Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-16
WING.
State soYartigntH.

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that there is anything in the theory Of Estate
Rights" that can excuse or palliGte "the
late desperate effort for Disunion." Ii adj
mits that the spirit aud demeanO Of "the
South" under defeat cain ''the respect OF
every generous mind, aud appeal forcibly
20 "every magnanimOus impulse Of the HUI
man heart; but to tolerate the plea Of
estate Rights" even in eItenuatiOn, the
Tribune fears wi invite future efforts in the
same direction, and leave the country al
WAYS liable 20 intestine commOJion aud civil
war. Never having advocated nor enter
tanned the heresy so vigorously rejected by
our distinguished contemporary, We still do
not share In is apprehension; and this for
reason furnished by itself, 10 Wit, that
''Slayery itself is no more dead in this conn
try than is the evil spirit osparqmount State
Rights evoked from that PandorA's box,
the Resolutions Of '9s.'" Whatever might
have been thought of the argument or au-
thority in favor Of Estate Rights" before the
decisive arbitrament it has undergone, it is
nov so eHectullly and finally disposed OF,
that We have no fear Of its resuscitAtion.
1t is rot 'desd" merely, but Annihilated,
80 that no, even its ghost will ever disquiet
Us hereafter.
We believe that ths arguments against
the doctrine we're irrefutAble, when fairly
and dispassiona,ely considered; and We also
believe that many of the advocates Of
&c State Sovereignty" used the theory as 4
political hobby TO promote their own selfish
ends, without stopping 10 investigate its
soundness, or its ultimate effects, if sus-
tanned, upon the public interests. But, Al
the same time, We must confess that there
VAS large proportion Of the Southern
people who were educated 10 believe that
the cardinal principle Of our system OF Gov
eminent was the " reserved right Of a
State, or combination Of States, to Withdraw
at viii from the Uuion, and thus break up
the Government founded BY the Sires OF the
Revolutionary era. Many good men, hon
estly in search Of the truth, were undoubt-
eily beguiled into error by the force OF po-
iiticsl association, aud by the plausibility of,
and eminent sanction given to, the doctrine
set forth in the resolutions Of '95. There
we're weighty names and imposing facts-as
wei as dangerously ingenious network Of
reasoning and theory Of that character most
seductive TO many minds, TO lure the iudg-
ment from the path of reason.
The Inquiry then arises, whether there
was not, before the late overwhelming deci-
sion OF the matter, something in the theory
OF Estate Rights and Estate Sovereignty
Is enuncisted in the Resolutions OF '9s, that,
in charitable contemplation, "removes the
case Of the people Of the South out of the
sphere OF the ordinary cases that have con-
stItuted the principles governing the treat
ment Of unsuccessful rebellion" Jefferson
was the author Of the Kentucky Resolu-
tiOns, aud he and his doctrines we're twice
passed upon and approved by the people OF
the United States. Madison was the author
OF the Virginia Resolutions asserting the
same theory, and be and bis doctrines we're
twice passed upon and approved by the peo-
pie Of the United States. Coming down to
a later period Of our history, We all know
that Polk, Pierce and Buchanan held SINH
lar opinions. In tact, the party represent.
ed by these gentlemen, and which had, IN
al the rise and accession to power, in 1850,
OF the Republican party, carried the cleo
tions and governed the country, with only
brief intervals, from its foundation, had
adopted into is platform . formal and en-
phItic avOwal Of faith in the Resolution of
go The Tri5aHe will not overlook the
fact that the presen, Executive, from whose
so much Of good to the coun-
try is hoped for and expected, was himself,
until recently, a Jealous member Of that
party, accepting its platform Of principles
entire, so far as We have knowledge.
With these facts before rs, however widely
We may have dissented from the dogmas and
doctrines Of the Estate Rig Is" SC hool, and
however profoundly We may deplOre the terri.
bic consequences that have resulted from the
attempt TO reduce these dogmAS and doctrines
20 practice, Ne DO not see that il impeaches
the rightfulness Of the action Of the Federal
Government, or derogates from the grandeur
of its triumph, or ieOpArdizes the fnality of
the principle established in the successful
exercise Of It's power for its own protection,
TO admit that there was something in the cir
the traditions, the education and
motives Of action Of the people Of the South
that 'sremOyes their case from the ordinary
principles that apply TO unsuccessful rebel
hons" No parallel case from history occurs
10 us--a case Of duplex government, Of dis
puted supremacy, and Of undetermined al
legianee. However clearly it may have
seemed to the one aide, - it seemed 60 Us,
that there was . concession in the constitu-
tion of supremacy 90 the Federal Govern
ment, with its incident OF paramount. ale
glance due from the citizen, Ne cannot queS-
ton the sincerity Of those who have 10 freely
given life, and all the comforts that made life
enjoyable, in defence Of the opinion that
there was a reserved, ultimate absolute
sovereignty" in the States. Nor viii it in
any wise detract from the glory Of that mag
nanimity the successful eOnsseStAnts are dis
PLAYING. 10 admit thus much in palliatiOn Of
the course OF the vanquished. Fortunately,
the question can never arise again. lis nov
forever at rest, having been passed upon in
the most authoritative and decisive manner
In which a matter Of dispute can be settled
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