The national Republican., 1862-02-20
IN OR OUT OF THE UNION.


Nothing is more plain than that States may
take themselves out Of the Union, and abdicate
all their rights as States, by their own voluntary
act. They cannot, however, without the aesent
OF the nation, withdraw either their territory,
or their citizens, from the national jurisdiction
1t is probably one Of the dormant powers Of
the Union, to expel State, for sufficient cause
in confirmed misconduct and vicious practice,
but beyond all doubt, it is optional with the
Union to keep State out, which has uoluntari.
" gone out.
Undoubtedly, the Union owes certain inde-
feasible duties Of protection to such citizens Of
withdrawing States as remain loyal, but It de-
pends upon circumstances wheher theee duties
can be best performed, by compelling, or per.
mittiug, the return Of such States into the
Union, or by enforcing the nstional jurisdiction
over the territory Of such States in some other
way. 1t may happen that to recognize the
actual governments Of Withdrawing States, may
be the very course to subject the loyal minori-
~ of their Inhabitants to the tyranny from
which they ought to be relieved.
In the present matter in hand the true view
is, that all the States which have passed ordi-
nances Of secession are now out Of the Union,
and are to be re admitted, not as matter Of
right, but al such time and under such circum-
stances and conditions as may be judged best
ty the nation. Exceptions may, perhaps, be
made of Virginia and Tennessee, in both of
which, important territorial divisions have re.
msiued steadily loyal.
Nothing is more absurd than the idea that
the object of this bloody and exhausting wsr,
Is to restore to their former political weight
and power in the Union, the old aristocracy Of
south Carolina, or that little nest of rspudiat-
ing swndlers, heretofore fraudulently digni.
fed as the State Of Florida. TIE war has no
such preposterous object as that. 1t is to pre-
serve our territory Intact within It's essential
boundaries. and to vindicate the vital fact tha,
this is really nation, and not mere leagu,
.! thirty four sovereignties. We are fighting
TO maintain our own risht!ul authority over th
territory Of South Carolina and Florida, ant
not TO enable The rebels ascendant there I,
Aend new Yuees and Mallorys into the Sena..
TO plunder us. or new Hammonds to beard ant
insult US In our own Capitol. We are fighting
10 short, to establish the rights, not # rebels
hh Of the nation.
II Is, Of course, the expectation and hone thai
ultimately the condition of affairs may be sucl
as to render 1t safe to re.admit into the Unior
all the States which have left 1t. But grea
social and political changes must be made il
some OF them, before this expectation can b,
Icalz~d.
In the meantime the monstrous heresy ,ba
The Union exists to day as 1t did in 1860, con-
irary as 1t is both to notorious facts and tt
rational legal views, should not be tolerated
for moment. 1t takes two to make bargain
andany agreement We may hereafter make with
S1u'h Carolina and Florida, 1--WE speak of them
by way of illustration,) is bargain de nouo
they having Themselves Iulliied the old one
In treating with them, Of course We must con
slider our duties to their loyal inhabitants, few
at best, bat not on that account the less entitled
10 protection. How it may be next week, o.
next year, no man can foresee, but to-day th,
very worst way to protect them, would be I,
re- invest the bloody and desperate faction,
which rule them, with the powers and attribute
OF Stale sovereignty.