The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1861-01-02
From tie Southern Guardian.

William Rawle, Of Pennsylvania, published,
in 1925, a work upon the Constitution Of the
United States. 1t was an able exposition.
and acquired deservedly high reputation
Commenting, at page 289, upon the clause
which requires that the United States shall
guaranty to every State a Republican form
of government, he says: "If faction should
attempt to subvert the government Of State
for the purpose Of destroying its Republican
form, the paternal power Of the Union could
be called forth to subdue it.
Yet it is not to be understood that its inter-
position would be justifable, if the people of
a State should determine to retire from the
Union, whether they adopted another, or re-
tanned the same form of government; OF, if
they should, with the express intention Of Sc
ceding, expunge the representative system
from their code, and thereby incapacitate them
selves lIom concurring according to the mode
now prescribed, in the choice Of certain public
officers of the United States.
The principle Of representation, although
certainly the wisest and best, is not essential
to the being Of Republic; but to continue
member Of the Union it must be preserved,
and therefore the guarantee must be so con-
strued. 1t depends on the State itself to re-
tain or abolish the principle of representation,
| because it depends on itself whether 1t will
continue a member Of the Union.
Again, at page 295, the secession OF State
| from the Union depends on the will Of the
people of such State. The people alone bold
| the power to alter their Constitution. The
! Constitution OF the United States is TO a GER
tain extent, incorporated into the constitutions
of the several States by the act of the people.
| The State Legislatures have only TO perform
certain. organical operations in respect to It,
| To withdraw from the Union ccmes not with
! in the general scope Of their delegated author
ity. Page 296. But in any manner by
which secession is to take place, the act
should be deliberate, clear, and unequivocaL-
The perspicuity and solemnity Of the original
Obligation require correspondent qualities 70
it's dissolution.@ The powers Of the General
! Government cannot be defeated or impaired
by an ambiguous OF implied secession on th'
part of the State, although secession may
perhaps be conditional.
The people Of the State may have Smi
reasons to complain in respect to the acts
the General Government; they may IN suct
cases invest some Of their own officers witt
the power of negotiation, and may declare 81
absolute secession in the event oil then
failure.
Still the secession must, in such case, b
distinctly and peremptorily declared to taxi
place on that event and in such case, (as u
the case of an unconditional secession-) tn
previous ligament with the Union would b
iegitmately and fairly destroyed. But, Il
either case, the people is the only moyIn
power. ?. 291. In no part OF the Constlin
ton is specific number OF States requires
for legislative act. 1t was ioresecn tha
there would be national tendency TO incIeas
the number Of States with the anticipated IN
crease Of population. 1t was also known
though it was not avowed, that Siate inigh
withdraw ITSELF The number would, there
fore, be variable.
The whole of the 3lst chapter from whiel
these extracts are taken, is highly interesting
and will reward perusual. u.