Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-10-16
For the Standard.
TUT Eut DL2uud
THE RIGHT OF SECESSION.

For the Standard.
THE RIGHT OF SECESSION.
Mr.. EDITOR There appeared in the Standard
of the 2Sd of June last a somewhat lengthy COM
munication from me bearing the above title, in
which Iendeavored to controvert the position as
sumed by President Davis in his last message to
Congress, that the States seeded from the Confed
Grafton when they formed the Federal Union. This
communication has called forth a voluminous re-
ply, over the signature of Marion" in the State
Journal of recent date running through three num-
bers Of that paper to the exclusion of every thing
else, and written with some ability and considera-
bic ingenuity, and to which / desire to submit
some remarks in reply.
In order 10 present the subject more fully to my
readers 1 will trace somewhat infinitely the origin
Of the Union. The American Union, like all SINH
lar associations had its origin in the necessities of
the times. 1t existed before the Articles of Con-
federation or even the Declaration of Independence
was made. In fact it dates back to the meeting of
the first Continental Congress, which assembled at
Carpenters Hall, in. the city of Philadelphia, on
the 9Th of September, 1774. Our wise ancestors
early foreSaw that they had no safety but in close
Union; that in no other way could they success
fully resist the encroachments of British tyranny
or hope to attain to respectable position among
the nations of the earth When their danger be-
came imminent without stopping to discuss de-
and unanimity unparalleled in the annals of the
world, they at once closely united themselves to-
gether for common defence and self.preServation.
During the war, they acted as if they considered
themselves but one people-0Re American nation
For some years, this Union existed without any
other bond than the Continental Congress, which
they instituted without any written authority, or
any defined powers. During this time it was held
together by the pressure of surrounding dangers
ton of Independence was made When Congress
performed that solemn act they did not proceed in
the name of the individual States but in the name
of the United States. But, on this subject will
let one of the most eminent of the statesmen of the
South of that day, Gen. Chas Cotesworth Pinck-
ney, of South Carolina who bore large share in
framing the present Constitution, speak for me-
In discussion of the merits of the new Constitu.
ton before the Legislature of South Carolins, pre-
vious to its adoption by that State, in reply to Mr.
Rawlins Lowndes, he said speaking of the declara-
ton:
I" This admirable manifesto, which for impor-
lance of matter and elegance of composition, stands
Enthusiastically refutes the honorable gen.
tleman's doctrine of the individual sovereignty and
independence of the several States"
In that declaration the several States are not even
enumerated but after reciting in nervous language
and with convincing arguments our right to indie
v
assert it the Declaration is made in the following
words: 'We, therefore, the representatives of the
United States of America in General Congress as
sembled, appealing to. the Supreme Judge of the
world for the rectitude of our intentions do in the
name, and by the authority of the good people of
these colonies, solemnly pGblish and declare that
these united colonies are, and of right out to be-
JTee md independent States" The separate indie
pendence and individual sovereignty Of the several
1Ohf sof h1yf to .,Ak
band of patriots who framed this Declaration. The
several States are not even mentioned by name in
any part of it if it intended to impress this
maxim on America that our freedom and ndepen-
dence arose from our union, and that without it we
would neither be free nor independent Let us
then, consider all attempts to weaken this Union by
maintaining that each State is separately and ndi.
vidualy independent as species of political here
sy, which can never benefit us, but may bring on
Us the most serious distress"
It was not until November, TIT, more than a
year after this Declaration was made that the Ar
tcles OF Confederation agreed to in Congress:
and they were not fully ratified until March, l7Sl'
nearly five years after wards; and until they were
fully ratified, Congress never acted under or by au-
thority of them. Yet, during all of this long in
terval the Union was still in existence, SHIELD to-
gether by the recumbent pressure of surrounding
circumstances" And no secession was necessary.
federation were finally ratified and went into ope-
ration, as President Davis and marion" would
have you believe, for such an idea would not be
more absurd than their opinion that the States Sc.
ceded from the Confederation, when thew formed
the Federal Union. In my former article on this
subject traced the causes which led to the assem-
bling Of the National Convention at PHILADELPHIA.
10 May, 1877, and showed, as think most conclu.
slVey, THAT the great and paramount object which
the wise statesmen who assembled at PHILADELPHIA.
in May, 1877, and in the different State Conyen.
tons between that time and March, 17s9 had in
view, was not to dissolve, but to consolidate and
PreseToe the Union" This marion" tacitly adj
mlts; but says: 1.-THE true and proper question
now to be decided is, not what were the motives
ana oo]ects winch the delegates to the PHILADELPHIA
convention had In view at the time of their assem-.
blage, but what they did in fact do in that Con.
Ventlon, and what was the actual res,,h "a tbe;-
proceedings, when those proceedings came To he
submitted to the final action of the several and CON
arate State Conventions" He also admits the tr,,t
ofmy position that nothing more was intended 70
be accomplished by the Philadelphia Convent;oU
than set forth in the Recommendation Of tbs
Annapolis Convention, and the preamble and reso
luton of Congress on the 21st of February, 17S7
which he quotes at length, and argues to nrot.
that the Convention I" did in fact do yerv &sa.
ent thing from that which they assembled tn d.
that they entirely ignored the old Constitution an,
7 proceeded % to construct and recommend IN O.
gress and to the States new and radcollv difsron
form of government and Constitution" Yes r1o-i
the expression, neis and radacaIly ditEsrsnt a.
of youernnaent and Constitutions" Ia most nnso..
nate admission for him if he wishes to sustain II