Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-30

statesmanshp During period Of seventy years the old
est Of these Sateand the younger from the date OF their
drawn from the Union power aud pros
pey they never could obtained alone 1t not too
much to affirm that they indebted to the Union for
every thing which has made their position Ia the the
world worthy Of consideration national Power To
the Union the greater part of them owe their very exist
all TO it their protection and defence their Hour
shng commerce, their ready and cheap supply OF manu-
factures their conyenences OF luxurious or comfortable
life: they owe TO the Union 10 great degree their internal
improvements and in small proportion their most ac-
tive and intelligent population And now, concevng that
they have attained to strength which will enable them TO
these advantages their they do
not hesitate to renounce their most sacred obligations of
duty and obedience for the illusion Of national ndepen-
dence which, whatever may be i import upon their own
ortunes they persuade themselves cannot be any thing
else than destruction to the prosperity Of the comrades they
seek to abandon.
It is lamentable to this false estimate Of duty in any
section but our regret is increased by the surprise with
which discover many persons in the Border States
who have allowed themselves to think that in following
the lead of these counssors they will ever find any ade
ou.te compensation for the sacrifice they make of the
long career Of happy fortune opened them by the protec
ton Of the Union.
What we are now ready to ask, is the real motive for
seeking this independence Can be for any advantage
which State Of the Union and especially any State within
the compass Of the old thirteen could lawfully and honora
bly, demand from its associates In the Confederacy'
In the adoption of the Constitution there pghted
faith volunteered by every member Of the Union to observe
and keep every covenant expressed in that instrument
Each State relied upon the faith and honor of its sister
State and upon the pledge of the whole people Of the
United States to abide by the terms of that great compact
and to perform every duty enacted of them In rater
nal reliance upon that honor each and every State commit
ted itself to all the responsibilities the Union imposed
Each willingly assumed these responsibilities in full con-
fdence that no would shrink from its share in the
participation of the duty but that all would re
gousy discharge every obligation of the compact There
thus perfect given to the nation
all enjoyed the profit the prosperity and the glory OF the
Union, all would equally adopt it's burdens, and make
whatever necessary sacrifice of individual State advan-
tage the good might require. This s in effect,
the nature of the social compact presented by the Constr
tuition Certainly may say that, after entering into
such this State nor section OF the
people could without great dshonor and breach OF faith
refuse and abandon the performance Of their stipulated
obligations to their compeer merely for the sake OF max
ing themselves independent Even if there admit
ted right to retire. every consideration of justice would
impose upon the maconten fragment the duty Of appeal
consent to measure which must necessarily be Injury
to them. How much imperative the duty Of such
appeal when such right to withdraw is contained in
the compact and when the proceeding unless sanctioned
the general consent of the nation could only be cassed
in the category of revolution To make decent case of
justification for revolution every tribunal of moral law or
enlightened opinion would hold that preliminary fact
that consent should be asked and refused and moreover
the nsurgent party should be able to show such vo
lston of compact by the offending Government to pro
duce intosrabls oppression for which remedy be
found but that of separation
Now nothing 10 clear than that neither Of these
conditions existed. There consent sought for or
expected but the contrary haste in rushing into re-
belion, which might almost believe was intended to
prevent the risk Of either consent Cancellation The
of Sir Lucius OTrgger "The quarrel is very pretty
quarrel it standswe should only spoil it by trying to
explain it There was no inolsrabs oppression in
deed oppression Of any kind The utmost point to which any
II the sedtion went to affirm that it feared
there might be oppression bereafterthough that
not very ntegby made out in the result of the Pre-
sdenta election which proved the successfu party to be
minority of the whole vote of the country We had
heard it is true great deal about the inquy of import
duties and protection Of domestic industry but these
only the Of all Governments, and indeed
when it concerned Southern interests where thepeca
qustons Of Southern policy which always insisted on the
protection Of sugar and cotton and past times demanded
the highest duties manufactures, exempfed in the
recommendation of the minimum principle which was in
troduced into the tariff of 1916 by Mr. Calhoun, with the
express view Of encouraging the manufacture of American
cotton in order exclude India fabrics from our market
We had heard complaint that the bounty of the Govern
ment had fallen in snted upon the South in the
expenditures Of the revenues but the fact was that the
public treasure applied in that section to the estab
shment Of for arsenals, navy yards hospitals, custom
houses minis and other public structures quite as hber
unjust discrimination; whilst in addition to these expend
lures enormous amounts far greater than were approp
ated to any other section expended in the purchase
and defence Of Southern territory.
1t might be pertnenty asked here reference to these
complaints did the South asserting it's independence
pect to escape the necessity of raising without
resort to mposts Did it enter into their plan to aban
don the protection Of sugar the manufacture of iron, OF
"copper" of cotton wool leather glass; the many other
commodities to which Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and
other parts Of the South now devotng capital with
anticipation of future enlargement Would they be will
ing to hazard the experiment Of refusing the demands Of
those States on this subjectwith that swift remedy OF
secession acknowledged power in their organization
need say nothing here Of the preservation Of slave in
commented on that point but may add few words on
the extension Of slavery into the Territories which has lat
terly been presented question Of injustice done to the