Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-01-27
SOUTH CAROLINA AND REPUDI.
ALTON.

cents III tue uOliitr. lHiS cOtlpfV-
mise is denounced as partial repudi-
alton and shocks the nerves of "mon-
ey changers" whose standard of equi.
ty is the amount of profit they con
realize from their speculations, with
out regard to wrong done to the debt
or. But were South Carolina, or any
Southern State, to repudiate its en-
tire debt, we are not prepared to say
it would, in a strictly moral serse,
he an unauthorized act of bad faith,
nor would public justice so consider
1t after a fair investigation of all the
mitigating circumstances.
A Republic, In its strict meaning,
is nothing more or less, than COM
pact by which the people bind them
selves to obey all laws enacted in ac-
coriance with certain fixed principles
embodied in the articles Of agreement
whilst the agents they empower to
administer the government, thus con
stituted, bind themselves to protect
the lives, the liberties and the prop
erty of the entire people. This is the
fundamental idea Of our government,
as at first Instituted, and in this, as
in all other compaets, there Is a well
established condition-that viola
ton of the agreement by one party,
operates as release, pro tnnto, Of
the other from the mutual obliga-
tons, expressed, or implied in the
compact. If minority of the peo-
pie resist the laws enacted by the ma
jority, In accordance with the prin-
ciples laid down in the Constitution,
the government mag rightfully, en-
force obedience through the agency Of
the Supreme Judiciary, or, this fail
ing, 10y armed force but if the agents
of the people-the government be
the offending parties, any attempt to
enforce compliance with the COM
pact they have violated, is unmiti-
gated usurpation and tyranny.
No statesman will deny that our
government, as originally constitu-
ted, was a political partnership, vol
unfairly entered into, by separate
and Independent States, for the pur-
pose of mutual protection, and the
better attainment of certain ends
clearly specified in the Constitution,
which was simply the written agree
ment between the members of this
copartnership. Furthermore, 1t was
distinctly understood at the time, by
the parties, individually and collect
lively, that this partnership could be
peaceably dissolved, as to one, or
more, of the States, whenever, in the
opinion of such seeding State, or
States, the coalition had failed to ac-
complish the ends for which it was
created.
When, in violation of the spirit
and letter of this compact, the North
by means of its numerical strength,
succeeded in making the Federal
government the mere instrument of
sectional domination, the South re-
solved to exercise its clear right of
pcaceable secession, and thus preserve
the principles of popular liberty
which were no longer safe under n
violated Constitution and a purely
sectional administration. This the
South was not permitted to do, be-
cause the North, emboldened by num-
bers, and instigated by fiend like and
fanatical determination to abolish
slavery in the South, eagerly seized
the opportunity to make war the pre-
text for the accomplishment of long
cherished object, in no way so easily
and respectfully attainable az by n
war for the pretended preservation of
the Union. This is the whole secret
of tho war aggressive In its inception,
vindictive in all its aims and waged
In n manner that would disgrace bar
harians.
Assuming the views above express
scd to be founded upon facts, we can
arrive at no other conclusion than
that the Federal government, alias
the North, deliberately and uncon-
stitutionally, destroyed the means
whereby the Southern States would
have been enabled to liquidate all
the debts then incurred, and by this
act Of vandalism made itself, in law
and equity, responsible for the pay
ment Of those debts, and relieved the
States OF every legitimate obligation
to pay dollar towards their liquiia-
ton. II this he true of debts con-
tracted prior TO the war; how much
more true Is It, Of those incurred since!
The debts against the South, so rap
idly accumulated since the close OF
the war; were not created by the peo-
pie, who were disfuuchiscd serrs, but
by the Federal government, through
its agents the bogus state govern,
msnt, established hy the bayonet.
and composed Of thieVing adventur,
cvs, empowered hy federal laws and
instructed by fedoral Officials, to rob
and insult our people.
Then, however Objectionable repu-
diajon may be as means OF avoiding
tho payment Of just debts, we con-
tend that there are cases in which it
Is not only justlfable, but commend
able. as. for instance, where the gov
ernment deliberately aud malicious