Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-02-03

the people Will instruct Us 10 uenoubce
this right OF peGceaJle secession. L
would give this remedy much more sp'
propriate name-0ne ,ha, would define lis
character, much more accurately. | would
call il The porer Of foreible secession.
Mr.. Chairman, LEI US declare. 10 plain,
decided terms, that we will not nulllfy or
secede on account Of the operation of the
present Tariff laws of the General Gov
ernmenl; that if Soulh Carolina aciH, we
will hot 60 with her in any Of her mea.
sures-ihal we will not justify any State
in any such measures, for such cause
that in weighing the evils Of the present
Tariff laws, against the blessings oil The
Union, we consider those evils, as mere
dust in the balance. This will do more
TO save the effuson of blood, and to pre-
serve the Union, than all the remon-
slrances, petitions and ambassadors, we
can send TO her. South Carolina desires
TO know, what We will DO, in the present
crisis of her affairs, and she has right TO
know. Candor, justice to her, and 10
ourselves, requires that we should speak
out openly, and decidedly OIL this subject
If she believes tia. Virginia may be IN
duced 10 side with her, she will 60 on, if
not, she will recede. Has not the course
of South Carolina shewn corclusiveIy,
,ha, she has from the beginning, looked
to Virginia, for moral, if not for physical
.suppo:l! She took up in the beginning,
what she called Yilgnia's principles, and
in all her proceedings since, she has KEPT
a steady eye upon Virginia. Ii is 10 be
regretted, that Virginia in times past has
given her so much reason TO do SO. |, is
high time that South Carolina was unde-
ceved. Since the rePor, OF the Commit,
lee Of 2l, Of his House, has reached CO.
Iumbis. (,he seat Of Government of South
Carolina,) the Telescope, a paper printed
there, sfler commenting upon that report,
asks these questions: "will Virginia go
with us, il the Tariff be not repealed by
the first of June! will she ord er her Mi.
lilis 10 our assistance, if the Presldent
uses his mercensries! In short, il we
pause, will she guarantee defensive CO.
uperallon!' Let us answer these ques.
ions, decidedly in the negative, and
leave South Carolina no longer in doub
upon the subject.
am for supporting the Union party IN
South Carolina; that party is composed
Of as gallant, as talented, and as patriotic
men, as the nuliiers: il is strong minor
Ivy, il is on the right side, and II il be
sustained by the moral force Of the other
States in this Union, that party will obtain
the ascendancy, the Ordinance will be re-
peaed, and all the desperate measures OF
The nuliirrs will be abandoned. Thus
will be effected peaceably by the people
of South Carolina themselves, that
which We all mosl ardenlIy desire.
The Union party, deserve the sympa-
thy and support Of tie friends OF the Uni
on every where. The measures adopted
by the majority III Sru'h Carolina TO-
wards that party, are the mos, arbitrary
and oppressive, that have ever been adopt
ed by any dominan, party, in this country
towards minority. The freedom OF &C,
lion on This subject has not only been as,
sailed, but the liberty Of opinion also.
Mr.. Chairman, admire the character
Of the Southern people, in the general, as
much as any man does. admire their
gallaniry, their generosity, their facina-
ting social qualities. But | cannot ap-
prove their politics: the spirit OF liberty in
Them, is rather ultra, it runs into insubor-
dination; they have an aversion 10 goo.
ernment of any sorl.
The nulIfers, are now in stale of en-
thusiss lie excitement, amounting 10 s?e
cies of lana,icism, and i, reminds me Of
what has been truly said by Edmund
Burke, tha, theories in politics, are as
dangerous as dogmas in religion. The
NulliGers in South Carolina are absolute
ly dersnged by the theory OF notification.
When their passions shall have passed
away. they will look back upon ihe.r
measures, with as strong feeling of dis-
appreciation and regret, as we look upon
them now.
The gentleman from Halifax, contends
that all The States in this Union. are alb.
solulely sovereign, and that the sovereign
,y of State or nation, is in its nature in.
divisibie.
Mr.. Chairman, strictly and technically
speaking, there is bur one sovereign In
the Universe, and he is that scthor of oil
things. The term sovereign wien sPpll-
ed 10 a nation, conveys the idea, OF the
power, or right, which nation has, oI
re egulating her own affairs in her own
way. ind pc Rdenlly of the control of any
other nation. lfihis power, or right De
subject TO tie control in any measure, Of
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