Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-09-25
jefferson on secssalo


Itmsy not be generally known that the sage of Mon
ticelo anticipated and justified secession from the
Union under the circumstances that now exist.
The threat to sever the Union first made by the
New England States, and that at time when every
patriot should have cordially supported the General
Government. Our ships were searched by British
cruisers. Our were impressed into the British
navy. The Chesapeake bad been wantony fired upon
by the Leopard, and lost 81 in killed and wounded
Accordingly all commercial intercourse between the
two powers was suspended by an embargo, December
%, 1907. At such a season. the honor of the
country could not be maintained without retaliatory
measures, and when war with great naval power
was imminent, maritime New England threatened to
withdraw her States with their shipping and sailors
from the service of toe Union
"Nr, Adams called upon me- says Mr. Jefferson
perding the embargo ana while endeayor5 were max
ing for obaDg its repeal He made some apologies for
this call the ground of our not being then in the
habit of confidential communications, but that which
be had then TO make involved too seriously the in
terest OF country not to overTue all other consider
atons with him. and make it his duty to reveal it 10
myself particularly. He spoke then OF the dissatisac-
ton OF the Eastern portion Of Conederacy with the
restraints OF the embargo then existing, aud their
essGess under it. That there was nothing which might
not be attempted to rid themselves OF IT. That be had
information of the most unquestionahle certainty that
certain citizens Of the Eastern States Il think be named
Massachusetts particularly were in negotiation with
agents of the British Government the object Of which
take further part in the theI going on that
without formally declaring their separation from the
Upj0n of he States tbey should Withdraw from all aid
and obedience to them that their navigation and com
nerce should be free from restraint and interruption hy
the British that they should be considered and treated
by them neutrals, and such might conduct item
selves toward both p&rties and at the cCs OF the
be az liberty to rt join 1he Coniederacy. lie assured
me there was imminent danger that The Convention
would take phce t-Iat the Temptations were s1ch as
might dthaucl many from Their fidelity to the Union !;
and that to enable its friends TO make head against it
the repD Of the embargo absolutely necessary.
eX r5ss~d juat OF the merit Of this irOrml
ti0n aud Of the mpo OF The disclosure to- the safety
and the salvation Of country aud however
luctant | was Il abandon the measure, & measure
which, pers9verad in little longer W. had subs quent
agd satisfactory assurance w0ad have Effected lis opect
completely from that moment, and iutlenced by that
information, SEW The necessity Of abandoning 1t, and
instead Of efecing purpose by this peaceful weapon
we must fight it out Or break the Union"
Mr. Jefferson speaks OF this interview as Of chaTac
ter too aw'ni deeply engraved his mimi, III
dueDcing too materially lbc course be hal 70 pursue
ever to be t0rgotteu.
But while den0uHcng this -" nefaro1s and daring at
tempt to dssever the Union" Mr Jsfsrson indicated
tle probability OF lis severance AMI the which
would justify hat act. See letter from Monticello
1kDecember &C. 1925. He writes :" | see with the
deepest affection the rapid strides with which the Fed
eral branch OF Government is advancing towards
|
and the consolidation in itself OF all powers, foreign
and domestic; and that, too, by constructions, which,
It egtImate leave no limits to their power. UnIeT
the power to regulate commerce they ind 3ite
" that also agriculture and nu!actureS and call
u7eguiGt0n to take The earnings Of Of these bfGnch
e Of lndusty and tha too the most depressed, and put
them into the pockets Of the Ctherte most f0url&b1"g
Of Gf. Under the authority to establish p0st-roads
they claim that of cutting down mountains Tor the
sruction Of roads, Of digging canals; and aided by
little s0phstry the words general welfare a right
to do only tie acts to effect that, which gDocl
cally enumerated and permitted but whatsoever they
shall Think pretend WiU be for the general sCalrc"
In these few words the SagacOus statesman indicates
the origin Of all difficulties. he Yankees ask -
" Have we q Government? The reply is: Yes but
a Government without Constitution Just such
Government as Mr. Jefferson setcned more than cen.
tury ago--a Government founded on hanking nSttu
tlOns and mOncd interpretations, under the gQlse and
cloak of your favored branches of tuufacures com
and navigation, riding and railing over the plUn
eered plougbman and Deggared ycomanry."
But Mr, j. tf4rs0n in anticipating the future, gave
advice to the succeeding generations. The WhOIa
of his remarks show that he dcspairtd Of saving the
| Constitution and contened himself with showing 10
what extent the agricultural interest and republican
party should bear with It's intract0n Aud what is
our Ter the preservation OF the Constitution
Reason and argument? You might vel! reasp1 and
argue with the marble columns encrciing them. The
repre8en atves chosen by oursev>s? Tbey are joined
in the combination some from iuc rect views OF Gov
ernment some from corrupt ones sufficient voting to-
geher to outnnmber ta sound parts and with major
ties OF only one, two, three mold enOugnt0 GO for
ward ia defiance. Are we, then to stand to arms
with tie ho'-head2d Georgian? No That must be
the last resource to be thought OF until much logger
and greater suf-rrgs Il every iAfracti1n of com
Oact OF So many parties is be resisted at once,
dissolution OF it. be formed which would
last year. We must have patience and longer en-
Gurance, then, with Drdthreu While U1der deluslO0
give them tune for reflection and experience OF cOnse
IQu2rces keep ourselves in condition to profit by he
chapter of accidents and separate from our c0mQan
orS only when the sole alternatives lett q dlSSclu
1on of the Union o0h them, submssSiont0 E0Usra
memts 2rHh0u" limitation Of PoperS beUcen these t10o
eUltS Whe must make q ci02ce THERE CAN BE NO
HEsITATION."
th5se statements of the venerable Patriarch Of Amer
ctn Dem0cracy show woat MS position would have
been at the present day The United States GOferD-
ment, So lar the SOutle-n States were concerned
had become of unlimited powers. ILere was 10
longer possibility of restoring the perverted COnsl
| uton when the Executive was occupied by a sectional
President and both Houses OF Congress by hostile
and growing mej Jrity bus Secession took place pre-
cisey at the period marked for il by the Propoe t Wis
dom of Jefferson. K. L. w. :
| DISTANCES IN MARYLAND.-The distance from Ere
derrick to Relay by the Old National road, is about
forty miles, and by the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad
about fifty miles From Frederick to Wasting or
City, through Rockville, in Montgomery county, tLt
distance is about the saue perhaps not so great From
the veral points where army crossed the POtO
mac via Rockville to Washington, the distance is les