Year: 1865

Brother Greeley says in late number
of his paper, that he wants solemn ad-
indication by the Supreme Court of the
right of secession. We want it, too. for
every sensible man can see, just as our
brother Greeley does, that the triumph or
defeat of men who advocate principle
makes no earthly difference as to the alb
stract right or wrong of the principle it.
self Of fcourse to all practical purposes
the matter is settled-the bayonet has
done that-but ito legality is still an open
question, and one we hope that learned
and honorable court may speedily have
before it, in form that will admit of a
full argument and final decision. Miser-
able, say, the maxim, is that State where
the law is uncertain, and now beaten, 1t
might salve our wounds to know that the
castigatiOn was inflicted Oh fundamental
legal principles We are treating this
matter lightly. God forbid. He who
would do so would defile the grave. Bnt
there are many in the South who still be-
lieve in this right of the States; and, to
speak plainly, as long as that belief is
entertained, the North and the South will
quarrel to all eternity. We do not mean
that they will get to fighting again,
though, North or South, the American
will die for opinions sake; but they will
bubble, and quarrel, and argue, till the
whole country will be one chronic fer
ment of discOrd and hate. 1t is not t"
the interest of the republic that this stat.
of things should exist, and yet force viii
be futile to prevent it. There is no bayo-
net that can reach the soul, and Il differ
ence of opinion that is at the root of the
whole matter. If we in the South are
wrong in our opinion, let the Supreme
Court show us our error and We will sub
nit our Judgment to its own maturer
reason, and hereafter utterly renounce.
"abhor and abiure, as impious and heret-
ical, and damuable doctrine and position
we have hitherto held. We will do more,
for we will put that remuneration in our
State constitution and laws, and declare
to the world that the place secession once
knew in our hearts shall know it no
more.


We are but men even as other men are,
Just as liable to err, and just as amena-
BILE to reason. If we have erred, we are
Open to conviction, and all we require
to convince us is that the Supreme
Court of the United States-that vener-
able and illustrious tribunal-shall sol
emnly adjudge the right of secession to
be indeed no right, but a mere idle and
unfounded claim. Give us such deci-
sion and we can feel that calm and pas
sionless justice has pronounced its con
demnation.


But there is another reason, r rather
several Of them, why Supreme Court
decision on this point is desirable. In
timately connected with the question OF
secession are the subjects of treason, al
legiance, citizenship, the equities of Sc
questered payments, and Others of lesser
Importance Thus we need some light
on the subject of paramount allegiance,
or what man is to do when his State
orders him to do one thing, and the Uni.
ted States commands the opposite. If /
stick to the State some Federal officer
will shoot me, if l stand by the Union
some pepery governor will hang me to a
swinging limb. am between two fires,
and nothing but decision can get me
out Then, too, treason is the offense OF
not obeying one master, but how are We
to serve two? And here we want anoth'
er decision.