Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-06-30
EOR cw
DGE
THE PAST TEACHING rat PRESENT
AND THE FUTURE



AND THE future
-
SECESSION.
When Secession took place. the public
opinion Of the South was far from being
nreDared for it. It's blind guides had
taken little pains to instruct the people
in regard TO it. Whole States would by
large msjorities have denied the right to
seeede, and in no State except South
Carolina was there anything ike una
nimity on the question Of right Even
there, opinions were divided. Why was
this the case2 IL is to be supposed that
the Southern States might have been
brought. by use Of due means, TO as
complete an agreement on this question
A. on any other that affected their inter
ests. Yet, to much Of the South, Secs
sion was au odious word
The subject was discussed when South
Carolina nullided the Tariff Acts; but
then she had not attempted to s@ece!e;
and the two questions we're 50 inter
mingled as to make the Arguments inco-
hsrent. Who can point 70 II a dozen
respectable arguments, in demonstration
Of the right Of Secession Who now
remembers evea one2 Leave out Dir.
CALHOUN and a few Carolina States
men. and where is the Southern Demo-
erat that ever made one? The Wings,
il Is well known, almost universally de-
MED the right.
Nov, Secession was the last remedy
of an aggrieved State the ultima ratio,
when redress could not otherwise be OBJ
tanned. twas the last great eOnseTva-
tive remedy, by the fear OF resort to
which, when the veto power should have
failed to arrest unconstitutional legisla-
ton. and the Supreme Court should have
proved faithless or be powerless, the
~croaching States might be compelled to
retraee their steps, and permit the Union
to continue. Moreover, unless the right
existed, the whole Southern theory Of
the Constitution was false, and the States
had become mere Provinces Of an Em-
pire. held together by az indissoluble
bond, 3 supreme law enacted by the n
will Of the whole People OF all.
Public opinion was left to form itself
as il might, in regard 10 this invaluable
right; and to settle down upon the con-
viction that notification and Secession
were twin heFesies; and Of course, to
adopt NIr. WEBsTER's doctrine as to the
popular origin o the GoverlmO1t. These
questions were not discussed before the
people. by the candidates FOR office who
confined themselves 10 those Of the Bank
and Tariff, when they meddled at all
with principles, which was done but
rarely and al briefintervals The faculty
Of telling low and vulgar anecdotes, COM
m~endable in a low comedian OF negro
minstrel. and sometimes awaited o.,
though with questionable p%ropriety, over
the wine. after a convivial diuner, WIS
far more valuable than craftsmanship, |
and made more members Of Congress
and Governors Of States than eOnstitu-
tional logic or genuine eloquence.
Why was this question always kept
beneath the surface? JACKsoN's hos
tility 70 CALHOUN made that STATES
mans doctrines hateful to the masses;
for the former was the very Incarnation
of Democracy, and up to the year 1851
there was scarcely a county in the south,
ns.sf EaGlSC ana)ina-
mOcracy controlled, any one save a JACK
son Democrat could be elected. The
name Of JACKSON remained a tower Of
strength, and long after be died, he
ruled the South. The regular eandi-
dates OF TIE party needed no other COM
mendation or qualification than that
their democracy was purely and unques-
tion8bly Jacksonian. II it We're not, ii
must at least be called so; although the
ancient worthless Of the party sometimes
mumbled an allusion to the obsolete JEFF
fersonian orthodoxy.
or course, to harmonic the party,
the question Of the right Of Secession
was never mooted, but carefully kept
out Of sight. We do not think tins any
one ever even moved to insert a plank
in any National Democratic platform,
assuming the existence Of the right;
Rnd certainly il never happened thar
such a plank sgas incorporated. Other
questions, not so dangerous to the in
ternal harmony were found or in
vented, 10 keep this aud other like prin-
ciples from being troublesome. Indeed,
it was supposed that JiCKsoN's ghost
would have interfered, with angry male
dietion, II in any such Convention the
question had been stirred. BY the
Eternal be would have said, the
Union shall be preserved
To General JACKSON, then, to the Pop
ular idolatry OF him, to the obsequious-
ness Of party to his notions, to the poll
tieian's fear Of the awful consequences of
advocating an unpopular doctrine, and
70 the necessity Of harmony inithe DEM
Ocratic party, it Is owing, that when the
South seeded, il was not at all con
vinced that It had the right TO do so.
OF the men who had The management Of
her affairs, there was not o in twenty,
twas there one in a hundred p, who
could have demonstrated, even to his
own satisfaction, the existence Of that
right, by ans argument at to be made
before 8 court or in the Senate? Who
did it in the Senate, when the States
were seeding, aud Senators retiring
after long harangues? What man
among them all could have met wEB-
srER In debate upon that question 3?
TooMBs might: for his Is s great intel
leet HUNTER could not aud if there
were Others who could have set the peo-
pie right upon the question, why did
none among them do 80 in time?
The fruits Of this reticence, Of this for
bearanee TO STIR unwelcome questions,
are ample. They should be very salts
factory to those leaders o. public opinion,
who long held offices by prescription,
md 70 vote against whom was deemed
unpatriotic heresy. If they were ineom-
petent to enlighten and convince the
people on this subject, what business had
thsy with the Offices they coveted and
Qsa9 Wbo win explain that singular {:
fs in human nature which makes
upetent men always eager 20 obtain {
cfe and alv~ys The most eager to Oh {
Nh those VIII they sre most incompe-
sna undt % ml7 Why is il, bow +,
- soeFer their ineapaeity may be Z
= 81 other men, that they pever become g
eonseoas Of and resign? lDoes iguor- !
nee laogs ilaagiue itself learned in +
- osiIo Ia Ia its prefundity, anddullness !
o.ts ajax Itself wise and capable ia