large class, who are I
at once for the Union and against coer-
cion, would be coerced to vote against the
Union.
CHARACTER OF THE TWO ARMIES.
1t may be affirmed without extrava- t
gance that the free institutions we enjoy |
have developed the powers and improved i
he condition of our whole people beyond g
any example in the world. OF this we Z
low have striking and an impressive
Illustration. S
So large an army as the government d
las now on foot was never before known S
Without soldier in it, but who has taken 9