Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-16

quences which follow the practical application of this right
We shall then be able 10 determine how far these are com
paiible with the desig OF the Constitution, III is appa
| rent in its text
It's not strained conclusion to tht the archl
ects Of the structure intended to make seIfpreserynl
and not sedestroying Union that they proposed sys
em which should protect the vital interests Of the coun
try. not expose them unnecessary peril system thai
would work through coming ages and promote the prospe
rity of many generations.
Looking at their projected abors this light proceed
remark upon the incidents which the most ordinary fore
sight would discover the probable attendants upon the
exercise of right of secession and which late expert
meut Of it has brought into view as actual impending
dangers:
l. The retirement of any State from the Union IT, in its
mdest effect dreadful damage to the welfare Of the ma
ton in its most probable consequences it is fraught with
peril to the existence of the nation and may lead to its de-
struction.
II the smallest State in the Union Rhode leland or De-
aware for example, should secede that makes it an
Independent government it may enter an alliance with
foreign Powers may place itself under their protection
unite itself with the most formidable Of them as de-
tendency BY these it may give to enemies of
the nation oohod the soil and put ia jeopardy the
and even the safety of the country the very
ters which it is especially the purpose of the Union to
guard against 1t may seriously disturb the regulation
the national commerce by the adoption Of adverse sys
tenn of trade, BY discriminating duties by restricted prv
eges of navigation and other devices of annoyance 1t
may furnish refuge to fugitves from justice and what
in the computation of ILL. according to the ethics
which have lately almost grown into religion in some
portions OF our country to fugitives from servuds 1t
easy to conceive how very inconvenent such neighbor
might become to the general welfare Of the nation by thou
sand forms of vexaon open to the practice of the most in
considerable State in such relation.
How much more significant and aggravated would be
these rtstons the Of the of large GEN.
trail State like that Of Pennsylvania Can we believe that
the trainers of National Government with
compacency the possible contingency of large and pow
erf Commonwealth lying in the very bosom of the Union
erecting itself into independent government and assum
ing character that might in any event. authorize it to
embarrass the communication between the North and
South to exact duties upon every transit of merchandise
to demand passports from every traveller totally to in
terdct both and compel the severed fragments of The ma
ton to seek their intercourse with each other by long
detour around her borders Can persuade ourselves
that the of 1887 had in their thoughts the foundation
of Union that should be subject such contingencies as
these
p Secession not ouy endansers the ma onal welfare by
acy but it absolutely parayzss the Government by depv
ing of the capacity to perform its most necessary unc
tions
The Government is authorized and by it's needs required
to contract debts and to pledge the faith of the whole
ton for their payment Secession rnds asundrr and dis
ables it from performing this pledge.
The Governmet makes treaties Secession repudiates or
impairs them
The Government builds forts creates armies and paves,
POUNDS arsenas establishes mints post Offices, hospitals
seizes, appropates destroys oil these within
the reach of its
The Government acquires territory holds public landr,
aud erecs States Secession conscaes these
and applies them to it's profit
The history of Florida affords striking illustration on
this point That territory originally purchased by the
United States with the payment of five millions of dollars
Some fifty, or perhaps hundred millions
pended in its defence 1t purchased considerations
purely national essential 10 the commercial aud military
advantage OF the country 1t contains about thirty millions
acres of available land, which, by the purchase, became
public domain Emigrsnts from other States went there
and allowed to settle this domain upon payment
Of sma amount per for the fee In the year 1916
there had emgraied into this territory population which
added the settlers already there amouoted to something
less than forty thousand white persons who had become
the of perhaps SOME two three millions of acres
Ia this year. 85 these persons very earnestly solicited
the privilege of being erected into State to that end pc
ttoned the Government of the United States confer
upon them this greatly desired boon At that date the high
tariff of 1912 10 full opera on the question Of sav
cry rife active and vrulent in its agitation Of
the country it has been since in short every
Southern grief interpreted 10 the inamed politics Of
day, poignant at that time it in 1860.
Notwithstanding these motives to heap upon the
Union" which of the most authoritative teachers Of
Southern rights then urging upon their disciples the
people of Florida with their eyes open to all the niqui
ties they mpute to the National compact prayed for
admission and they kindly received and welcomed
loyal addition to the fellowsl Of States After brief
existence Of fifteen years during which the Government
known to them only by the prousion Of it's bountes
upon pretence of convenence-for they had none
of oppresson-bey avail themselves Of this right Of
sion to enable them to retire from the Union BY this act
States Of the whole benefit of the considerations which
originally induced the purchase OF this territory from SPAIN
national Decessitybe great forts upon the coast the
naval depots, the supply Of ship timber the lighthouses
AM guides to navigation and the Of protecting the
of the countrybut they also right to
the eminent domain Of all the public lands aud TO sppro
pirate them according TO their pleasure The white
population of Florida to-day is about double what it was
in IS45 something less than eighty thousand and if we
suppose the public lands they have seized and
by this exercise Of the lawful right Of to be
twenty millions Of acres, they would be able to divide