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it　can　do　nothing；　this　dilutes　the　sovereignty　to　a　degree　that

renders　it　very　imperceptible；　if　not　very　absurd。　Nor　is　this

all。　After　a　law　is　passed　by　the　concurrence　of　the　two　houses

of　Congress　it　is　sent　to　a　perfectly　independent　tribunal　to

decide　whether　it　is　in　conformity　with　the　principles　of　the

great　national　compact；　thus　demonstrating；　as　we　assume；　that

the　sovereignty　of　this　whole　country　rests；　not　in　its　people；

not　in　its　States；　but　in　the　Government　of　the　Union。



Sovereignty；　and　that　of　the　most　absolute　character；　is

indispensable　to　the　right　of　secession：　Nay；　sovereignty；　in　the

ordinary　acceptation　of　the　meaning　of　the　term；　might　exist　in　a

State　without　this　right　of　secession。　We　doubt　if　it　would　be

held　sound　doctrine　to　maintain　that　any　single　State　had　a　right

to　secede　from　the　German　Confederation；　for　instance；　and　many

alliances；　or　mere　treaties；　are　held　to　be　sacred　and

indissoluble；　they　are　only　broken　by　an　appeal　to　violence。



Every　human　contract　may　be　said　to　possess　its　distinctive

character。　Thus；　marriage　is　to　be　distinguished　from　a

partnership　in　trade；　without　recurrence　to　any　particular　form

of　words。　Marriage；　contracted　by　any　ceremony　whatever；　is　held

to　be　a　contract　for　life。　The　same　is　true　of　governments：　in

their　nature　they　are　intended　to　be　indissoluble。　We　doubt　if

there　be　an　instance　on　record　of　a　government　that　ever　existed；

under　conditions；　expressed　or　implied；　that　the　parts　of　its

territory　might　separate　at　will。　There　are　so　many　controlling

and　obvious　reasons　why　such　a　privilege　should　not　remain　in　the

hands　of　sections　or　districts；　that　it　is　unnecessary　to　advert

to　them。　But　after　a　country　has　rounded　its　territory；

constructed　its　lines　of　defence；　established　its　system　of

custom…houses；　and　made　all　the　other　provisions　for　security；

convenience；　and　concentration；　that　are　necessary　to　the　affairs

of　a　great　nation；　it　would　seem　to　be　very　presumptuous　to

impute　to　any　particular　district　the　right　to　destroy　or

mutilate　a　system　regulated　with　so　much　care。



The　only　manner　in　which　the　right　of　secession　could　exist　in

one　of　the　American　States；　would　be　by　an　express　reservation　to

that　effect；　in　the　Constitution。　There　is　no　such　clause；　did　it

exist　it　would　change　the　whole　character　of　the　Government；

rendering　it　a　mere　alliance；　instead　of　being　that　which　it　now

isa　lasting　Union。　But；　whatever　may　be　the　legal　principles

connected　with　this　serious　subject；　there　always　exists；　in

large　bodies　of　men；　a　power　to　change　their　institutions　by

means　of　the　strong　hand。　This　is　termed　the　right　of　revolution；

and　it　has　often　been　appealed　to　to　redress　grievances　that

could　be　removed　by　no　other　agency。　It　is　undeniable　that　the

institution　of　domestic　slavery　as　it　now　exists　in　what　are

termed　the　Southern　and　South…Western　States　of　this　country；

creates　an　interest　of　the　most　delicate　and　sensitive　character。

Nearly　one　half　of　the　entire　property　of　the　slave…holding

States　consists　in　this　right　to　the　services　of　human　beings　of

a　race　so　different　from　our　own　as　to　render　any　amalgamation　to

the　last　degree　improbable；　if　not　impossible。　Any　one　may　easily

estimate　the　deep　interest　that　the　masters　feel　in　the

preservation　of　their　property。　The　spirit　of　the　age　is

decidedly　against　them；　and　of　this　they　must　be　sensible；　it

doubly　augments　their　anxiety　for　the　future。　The　natural

increase；　moreover；　of　these　human　chattels　renders　an　outlet

indispensable；　or　they　will　soon　cease　to　be　profitable　by　the

excess　of　their　numbers。　To　these　facts　we　owe　the　figments　which

have　rendered　the　Southern　school　of　logicians　a　little

presuming；　perhaps；　and　certainly　very　sophistical。　Among　other

theories　we　find　the　bold　one；　that　the　Territories　of　the　United

States　are　the　property；　not　of　the　several　States；　but　of　their

individual　people；　in　other　words；　that　the　native　of　New　York　or

Rhode　Island；　regardless　of　the　laws　of　the　country；　has　a　right

to　remove　to　any　one　of　these　Territories；　carry　with　him　just

such　property　as　he　may　see　fit；　and　make　such　use　of　it　as　he

may　find　convenient。　This　is　a　novel　co…partnership　in

jurisdiction；　to　say　the　least；　and　really　does　not　seem　worthy

of　a　serious　reply。



The　territory　of　the　United　States　is　strictly　subject　to　the

Government。　The　only　clause　in　the　Constitution　which　refers　to

this　interest　conveys　that　meaning。　But；　were　the　instrument

silent；　the　power　would　remain　the　same。　Sovereignty　of　this

nature　is　not　determined　by　municipal　law；　but　by　the　law　of

nations。　Thus；　for　instance；　the　right　to　make　war；　which　is

inherent　in　every　state　of　FOREIGN　RELATIONS；　infers　the　right　to

secure　its　conquests；　and　that　clause　of　the　Constitution　which

declares　that　the　war…making　power　shall　abide　in　Congress；　says；

