Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-01-04

non slayeholding States. Indeed, no
people can ever expect to preserve its
rights and liberties, unless these are in
their own custody. To plumber and OPP
press where plumber and oppression can
be practised with impunity seems to be
the natural order Of things. The fairest
portions ofthe world elsewhere have been
turned into wildernesses, and the most
civilized and prosperous communities
have been impoverished and ruined by
anti-slayery fanaticism The people of
the North have not left us in doubt as to
their designs and policy United as a
section in the late presidential election,
they have elected as the exponent of their
policy one who has openly declared that
all the States of the United States must
be made free States or slave States. 1t
is true that amongst those who aided in
his election there are various shades of
anti-slayery hostility. But if African
slavery in the Southern States be the
evil their political combinations afiirms it
to be, the acquisitions of an inexorable
logic must lead them to emancipation. If
it is right to preclude or abolish slavery
in Territory, why should it be allowed
to remain in the States The one is not
at all more unconstitutional than the
other, according to the decisions of the
Supreme Court of the United States.
And when it is considered that the
Northern States will soon have the pow
er to make that Court what they please.
and that the Constitution never has been
any barrier whatever to their exercise of
power, what check can there be in the
unrestrained counscls Of the North to
emancipation There is sympathy in
association, which carries men along
without principle; but when there is
principle-and that principle is fortified
by long-existing prejudces and feelings
association is omnipotent in party innu-
ences. In spite of all disclaimers and
professions, there can be but one end by
tie submission of the South to the rule
of sectional anti-slavery government at
Washington and that end, directly or
indirectly, must be the emancipation of
! the slaves at tho South. The hypocrisy
of thirty years--thc faithlessncss of their
whole course from the commencement of
our union with them, show that the peo-
pie ofthe non-slaveholding North are not,
and cannot be, safe associates of the
} slaveholding South, under common
Government. Not only their fanaticisnl
but their erroneous views Of the princi.
pics of free governments, render it doubt
ful whether, separated from the South,
they can maintain free government
sSsssis wifi s6sS 4 $500 sss s,smso
of free government. A majority IS ID.
fallible and omnipotcnt. 1.-The rigbD
! divine to rule in kings is only transferred
to their majority. The very object Of
all constitutions, in free popular govern
ment, is TO restrain the majority. Con
stitutions, therefore, according to thei
} theory, must be most unrighteous inven-
tons, restricting liberty None ought t.
exist; but the body polite ought simply t.
: have political organization to bring ou'
and enforce the will of the majority. This
theory may be harmless in small com.
munity, having an identity of interests
and pursuits; but over vast State---still
more, over vast Confedcracy, having
various and conflicting interests and pur-
suits, it is renorseless despotism. In
resisting it, as applicable to ourselves, we
are indicating the great cause Of free
government, more important, perhaps, to
the world than the existence of all the
United States. Nor in resisting it, DO
we intend to depart from the safe instru-
mentality the system Of government we
have established with them requires In
separating from them we invade no rights
no interest of theirs. We violate no
obligation or duty to them. As separate,
independent States in convention, we
made the Constitution Of tho United
States with them and as separate iDdc-
pendent States, each State acting for it.
self, we adopted it. South Carolina, act
ing in her sovereign capacity, now thinks
proper to secede from the Union. She
did not part with her sovereignty in
adopting the Constitution The last
thing State can be presumed to have
surrendered is her sovereignty. Her
sovereignty is her life. Nothing but a
clear express grant can ALLEVIATE it, In
ference has no place. Yotit is not at all
surprising that those who have construed
away all The limitations Of the Constitu-
ton should also, by construction, claim
the humiliation Of the sovereignty Of the
States. Having abolished all barriers to
'neit oHs'rvs---- hv ti,oir faithless con-
structions in the operations 81 tho UcHr-
raj Government, it is most natural that
they should endeavor to do the same TO-,
wards us, 10 the States. The truth is
they, having violated the express provi.
sions Of the Constitution, it is at an end
as compact. 1t is morally obligatory
only on those who choose TO accept its
perverted terms South Carolina, deem
ing the compact not only violated in par
ticular features, but virtually abolished
by her Northern confederatcs, witbdraws
herself as a party from its obligations
The right to do so is denied by her
Northern confederates. They desire to
establish despotism, not only omnipo-
tent in Congress, but omnipotent over
the States; and as if to manifest the i'm
perious necessity Of our secession, they
threaten us with the sword, 10 cocrce
submission to their rule.
Citizens Of the slaveholding States Of
the United Statesl circumstances
You'd our control have placed
van Of the great controversy !
Northern and Southern s