The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-19

sovereign communities. i confess l
nave never been fully able to grasp
The subtle difference between a pro-
est by two or more States and the
action of one State in making an eff
fectual protest by withdrawal after all
peaceable means of accommodation
nad been tried and exhausted. 1t is
lndeniable that the language used
n the Virginia and New York rati-
fications pointed significantly to seces-
sion as a reserved right But the mere
fact that all the States-one by one
-acceded Ca sovereign'S word, mark
that to the Union of the United
States proves other facts well
known in the adoption and ratifica-
lion Of the Constitution that the
Union was a stipulation between
sovereign powers revocable at the Will
# these powers. Nevertheless, it was
not the South which first fastened to
proclaim the right to separate In
803- there was a great deal of talk
New England of disunion because
If the purchase of Louisiana and the
projected admission of the territory
n time into the Union. And a little
alter the correspondence of the times
shows that John Quinsy Adams joined
he Jeffersonian party because the dis
unionism in the Northern Federal
l)dilS ItE O4tSu Ills pIlIlpllG HdluIe.
Josiah Quincy's famous disunion
peech OH the admission of the State
If Louisiana is the best known evil
lence, because while other utterances
1ad been made. and We're quite as
significant, in earlier years, they had
)een thrown off on less important oc-
asions in Congress or had occurred
private correspondence and hence
we're not generally known in the
ountry. They exacted slight atten-
ion. The action of the Hartford Con-
2ention in 1914, in the midst OF Il war
lor American rights. struck the world
With amazement. subsequently at
empts to minimize its treason to
United States principles--its British
ympathy--its downright advocacy of
he doctrine OF secession (and separa-
ion too in the throes of foreign war
or the purpose of aiding G. foreign
toe) have been unSucceSSfully made
y Northern writer's and statesmen.
Iildreth, the great Federal historian,
toes not blink the facts, but presents
hem unblenchingly. He knew the
ruth and dared to proclaim it..
Calhoun. like Jefferson. never be-
ieyed in exercising the right Of seces-
ion il 1t could be prevented. The
after denounced SECESSION" with
,'ehemence in his letters. Calhoun's
slternative was his own sincere inter
oretation of the Madisonian doctrine.
# interposition of the States. The
Inference between the Virginian and
he South Carolinian was that the
ormer contended for q mere protest,
md protest not by ono but by sew
raj States, whilst the latter asserted
hat the notification of United States
aW by one State NaS q sufficient in
exposition. No doubt Calhoun was
wrong. No doubt Madison was right.
No doubt Calhoun misunderstood the
Firginjan argument and misinterpret-
I'd it in his declarations during the
publication period. In the last years
If his life Mr.. Calhoun committed
himself very thoroughly to the disap-
oroyal Of secession as remedy for
he ills of the South. In Forces
american Archives is the statement
Explicitly made by the mighty pub
icist. Mr.. johnson does great injus-
ice. however. To Mr.. Calhoun when
he says that he was guilty Of "palpable
nconsistincie" of which his views
IF the tariff and internal Improvement
powers of the government arc in
:tances.' He further observed in his
everett letter that Calhoun'S first
opinions were decided and almost
Ultra, upon both questions. Those
Who have carefully read the speeches
Of Mr.. Colhoun and noted his votes
n 1916 know very wen that Mr. john
on has been misled In these aver
nents. jenkins Life Of Calhoun helps
he annals Of Congress to clear up
.heSe mistakes. MIR. Calhoun. like
many others from the South and some
rom other sections. in the arrange
nents of the tariff in that year de-
tired to make the schedules such as
would not unduly affect the industries
established during the war Of 1872.
uSt cOncluded---;i war which these
patriotic members Of Congress had
by their action after the
ountry had been we'll nigh trampled
nto the earth and drowned in the sea
~ arrogant Great Britain. The rates
were lowered from the war tariff. but
we're placed Il little higher than some
members desired onthe ground stated.
South Carolina had no manufacture
ng industry then to be protected. Mr..
calhoun acted from DISTINGUISHED mo-
ives. He and Saunders and his other
colleagues concurred in the action
AIKEN. As for internal improvements.
ess defence can be made; but the
lefencc he afterward made Of his
action is certainly respectable. He
vas not Inconsistent Hayne in 1898
voted for certain moneys, while op-
posed to the general principle. Cal
noun favored military roads as a
measure of defence for the republic if
attacked by a foreign power.
Washington D. G.