New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-07
TIE REGMT OF SECESSION.

7, there any use in trying 10 hunt down iaisehoou
which many people have an interest in propagatng
and upholdingl The task seems so hopeless that we
rarely attempt It; yet there times when public
interests seem to require the effort
The World says:
South Carolina asserted the right Of Secession n c. was
rather clear that she had the right She exercised It,
-Ofcourse this has been thousand times asserted;
but ten thousand repettions would not make 1t true
We never believed that South Carolina as South
Carolina had any right Of Sccesson-any more nght
than Long Island has to secede from the state OF New
York Over and again we have shown that the Rebel
pretense of a right reserved By the Federal Conitu'
ton to secede from the Union at pleasure Is utterly
reruted by the text and plain sense of that Constu'
ton, as well as by the proceeding, and debates which
attended the formation and adoption of our great
charter.
What we did believe and maintain in tie premises
is the doctrine tegsey set forth b. Jefferson IN the
Declaration of American Inlcpendcncc--oS iollow5'
I'VE bod these truths 70 be sefeyiden Thlt al are
created equal! they endoH ed by their Creator WIN
certain inaenable rgats that among hese are '..a
governments instituted amoag men. deriving ,r Jl..
form Of government becomes destructive Of these ends IS
re riet - Glsr - ab)sh T. and - '"he a
oren9nc n powers In such torn. them shall seem mos.
likely to effect their safety and happiness.
Nov tia, doctrine mag be answered, as Hobbies,
and DR.. sam johnson, and other great men, have
held and taught aai if we should ever be convinced
that they arc right, we shall publicly confess and r.
cant orr error As yet however, hold with Je'ier-
son and The Continental Congress; and, II they were
ri,ht AMI their fundamental assumption justified the
Declaration Of independence which they based there
on. we cannot see why larger number Of people
inhabng the Southern States Ga far lager area than
that of the Old Thr,een) have not the natural inde-
feasible right 10 alter or abolish" a form Of govern
ment which they deem pgejulcia to their rights and
! safety, and TO institute new government, laying
is foundation such principles, and organizing Its
powers IN such FORM o, 70 them shall seem most likely
to effect their safety and happiness"
Th,, filth Las been grossly misrepresented and a
thou and times c0arse.y asiailed but abuse IS not
r.iu,a'on. Who has ever shown i. to be unsoGnd or
s1pli.,.ca.'
There may be those who in resisting the Slavehod'
cr, Rebellion intended to oyerbear the grand funda'
mental principle Of free government set forth by JEFF
crson az above: for these if such there be, We cannot
sneak. II Tie Bord is o.. tAem let il BE. forth their
views as forcibly as it can. Bat we most empha'i-
cnlv deny that Secession was the deliberate act of the
/ People Of the Southern States. We hold 1t the
: outcome O., long brewing, aristocraic secret
ronsoi.ler. which ultimately imposed is VIII on a
considerable portion Of the People By systematic mis-
/ representations violence and terrorism. We stand
ready 10 prove that the Secessonists were decided
minority Of the southern People and that they Lner
it-ihat they rushed South Carolina FIST aid
then fye or six other States after her, into Scces
sion. AMI finally inaugurated Civil War, ex
pre.sly 10 Z" fire the Southern heart and give
them that popular support, under the cry OF
Defend your hearths aud homes" which they
never could haze secured on o naked issue OF Union
or Dsunion. Hence in resisting aud combating them
TO the u,termost, we battled for, not against that
grea, principle of Popular mot Saiel Sovereignty az
frmel BIZ Jefferson and the Continental Congress,
and wisely made By them the conversions ofour free
institutions
The WorH The Rebels, the Hon. Jack Rogers, ETC.,
etc. Will continue to misrepresent Us, because 1t j.
their interest 20 do so and shall very rarely notice
their efforts No natter the truth will be none the
| less true.