The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-07

reoegniti0n of Ills principle is sesentialto
ftheihturs wen4bssnss The States, Fin
| existence and tSibe formed, ,as well ss to TIE
coahtlessnillioas Of people WHO are here.
after, toinhabit this hall, of the Western
lsHemis sphere. With its general acceptance,
he believes that no serious dangers would
arise from controversies between the States;
for the natural law Of political affinity
stmutual convenience and reciprocal advan-
tage"-would then regulate the continent;
whatever union or unions were or might be
really beneficial to all the States, would
result 80 soon as temporary passions and
excitements should have subsidized. =; -,
The subject Of nullifoation is cautiously
handled. Our auther was never. committed
to it. He suggests the impropriety Of Q
States retaining senators and representa-
tives in Congress at the time when she re-
fuses to obey laws emanating from that
body. Yet he admits that our State had
the right of protest against the policy Of
protection, and that she did,. in the great
controversy that ensued, force the govern
ment to abandon its unequal policy Of pro-
lection. He describes Mr.. CAIHoUN's re-
ply to Mr.. WEBSTER, in 1888, as s'a crusher,
stan extinguisher, an annihilator!"
The general reader will be surprised in
learning from SO high an authority, that
Mr.. DAVIS, although o State Rights man,
was not 9 secessionist, properly speaking.
He was not in favor of secession on the
ground of Mr.. LrScoLs's election. Both
he and Mr.. TooMBs were willing to accept
Mr.. Ch17rENDEs's proposition in 1880, for
quieting the apprehensions Of the Southern n
States. It was only when the party IN
power refused to make any settlement or
give any assurances, that he united with
the other congressman from the South in
re. ;rnrmending secession as remedy against
the imminent dangera Of the hour. These
facts, although they belong to the current
history Of the country, have been very gen.
orally lost sight Of; and one Of our Conser-
vatives has borne the .odium or the honor
of sthe Father Of Secession" name
which we heard applied to Mr. DAVIS in
the House Of Rressntatives when the Pres
idsntial trial was in progress.
The .oogency Of MI srEpHESs' argument
Is incontestable, Though alittle less self
consciousness would have detracted nothing
from its force. Some inyidious remarks
may be provoked, also, BY his grouping Of g
coterie Of fictitious disputants around q
real one, who, carries off the palm, and by
his claiming for the simple country man
sion; yolept Liberty Hall, ;. the honors Of
q political academy. It will be further OBJ
jected that the whole. discussion is unsea-
sonable,-that the proof that secession is
right inhering in State sovereignty (a doc
trine which our author triumphantly estab-
lishes), does not set aside tae principle set
tied by the war-that this right demands
for it's assertion an appeal to arms. Prac-
tioally, the argument effects nothing. Ao-
cording to the terms of the Federal Com
pact and the ma1ims Of the law Of nature
and nations, any State may have the right
to secede whenever it pleases; but terri
bic precedent has established the rule that
no State shall leave the Union without
6obf;no her wny out
: Yet there is one thing which this noble
and exhaustive argument does accomplish
1T yindicates our people. Ita proEes'thas
the charges Of rebellion and treaohery, 80
commonly urged sgainst them IN various
quarters, are pure, unmitigated slanders:
It.relieves the ssLost Cause" Of the taint of
dishonor.. 1t is an appeal to the Justice Of
mankind, in behalf Of q people Whop daoi-
mated andimpovsrished; subdued and sub
missive, cling but the more fondly te~hat
is lleft-2their honorable traditions, their
heroic virtues, their fame pntasnished-the
best if not the only legacy, they can be-
queath to- their children. 81. =
Towards the ol0ss q the'volume, the su-
thor shows that slavery, Was the occasion
and not the csussss tas MAJ, tkat il secea-
sion itself waa, invoked that great right
which is fundamental to the federative sys-
tenn Of governments right Of infinitely
more Importance to the Southern States
than slavery, ao-oalled, With the two thou
sand millions Of capital invested in it. This
is an important subject; but our space will
not allow of its discussion here.
The present volume is complete in itself,
exhibiting the conflict of principles which
led to resort TO arms. In the second vol
ume the author proposes to consider the
conduct Of the war, as it effected constitu-
tional principles, with Its final results upon
the organic structure of the entire system
Of American democratic free institutions.
The public will await with eagerpess the
deliverances Of Mr.. SrEpHENs. on these i'm
portant subjects. He is greater as q con-
stitutional lawyer than as statesmsn-a
fact conolusiyely shown by his unseasona-
BILE temporizing when secession was first
mooted, and the time for action was not
49, z.-, A,,k 6hd -a11 ouhd