Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1902-10-28
The Right OF Secession.

A discussion of the constitutional righ
of a State to secede from the Union
somewhat belated at this time, and ye
such discussion has been going on. an
it is not devoid of interest. 1t has bee
the custom ip the North to stigmatize tn
Confederates and secessionists as rebels
and TRAITORS. It's perfectly natural 70
the South to resent such terms and to en-
deavor to show that in leaving the Uniol
the Southern States were acting entirel
within their constitutional rights. In
recent speech in Chicago Mr.. Chas. Fran
els Adams admitted that in the constitu
tional argument on secession the Soutl
had the best of it. Nevertheless, Mr.
Adams bitterly resented a statemen
made by Rev. ], William Jones. of Nortl
Carolina, that Mr., Adams grandfather
President John Quincy Adams, made OF
one occasion in the House of Represen
| tatives secession speeches (which would
have done credit to William L. Vance,
or Robert Toombs." Mr. Jones state
ment was that January 20, .rs4a. Mr.
John Quincy Adams presented a petition
from citizens of Haverhill. Mass. to Con
gress praying that it would immediatel,
adopt measures peaceably to dissolve The
Union of these States and assigning rea
sons for such action, and that when Mr.
Marshall of Kentucky. and Mr.. Gilmer,
of Virginia. introduced resolutions cen
surfing Mr.. Adams for presenting such a
weeks, Mr.. Adams ably defending him.
self in secession speeches which would
have done credi. to William l.. Yancey
or Robert Toombs."
To this statement Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams made hot and somewhat intern
perate reply, accusing Mr.. Jones of DELHI
crate Justification and saying that Mr..
Jones knew perfectly we'll that when 7.
Q Adams presented the famous Haver-
hill petition he did SO stating that he was
wholly opposed to the views Of the petit
TONERS, but presented the petition in ac-
cordance with what he conceived to be
his duty to submit to the House petitions
from any quarter, properly drawn up,
which might be forwarded to him. He
recommended that the petition in question
be referred to Committee, with instruc-
tons to report the reasons why the prayer
of the petitioners could not be granted =
Now, Mr., Jones. who is the Chaplain
General of the United Confederate Vet
Grams, in an able article in the New Or
leans Picayune. fully sustains the state
ment he made concerning the views of
John Quincy Adams. then member of
the House of Representatives and an ex-
President of the United States. Mr..
Jones sites the Congressional Globe as his
authority, and there cannot be any doubt
that he proves his case. AT that time
the Southern influence dominated Con-
gress. and yet the House refused to
receive the secession petition from
Massachusetts by a vote of roo nays
to 40 yeas. This vote was taken after a
debate lasting about two weeks. in which
Mr.. Adams was assailed principally by
Mr.. Henry A. Wise and Mr.. Gllmer, of
Virginia, and by Mr.. Marshall, of Ken
lucky. Mr.. Gilmer and Mr.. Marshall
both offered resolutions censuring Mr..
Adams for insulting the House" by the
presentation of the petition. The debate
on these resolutions. and especially Mr.
Adams speeches, as quoted by Mr., Jones,
show that Mr.. Charles Francis Adams is
not well informed as 70 the sentiments of
his distinguished ancestor. In presenting
the secession petition Mr.. John Quincy
Adams declared that the petitioners were
mot the only persons in the section OF
the country to which they belong to whom
these sentiments are familiar" In his
speeches in reply to Mr.. Henry A. Wise
Mr.. Marshall and others, Mr.. Adams
had the Declaration of Independence
read. and emphasized that portion which
declares the right and duty of the peo-
pie to alter or abolish" the form cf gov
eminent. Mr. Adams then went on to
describe the conditions which might arise
and justify a secession OF States.
IF the right of h b .as corpus and the
right of trial by jury are 70 be taken away
by this coalition OF Southern shareholders
and the Northern DSmocrAcv. he said,
lit is time for the Northern people to Sc e
if they can't shake il off. and 1t Is time tc
present petit ms such AS this,
In the cosrse of the debate Mr.. Wise,
of Virginia, charged that Mr.. Adams
had maintained that if the twenty-frst
rule "a rule adopted against the reception
Of abolition petitions by the House, should
be continued in force this session three
fourths of the States Of the Union would
be ipso facto absolved from their allesi
ance to the Constitution
Mr. Adams here interposed to explain
"He had not said that such would be the
case should not rule be continued tn
ession, but that il the policy were per
severed in. and the rule were permitted
to remain for the future as a settled rule
of this House. then those States would b.
absolved from their allegiance to tbs
Government.
|. Mr. Jones is not content with these ant
other quotations from the Congressiona
Globe to establish his point, but he make:
the following extract from speech made
by John Quincy Adams before the New
York Historical Society in 1889:
ITO the people alone IS there reserved
as well the dissolviag as the constituent
power, and that power can be exercised
by them only uud-r tn. tie of conscience
binding them to the retributvs justice o.
Heaven With these qualifications WI
may admit the same right as vested il
/ the people of every State in the Union
1 with reference to the general Govern
ment. which was exercised by the peopl.