New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-21
THOmAs yKPFRRsON-JEER. DAvi'

r
A correspondent asks Us to state Wherein
IN. .J.aersonian doctrine of the Right 70 SOIL
Gov.rnmept differs from that asserted By Jen'
D.v;. A. Co. in their now waging rebellion
w. will eudesvor to elucdato this difference.
Mr.. Jeffersons theory Of Government
based on the assumption that certain fundA'
mental rights inhero in Man as Msu-that
among those rights is that of throwing of an
intolorsbly oppressive Government and replao.
ing it by one that will protect the rigbs and
promote the happiness Of its subjects. When
he speaks of tho rights Of man to " life, lib
erty. and tho pursuit Of happiness" a. i~alien-
able we do not understand him to maintain
that these rights may not Be temporarily placed
in allegiance by misfortune and utterly for
feited BY crime. A mailman who has done no
wrong may be confined, and even manacled, to
protect others from his blind fury; q criminal
may be imprisoned for years. for life. or even
put to death, In accordance with Mr.. Jeder-
sons idea, az lunatics and folops were doubt
less treated BY Dir. Jefferson when Governor
of Virginia or President Of the United States
What he meant by inslienable" doubtless
was, that, with regard to RATIONAL law.re-
specting men, no one had power to cede these
rights to any prince or potentate on earth
ANY constitution or framework OF Government
that ignored them was in so far void; aud the
state or community 80 Invested of its natural
rights might at any moment resume them-if
necessary. BY force.
Mr.. Jefferson Davis bases his Rebellion on
the Inherent sovereignty of the States-in other
words, on the reserved or implied right OF
each State to withdraw from the Union when
ever it shall sse fit, and for whatever cause 1t
shall deem sufficient. Secession he styles - the
dissolution of league" In point OF fact, his
followers have usually submitted the question
of Union or Disunion to Convention and a
ratifyinQ Popular Vote; but these are not
deemed indispensable. The Rebel Governor
Harris of Tennessee, with the approval of his
Legislature in secret session, made over all the
military force of the State to the Davis dee
potsm before any Convention or Popular Vote
had pretended to withdraw her from the
Union. So, we believe, in other cases Mis-
souri, decided, by her Convention and her
Popular Vote, that she would not 60 out
Of the Union; but Der rebel Governor and part
= of a Legislature assumed power to thrust her
out nevertheless In short the JEFF. Davis
theory assumes that we Americans residing
within the geographical limits Of the United
States do not constitute one Nation, and never
did-that the Convention which framed the
Federal Constitution left Us substantially where
it found us-that the preamble to the Federal
Constitution, in saying We, the people OF
the United States"-not 1--WE the Sovereign
States of Massachusetts,, New.York, Georgia"
&c.-s q grievOus aud misleading blunder-
that the deliberation, the intense interest, with
which the People and States canvassed that
Constitution before adopting it were ridiculous,
since each and every State was at perfect lib.
erty thereafter to retract her assent and with
draw from the Union whenever she should
Q soc fit.
!. Secession ignores the Convention of 81, the
Constitution it formed, and tho ratification
n thereof by the People of each and every State,
9 as COmpicttiy 10 tHcy hou HC'Oi OAi"''"' ~
!, does not assume to be revolutionary move
ment, but simple and natural assertion OF
i rights reserved to the States as sovereign cor.
porations, like the withdrawal of England from
. the league of Western Powers against Mexico.
How utterly at variance this il with history,
few are too ignorant to realize.
Mr. Jeferson's Declaration of Independence
was made in the nterest of Natural Rights
against Established Institutions Dir. jeff.
: Daviss caricature thereof is made in the interest
: of an unjust, OutgrOwn, decaying Institution
against the apprehended encroachlnents OF
Natural Human Rights. The intelligent Free
Laborers of the whole civilized world were natu.
raj, instructive partisans Of the Jefiersonai
movement; they are a. natural, instructive
champions Of the Union as against the JEFF. Davis
conspiracy and treason. These cOncurring facts
indicate an underlying law of ample reach and
deep significance. Instead of affirming the
Right of Man to Sef-GOvernment, the jeff.
Davis rebellion denies his right to his own
labor and earnings, to his own wife and child
req. 1t is rebellion in the interest Of dark
ness, of despotism and oppression, aud is
authors ought to be hOoted off the face Of the
earth.