Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-01-12
Mr.. Madison on Secession.

We undertake to say, and we will show if neces-
sary, that the Democratic party of this State has
held the doctrine that State has the right to
secedc from the Union whenever, under within or
caprice, she might choose to do So The true doc
trne is that State has the right to sccede when
ever the federal constitution has been broken by
the common agent, the federal government; or
whenever the danger that impendS is so imminent,
SO certain, and so deadly as to leave the State no
hope but in a violent sundering Of the bonds This
the doctrine maintained in the Legislature of
this State in 1850 and 1852, in the discussions on
the subject in which William B. Shepard Walter L.
Steele, James G. Dobbin, Marcus Erwin William H.
Thomas and others took part; and is the doctrine
which has been uniformly maintained in this news
paper And this we assert, is the doctrine Of .ur
hudson, one Of the tatEers IF the Constitution.
In letter to Joseph c. Cabell dated September 6,
1881, he said:
=" | congratulate you on the event which restores
you to the public councils where your services will
be valuable particularly in defending the COnstitu
ton and Union against the false doctrines which
sail them That Of notification seems to he gener-
ally abandoned in Virginia by those who had most
leaning towards it. But it still hourishes in the
hot-bed where it sprung up"
81 know not whence the idea could proceed that
| concurred in the doctrine, that although a State
could not nulEfy law of the Union, It had a right
to secede from the Union Both spring from the
same poisonous root"
In a letter to Mr. Trist, dated December 23 1882,
he said:
"lf one State cam at will, withdraw from the
others, the others can at will, withdraw from her,
and turn her n0Lentem rOlentem out of the Union.
Until of late, there is not State that would have
abhorred such doctrine more than South Carolina,
or more dreaded an application of it to herself
The same may be said of the doctrine of nulliica-
tiQn which she breaches as the only faith by
which the Union can be saved"
In letter to Andrew Stevenson. dated Feb +,
1888. he said:
~ have received your communication of the 29th
ultimo, and have read it with much pleasure. 1t
presents the doctrine of notification and secession
in lights that must confound, if falling to convince
their patrons. You have done well in rescu;ng the
proceedings of Virginia in 179S'99, from the many
demonstrations and msapplicatons of them.
"Of late, attempts are observed to shelter the
hereSy of secession under the case of eXpatriation
from which it essentially differs. The expaTiating
party removes only his person and his movable pro-
perty, and does not incommode those whom he
leaves. \ seeding State mutiates the domain, and
Gisturbs the whole system from which it separates
itself Pushed TO the extent in which the right is
sometimes asserted, it might break into fragments
every single community"
And in a paper drawn by Mr.. Madison, in Sep
TENDER, 1929, he concludes with this earnest admo-
milton against disunion:
"In all the views that may be taken of questions
between the State governments and the general gov
eTnment the awful consequences of final rupture
and dissolution of the Union should never for mo-
ment be lost sight Of Such a prospect must be
deprecated-must be shuddered at by every friend
Of his country, to liberty, to the happiness of man.