Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-03-15
Thoughts on the Times.

The pressure upon our columns Of excitn
and interesting news, for the last two weeks
has prevented Us from giving attention t
several communications on our table. Tn
statement of the fact is sufficient apology t
our oorrespon 1ents, from whom We are glat
tohear, at all times The following letter i.
from good Republican, and will repay pc
rusal, a. it represents the sentiments Of
large portion Of the bone and snsw, the mos
reliable and influential portioa Of the party
We do not agree with the conclusions Of The
writer. So far as the mere radiance Of the
Gotten States is concerned, and its effect or
the:prosperity Of the free States, We believe
wita our correspondent that it would be an
advantage and relief, both Of responsibility
and future trouble, to allow those States to
slough off, But there are reasons to the con-
trary which ov,rbalance this one. First, the
Uuion owes 3 solemn duty to its citizens in
the seeding States who have never con-
sented to being dragged out Of it, who are
now protesting against it, and have sacred
right to protection from usurpation and op-
preston. If We desert them, they will be
left prey to heavy taxes, an aristocratic
government, and to the speedy and over
whelmins ruin of black insurrection. We
have no right Il US to desert them. Second,
the demolalizing effect Of secession, once
permitted, upon the Government, and the
destruf ton OF our national credit, would be
productive Of anarchy and ruin. The moment
that it is admitted that our Government may
be disrupted at any moment by the secession
Of al or any of the States, that moment We
hive no Government. The Union, therefore,
must be preserved; and rebels whipped, and
traitors hung, as . measure Of selfpreserva-
ton. Third, whatever might be thought of
the question if the people Of the cotton
Safes had authorized secession by large
m.joritiss, or even BY small ones, does not
apply to this case. The fact is, that up to
this day there has as yet been no secession.
Not solitary State has seeded or authorized
secession. By the admission Of the leading
rebels, themselves, secession is nothing less
than the resumption by State Of its sover-
eighty. This can only be done by the SOW
ereisn people Of State. The sovereign
power Of = State resides in the people. And
in not one State Of the Union have the people,
by their votes, ratified or authorized or COM
manded secession. The action Of their seces-
sion conventions, and Of their sham Congress
at Montgomery, is entirely unauthorized AID
Il idrc as tie wind. 1t is just as ridiculous
for the Montgomery Convention to presume
to act as Government, as it would be for
Democratic Convention, at Des Moines, to
undertake to vote Iowa out of the Union, and
to set up an independent government for her.
The Montgomery Convention has the au-
thority of debating club-no more. and no
less. Its acts are no more the acts Of the
people Of the States than uld be the action
Of any other party convention. Their dele-
gates are not elected by the people, but ap.
pointed Sy Legislatures, and by Governors.
The people have not, in single State, ratified
the ordinances Of secession.