Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-01-23

ington. in his Farewell Address, says, that
SHE Constitution uhich at ana time rris,s
tin changed by an tTpRcit and authentic act
Of he ,Dhole people, is sacTedty obligatory
upon all" The opinion Of the Father of his
Country, of the man who presided over the
Convention which formed the Constitution,
should certainly have some weight with Amer
leans. Gen Jackson's views with regard to
secession are we'll known In his message of
Jan. 18th, 1888, he declares That, when, to Sc
cure the blessings of liberty and happiness,
"sny body OF men have voluntarily associated
themselves under particular form Of govern
ment, no portion of them can dissolve the as
sociation without acknowledging the correative
rightin the remainder to decide whether that
dissolution can be permitted consistently with
the general happiness" Mr.. Webster, on Feb.
18th, 1888, declared "that no State authority
has power to dissolve those (federal) relations;
that nothing can dissolve them but revolution
and that, consequently, there can be no such
thing as secession without revolution" In Mr..
Madlson's report on the Virginia resolutions of
1893, he prominently declares the measure to
be "within the limits Of the Constitution" thus
ignoring any intention of notification or re-
bellion.
Our situation, in case Of secession, as a
member OF Southern Confederacy, wonld not
be source of much satisfaction. There Is no
element of Union to bind even the fifteen
Southern States together, if secession be con-
sidered reserved right Self interest cannot
do it, for self interest IS opposed to the project.
The Cotton States require free trade, aud the
re.openipg the African slave trade, which
Europe will never permit. The one would
destroy Missouri, which needo protection for
the development Of its mining and manufac-
k,,.. 4 I l.nh.
qures aid for the sustenanco of it's sugar trade:
whilst the other would ruinously deprecate
the value Of the slave property of Vir-
ginia, Kentucky, and Maryland. Hence
before the lapse Of ten years we would proba.
bly, have three distinct slave oopiederacies on
this continent, exposed to the dangerous in
trigres Of a powerful anti slavery confederacy,
and without friendly nation in the whole
world. Can the planters be blind TO the state
of sentiment in Europel Has nc. the Times de.
clared that we may expect no sympathy from
Engldnd2 Has not the London Star assured us
that the formation of slave confederacy would
almost justify crusade; and La Prose- in
formed US that France cannot sympathize with
us2 Only four weeks ago the Emperor wrote a
complimentary letter TO Captain Matftty thank.
ing him for his exertions in putting down the
African slave trade. Can al! these warnings
be lost uppn our politicians7
Even at this late hour satisfactory com
promise might be agreed upon, and the slavery
question be forever bsnished from the sphere OF
federal politics. When dealing with this dread
lul question, we should meet as brothers. anx-
iOus only for the safely Of cur Union, which in
the words of Washington, ia "the main pillar
in the edfce Of our real independence" The
lovers of the Union should ooDport themselves
in the manner advised by the Hon. w. wilkins,
ID September, 1899, at the annual commerce.
ment Of Jefferson College-"Ever keep in
mind the spirit Of compromise In which our
constitution had its origin Instead Of def
arce and doriaion, let us adopt the tone of coz
ciliation, and, where practicable. Of concession.
Instead Of hunting up materials for spitetul
comparisons betSeen different States and dis
tricts, let Us remember only what Is glorious
in the history, or estimabie 10 the character of
each; adopting the happy quotation OF Lord
Chatham, when depreciating that stubborn and
contemptuous defiance which led to the dismem
bermenI Of the British Empire; le. each State,
in reference to every other,
'''3e to her faults little blind,
BE to her virtues very kind