at　the　same　time；　by　an　unavoidable　implication；　that　the

national　legislature　shall　have　all　authority　to　control　the

consequences　of　this　war。　It　may　dispose　of　its　prisoners　and　its

conquests　according　to　its　own　views　of　policy　and　justice；

subject　only　to　the　great　principles　that　modern　civilization　has

introduced　into　public　concerns。



One　can　understand　why　a　different　theory　is　in　favor　at　the

South。　It　would　be　very　convenient；　no　doubt；　to　the　slaveholder

to　be　permitted　to　transfer　his　slaves　to　the　gold　diggings；　and

gather　the　precious　metal　in　lieu　of　a　crop　of　cotton。　But　this；

the　policy　of　the　whole　country　forbids。　Congress　has　very　justly

left　the　decision　of　this　very　important　matter　to　the　people　of

California　itself；　and　they　have　almost　unanimously　raised　their

voices　against　the　measure。　This；　after　all；　is　the　really　sore

point　in　controversy　between　the　South　and　the　North。　The

fugitive　slave　has　been；　and　will　be　given　up　to　the　legal　claims

of　his　master；　and；　in　a　vast　majority　of　the　people　of　the

North；　there　is　no　disposition　to　disturb　the　legislative

compromise　that　has　been　made　of　this　matter。　It　is　true　that　the

North　still　owes　the　South　a　great　deal　more；　though　it　may　be

questioned　if　the　machinations　of　demagogues　and　the　ravings　of

fanaticism　will　permit　it　to　discharge　the　obligation。　Penal　laws

should　be　passed；　punishing　those　who　meddle　with　this　grave

interest　out　of　the　limits　of　the　State　in　which　the　parties

reside；　and　energy　should　be　shown　in　rendering　such　an　act　of

justice　effective　and　sure。　Good…neighborhood；　alone；　would　exact

some　such　provision　from　every　well…disposed　community；　and　there

cannot　be　a　doubt　that　good　policy　coincides。　The　abolitionists；

beyond　a　dispute；　have　only　had　a　tendency　to　rivet　the　fetters

of　the　slave；　and　to　destroy　the　peace　of　the　country。

Emancipation　has　not　been　extended　a　single　foot　by　any　of　their

projects；　while　the　whole　South　has　been　thrown　into　an　attitude

of　hostile　defiance；　not　only　towards　these　misguided　persons；

but　to　their　innocent　and　disgusted　fellow…citizens。　There　might

be　a　hope　that　the　well…intentioned　portion　of　these　people；　and

it　is　both　numerous　and　respectable；　could　be　induced　to　adopt　a

wiser　mode　of　procedure；　were　it　not　that　dissolute　politicians；

who　care　only　for　the　success　of　parties；　and　who　make　a

stalking…horse　of　philanthropy；　as　they　would　of　religion　or

patriotism；　or　any　other　extended　feeling　that　happened　to　come

within　their　influence；　interpose　their　sinister　schemes　to　keep

agitation　alive　for　their　benefit。　This；　then；　is　the　actual

state　of　things；　as　between　the　North　and　the　South；　and　we　will

take　a　hasty　view　of　its　probable　consequences　on　the　growth　and

commerce　of　the　towns　at　the　mouth　of　the　Hudson。



｛California　=　California；　newly　conquered　from　Mexico　and　where

gold　had　been　discovered　in　1848；　had　in　1849　adopted　a

Constitution　banning　slavery；　at　the　same　time　that　it　applied

for　admission　to　the　Union　as　a　free　State；　it　was　admitted　in

1850　as　part　of　the　so…called　Compromise　of　1850；　which　included

the　Fugitive　Slave　Act　empowering　the　Federal　Government　to　seize

and　return　slaves　fleeing　from　slave　to　free　States｝



It　is　undeniable　that　any　serious　derangement　of　the　political

institutions　of　the　country；　would　produce　a　very　injurious

effect　on　its　prosperity　generally；　and　perhaps　in　its　immediate

influence；　primarily　on　its　commerce。　But　the　first　reverses　of

such　a　calamity　overcome；　we　do　not　see　reason　for　believing　that

the　well…established　principle；　that　trade　will　make　its　own

laws；　should　not　apply　to　these　towns　as　well　as　to　any　other

place　known　in　the　history　of　the　world。　New　York；　as　has　already

been　intimated；　at　this　moment　contributes　quite　as　much　to　the

prosperity　of　London；　as　it　would　probably　have　done　had　the

political　connection　between　England　and　her　colonies　never　been

severed。　Making　allowances　for　the　greater　prosperity　induced　by

the　political　independence　of　America；　it　is　not　improbable　that

she　even　contributes　more。　Society　and　trade　enact　their　own

laws。　The　first　is　found　to　be　mainly　independent　of　the

influence　of　political　power；　and　the　same；　with　certain

qualifications；　may　be　said　to　be　equally　true　of　the　last。



But　we　see　little　to　apprehend　from　this　source　of　danger。　If　the

slave…holding　interest　would　be　rendered　really　more　secure　by

separation　or　secession；　then；　indeed；　such　a　result　might　be

looked　for　with　some　degree　of　confidence。　But　it　is　very　certain

that　the　measure　would　lead　to　an　escape　of　most　of　the　slaves

near　the　northern　frontiers　of　the　Southern　Confederacy；　as　well

as　of　a　vast　number　of　those　who　live　at　a　greater　distance　from

what　would　probably　be　the　dividing　line。　The　North　has　been

aroused　to　the　necessity　of　being　just；　and　of　adhering　to　the

conditions　of　the　Constitution；　and　the　recent　measures　of　the

country　go　to　prove　the