The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1902-05-16

RCS~15 49, N--~D
it is my deliberate
Congress Eff opinion that it is vir-
dorses SeCes- tually dissolution of
sion Doctrine. this union; that it
will free the states
from their moral obligations and as it
will be the right of all, so it will be the
duty of some definitely to prepare for a
separation -amicably if they can, vio
lently if they must.
Mr.. Poindexter, southern man and
delegate from the Mississippi terri
tory, excepted to the utterances of the
distinguished northern statesman, and
called him to order His point OF order
was sustained by the speaker of the
house of representatives who ruled that
discussion of the dissolution of the un-
ion was out of order. From this decis-
ion of the speaker, an appeal was taken
to the house and he was overruled.
Here was an open avowel in the house
of representatives by northern states
man of the right of secession, and de-
cision by the house that it was proper
and lawful matter for legislative dis
cussion, and that it could not be ruled
out upon a point of order.
In 1914 a convention was assembled
at the city Of Hartford, consisting of
delegates elected by the legislatures of
Massachusetts, Rhode
A Island aud Connecti
Famous cut, and attended also
Convention. by representatives
from the states Of
New hampshire and Vermont. 1t was
convened for the purpose of taking into
consideration grievances under which
those states were resting, growing out
of the war with Great Britain. 1t has
been commonly understood that the
chief subject of their consultation was
the withdrawal of those states from
the Union. While they did not decide
at that time to withdraw from the I'm
ion, they very clearly indicated their
opinion to be that the right to with
draw existed in the states. They said:
''If the Union be destined to dissolution
by reason of the multiplied abuses of
bad administration, it should, Lif posi-
BILE, be the work of peaceable times and
deliberate consent. Some new form of
Confederacy should be substituted
among those states which shall intend
to maintain federal relation to each
other. Events may prove that the
causes of our calamities are deep and
permanent They may be found to
proceed. not merely from the blindness
of prejudice, pride Of opinion, violence
OF party spirit, or the confusion of the
times but they may be traced to i'm
placable combinations of individuals or
of states to monopolize power and Of
fee, and to trample without remorse
upon the rights and interests of com
mercial sections of the Union. When
ever it shall appear that the causes sare
radical and permanent, a separation by
equitable arrangement will be prefera-
BILE to an alliance by constraint among
nominal friends, but real enemies.
In 1914 and 1916 the proposition look
ing to the annexation of Texas, and its
admission as a state in the Union, was
violently opposed, and
Annexation attended by threats
of from the New Eng
Texas Opposed. land States of dis
solution of the Union.
In 1874 a resolution was adopted by the
legislature Of Massachusetts that the
commonwealth Of Massachusetts, faith
full to the compact between the people
of the United States, according to the
plain meaning and intent in which it
was understood by them, is sincerely
anxious for its preservation; but that it
is determined, as it doubts not the 9TH
er states are, to submit to undelegated
powers in no body of men on earth" 1t
further declared that THE project Of
the annexation of Texas, unless arrest
ed on the threshold, may tend to drive
these states into a dissolution of the
Union" On February II, 1045, the leg
islature Of Massachusetts sent to the
congress of the United States a series of
resolu tions on the same subject, in one
of which it was declared that, ''As the
powers Of legislation granted in the
constitution of the United States to
congress do not embrace case of the
admission Of a foreign state or foreign
+o,..; +orv 1,,y Ioc;sIo tiO,, into tho TTu;ou