Year: 1861

l From the " ashiagton Telegraph.

 Secession not Revolution.

 Catch words, in morals or politics, are always dangerous. Generally chiming with the current of our thoughts in sort of plausible ring, and answering the occasion | for which they are at first cited, they are adopted without examination, and become | wrought into our habits of speech and i'm | bedded in our minds as axioms of truth. Often they contain the latent germ of some fallaoy, which, like an evil seed, strikes root in the mind and becomes the prolific source of great and incalculable evil.

 Such is the ordinary hippant phrase, that we are " in the midst of revolntion." It had semblance of truth in its original ap- plication, and was adopted by those who denied the constitutional right of secession, and claimed that if exercised at all it must be exercised as all revolutionary rights are -outside of and above the constitution.

 So far, the phrase and its application are unobiectionable But 1t has led to the mon- strous political fallacy that when the act of secession took place, all government was de stroyed. and society resolved in it's original elements, as in case of other revolutions that all constituted authorities became an nulled-that the reins of government flew loose to the hands that could seize them 6rst-that the social system was to be built again from the foundation.

 If that opinion should prevail in our pre- sent transition state, long farewell to lib ertv and peace! A more favorable opening for the establishment of military despotism could not be desired by any American Nal noleop. who might wish by coup d'etat to but his foot upon the peoples neck. Ger tainlv we know of no one who now desires if. but new situations develope in ambitious men new and unexpected traits, and the offer of power and favorable opportunity is too sore a temptation. By that sin fell the angels" The price ofliberty is eternal vioilance--to be exercised in',strict adherence to established principles of free government never allowing them to be violent on any nretext-the most plausible however. A had precedent will otherwise creep into the communicable political sense will become demorlized. and the door be opened for countless ills.

 That many of the safeguards of our hap niness and safety have been lost sight of re- centlv. had not been denied. Under the false idea that secession amounted to a total disruption of all political obligations-an nulled all established government, and left the people without chart or compass on sen of trouble a majority of the membersof inc convention of Arkansas have proceeded to the exercise of powers which can never he safely trusted to an irresponsible body The merit of their ordinances, intrinsically considered. is of no importance. Most of them are wise enough. It is the aSsump- tion of power never entrusted to them constitutes the startling fact-fraught to us with the most direful apprehensions.

 We have no quarrel with the members of the convention We do not wish to counsel disobedience to their ordinances. Let them be obeycd while they last. But the convention is yet in power. More than that; it and it's supporters now boldly claim the right, should they see fit. to exercise any power whatever, uncontrolled by any law or any constitution-even the right to establish monarchy-and without refer ence to the vote of the people. In justice, we add that they express no intention of any such action-would, no doubt spurn the thought, but state it in argument as an Illustration only of the infinite and uncon- trolled power of this sovereign body.

 But it is not pleasant to be bound hand and foot, and to have an athletic man stand. ing over us witha naked sword, claiming the right to hack HIS into pieces with impunity though he might smile ever so blandly, and assume and even think himself to be only kind physician, lancing us here and there a little for our own good. We cannot wholly divest ourselves of this idea that he might forget himself some day, and cut too deeply.

 Hence we deem 1t our duty, as public journalist, to reason with the community on this subject before it Is too late. 1.-the mem bers of this convention are mistaking their powers, and exercising those the people never meant to delegate in creating the body, they should be met with remon- strance, and instructed in such imperfect ways as the people can, that they are (hon- estly, perhaps, transcending their authori- tv. None of us are perfect. We make no UOuDJ Ol IlltlI pau !utiNtil. i'Nb 1'i VI "' are weak, and power is q fearful bait.

 The convention may be re-assemblcd at any time. Turbulent passions may enter into it's councils, and stormy scenes may en- sue It will be no time Nen to remon- strate Whatever opposes 1t will go down with a crash for the time, and before the sober second thought may suporvene, alas! l. ,,, ;of ,,,o,y bn ,1Cpo

 The convention was called to take into consideration and determine the political relations of the State-for no other pur- pose. The act of the legislature calling it, was passed in view of the troubles between the United States and the South, and was intended to give the people an opportunity of declaring in their sovereign capacity whether or not they would dissolve their connection with the federal government and if they should so wish, to enable them through the convention do so and unite with the South. For this purpose, and tor Mis alone, the people voted. Let each man candidly question himself and refer in his memory to the canvass for the convention, and say whether or not, secession or union,

  And as he voted "convetion had some kind power lifted the veil of the future and revealed to him that he was calling into be- ing body of frail and erring mortals, who would not only withdraw the State form the federal compact, but having done that would assume supreme authority over all egislation-change the constitution with ,,,t +p ha Ia pn111t bo pt of the legislature-establish ordinances which the regular law making power might never be allowed to alter or annul--impose solemn oaths of obedience upon all who ex- ecuted the offices of the State, and adjourn with the power of reassembling and per petuating its power-would he not have shrunk aghast from the picture of so terrible danger to his liberties, and have suf fered his right arm to have fallen from its socLpt hnfOra ractincr thn Votp