The gazette., 1799-02-25


70 the forru & pageantry of au hority, withou-
the energy or power Every act Of the federal
government, which thwarted The views OF
checked the ambitious prof, 6ts Of a particular
tate or Of It's l-a'iiag anil influential Members.
would be the Object Of oppoGtion AMI Of re-
monltrance, while The people, convulfed and
confufed by the conAi6t between two hoffile iu-
rtdIctlons, enjoying the protection OF nei her,
would be we4ried into iubmihion to fouae
leader, who would eHablifh bimlef on the ruins
Of both.
The Legislature Of Mafachuftts although
they do NOT themlslves claim the right, nor ad-
NIT the authority of any of the state Govern
men's, TO decide upon the conaitu'ionality Of
the A6fs Of the Federal Government. niI, lett
their iience lhould be confirmed into difaPpro-
baton, or at bet into doubt Of he con(litu-
tlonality Of the acts referred to BY the Gate Of
Virginia, and as the General Afemby Of
Virginia, has called for an expreGion of their
ientments, do explioitly declare, that they con-
hder the acts of Congrefs, commonly called
" the Alien and Sedit.on Aas," not only
con6itutionaL but expejient and necefiry
That the former at refpetts defcription Of
Perions, whof- rights were not particularly con-
templated in the conaitution Of the United
States who are entitled only to a temporary
allegiance Il protection which ought to be
Withdrawn, whenever they become dangerous
70 the public fafcty," or are fonnd guilty Of
treafonable Vaccinations" agAinR he govern
ment.
That Congrefs, having been elpec ally entrul:
ted by the PeoPe with the general defence Of
the nation, had not only The right, but were
bound to protest it againlt internal as well as
external foes.
That the United States, at the time Of pafi z
the I" act concerning Aliens" were threatened
with a3uaI invafon, had been driven. by the
urjult and ambitious conduct Of The Freacb
Govsrnmrat, into wariike preparations, exper five
and bur.hen!ome, and had then, within the bo-
fom Of the country, thoulan1s Of Aliens, whom,
we doubt not, were eady 70 Cooperate in any
external attack. 1t cannot he f-rioufly believed
that the United States lhoud We waited tilf
the Po'gnard had in tad, b en plunged. The
removal OF Aliens is the ufual preliminary of
holtilily, and is ulli67d by the invarable ulages
OF nations. Actual hoailjty unhappiy had
long been experienced, and formal de e.laratioa
Of i the government had rea(on daily 10 expec+ n
The law, therefore, vas iuR and ialutary, and
no officer could, with n mu-h proprietv. M
entruited with The execution Ut II, as the one N
whom the Conltitntion had reDoled the Execp.
tive power Of re United Sta.es.
The Sedi6on al, 70 called, IS, in the opinion
Of this Legillture, equally defenhhle
The General afemhly Of Virginia, n their
Relolve, und-r confederation, obferve. that when
that Rate, by its convention ratified tbs fpd.r,l
conlttufion, It exp esiy declared, that amono
other ehential rights, The liberty Of confc;e2ce
and OF the Prels cannot I've Cancelled. abrd yed
reltrained or modified by any authority The
United States, " and from its extreme anvi.tv
to guard theie rights from every b5lIible Attack
ot toPhlttry or ambition, with other Gates. ~.
commended an amen1ment for that purD ie.
which amendment was in due time annexeI n II
the contribution, but Jhey did not furriv ex-
Pect that the proceedings of their lfste conven.
ton, were. TO explain he amendment adonte1
by the Union. The woris Of that amendment
on tins tubjef are, " Congress m III make no
the Pres"
Ihe A8t complained Of, is no abriigemento Of
the freedom Of either. The genuine liberty Of
speech %nd the Prels, is the liberty to utter and
Puo5iih me truth but the Contitutional right
81 tie citizen. 70 utter ana publfh the truth, IS
not 70 BE confounded with A licentoulneG III
! fpeaking and writing, that Is only employed III
P soPagating ialGhood and fander. This free
dom Of the pref has been expressly fecured BY
molt. if not ali the State Contributions and Of
this Proyifon there has been generally but one
contribution among enlightened men-that il is
a fecurity for the rational ufe and not the abuie
Of the Prefs Of which1he courts Of law, tile
juries and people will Judge. This right Is not
nfFinged, but conf5med and eGabhhed, BY the
late act Of Congrefs.
By the ConHitut;on, the Legislative, Execu-
tive and Judicial departments of government,
are ordained and efablilhed and general emu.
merated powers veaed in them relpe9ively IN.