Chap. VII.]

DUTIES OF PATRIOTISM.

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communities. It is the duty of the States to cooperate with eachother in every thing that pertains to the common good ; and,while they consult their own interest, to have a generous regardfor the interests of the other States. Indeed, this country haswitnessed many gratifying instances, in which two or more States,forgetting all narrow and local interests, and laying aside all localjealousies, have cordially united in enterprises tending to thecommon good. And, while the States maintain a generous andhonorable rivalship in regard to the acquisition of wealth, renown,and influence, let them carefully preserve an attitude of friend-ship and good-will; and let each and every one show herselfstudiously regardful of all the civilities, proprieties, and courte-sies, which are due to one another from the members of a nu-merous sisterhood.

2. But harmony between the States is not in so much dangerof being disturbed by the direct interference of one State withanother, through selfish, unfriendly, and vexatious legislation, asby the officious and unwarrantable interference of individuals,and more especially of self-constituted societies. Societies maybe, and in fact, as is well known, have been organized in someof the United States, designed to affect, perhaps to destroy, theinstitutions of other States, which the individuals associated sup-pose to be capable of improvement, or which, they may suppose,ought to be destroyed. All this is contrary to the moral duty ofthe individuals concerned ; and, if such societies become danger-ous to the peace and safety of the States whose institutions they aredesigned to affect, and especially when they become the subject ofgeneral and official complaint, and a source of discord, misunder-standing, and alarm, it seems to be the duty of the States in whichthey exist, to suppress them by the strong and decisive arm ofthe law.*

Any interference of one nation with the institutions or con-cerns of another, however indirect, is always extremely delicate,calculated to excite distrust and misunderstanding, and is justcause of offence. Nor, in such a case, can the conduct of indi-

* See Governor Marcy’s Message to the Legislature of New York, January,1836, — and the Report of a Select Committee to the Legislature of NewHampshire, on Abolition Societies, made and accepted in January, 1837.