Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1861-09-21
No. 2I.


and vet she had to surrender that right and after
wards recognise their independence. No doubt,
the Americans morally In the right in resisting
the imposition of taxes levied upon them by Leg
isature in which they were not represented but
the legality of that right was urged by British
statesmen it was admitted by many amongst the
Americans themselves. and when they rose In
armed resistance they cast to the winds the oaths
they had previously taken to the paramount Power.
1t is by no means so clear as Mr.. Everett supposes
that the Southern States had not some kind Of
right to secede. He thinks otherwise, and his
opinion is supported by many eminent authorities;
but still 1t is an open question. Mr.. Buchanan,
the late President, declared that 90 TIE personal
liberty acts of several of the Northern States
in direct conflict with the Constitution of the United
States, and ought to be repealed if continued upon
the statute books after public attention has been
directed to the subject the injured States will be
justified in Secession" As these personal liberty
acts still remain in force, the Southern States may
plauby plead the authority of the late head of the
Executive, in Justification Of Secession But there
is still To be found even q higher authority than
Mr.. Buchanan, in favour of the course which the
South has pursued, and that authority is the late
eminent senator, John G. Calhoun. Thirty years
ago. Mr.. Calhoun declared that - the Constitution
of the United States is q compact to which the
States were parties in their sovereign capacity;
now, whenever compact is entered into by parties
itv to decide in the last resort each of them has
the right to decide itself in relation to the nature
extent and obligations of the instrument" Mr..
Everett himself appears have been long in doubt
about this very question, for he states candidly
that, % while this ill-starred movement con-
fined the States of the extreme South, and they
abstained from further aggression, was willing
they should go in peace. This course, thought,
would retain the Border States, and bring back
the seceders in year or two, and such understood
to have been in substance the programme OF the
Administration Well, this programme and these
doctrines of Mr.. Everett seem to belong to the
category of very strange - notions. Ii the w ash
ngton authorities sincerely believed that Secession
was rebellion, their duty clearly was to put 1T
down. or at least to make the attempt to do so. If
they believed that the South had right to secede,
however incOnvenient to. or subyersive OF, the
national dignity and power, they can have no right
even now to prevent it. There can be no medium
between these two extremes and whatever may
have been the duty of the Washington Cabinets in
the circumstances it is certain they have hitherto
failed to do it.
1t is pitiable to witness the Government of q
great nation in the hands OF politicians who could
fold their hands in helpless incapacity, and specu
late on the probability of retaining part OF the
country in allegiance by sacrificing another part to
the convenience of rebellion. What would we have
thought of an English statesman had any such pro-
posed, In 1910, 10 allow lreldIlu W 70 III pclCcg
if she ubstained from further aggression, in order
that the Government might continue to hold peace
able possession of Scotland. The idea is too alb
surd for serious argument; and how Mr.: Everett
could reconcile such policy with common sense
we are at a loss to conceive. What contrast in
practical energy does the conduct Of the British
Government present in dealing with the Indian re-
bellIon to that of the American Government in
dealing with this Secession movement. In the
former case the action of the Executive was prompt
and decided there neither doubt nor vacllla-
tion exhibited and no speculative maunderings
about the rights of the King of Delhi were al
lowed to interfere with the embarkatiOn Of troops
and munitions of war and a like spirit animated
the Indian Government and all its subordinates,
from the Hooghly to the Himalayas. General
Scott is busy mastering great army round Wash-
ington with remarkable patience; and he is wise
to exercise the " better part of yalor " for the con-
hict with nine millions of Anglo-SaxOns in the
South, exasperated to the last degree against the
North must be one of the most dreadful character.
But had the North shown, at an earlier date.
tithe of the spirit and energy which it now dis
plays this Secession movement, which has at length
attained such great force, might have been checked
in the bud.
Dr. Motley, the accomplished author OF - The
History of the United Netherlands has also en-
tered upon this ' tournament of talk like a
cond disinherited knight, for the purpose of up
holding the honor oil the Lady Union against all
corners. In pamphlet on the Secession movement,
DIR. Motley occupies twenty-nine and half pages
with quotations, arguments, and illustrations, for
the purpose of showing that the Southern States
had no right to secede, while he dismisses the de
facio question with ten and half lines. Now, we
cannot help thinking that all such labors, in the
face of an undoubted Secession, are idle as the
winds. 1t is lamenting over "spilled milk, or
locking the stable door after the steed is stolen,"
and then sitting down patiently to convince oneself
that the thief had right to steal away the horse
There are facts in connection with this Secession
movement which are patent and indisputable, viz:
the Southern States have constituted themselves
power; and the North has done little or nothing,
for more than six months, to prevent them. While
these facts remain palpabe realities, writers and
speechifers may rave and scribble till doomsday;
and the fruits Of their labOrs will be somewhat the
same as that Of the countryman who heeced bis
pig. and was rewarded with great cry, but very
little wool. Whether or not the South had right
to secede is a matter of little consequence.
The question is, how is Secession, which is q
fat accOmpI, to be dealt with The great military
force at length set on foot BY the North must an
swer this question.
= Professor johnson, of Middleton University,
was one day lecturing before the students of min
eralOgy. He had before him quite number of