Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-03-18
CougrstSci iDs untten States.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTArIVEs.
Saturday, February 20.
Debate an tbr Jill reeetved from The Seartr
entfied :" dx d9t repeal certain ads
,gpsamg tie orga"ization q The eoasts
Of The u. S!ates."
TNr. Baya,ds lb.eeb eauelaaed.

contend that there is. practical reitramt
upon political body who are aniwers-
bic 10 none but thelnlel,es for the vio-
lation of the refrain,, and who can de-
rive from the very act of violation, I'M.
deniable publication of their conduct. +,
IfMr. Chairman you mean to have
contribution, you mutt diicovera power
to which the acknowledged right is at
tached of pronouncing the invaildlty OF
the acts of the iesila,ure which contra
vene the infrument.
Does the power redde In the fate !!
Has The Legislature of a ita:e right to
declare an act of Congreis void! This
would be erring upon the oppohte ex-
IRENE. IL would be placing the general
government a, the feet of The fate 60
vernmen,s. 1t would he allowing one
member Of the union to controul all the
ref. 1t would inevitably lead to civil
dfflention and a difoiution of the gene
raj government. WI it be pretended
tina, the Gaie courts have the executive
right Of deciding upon the validity OF our
laws?
] admit they have the right TO de-
clare an act ct Congrefs void. But this
right they enjoy in practice, and it ever
eGentiaily mutt exi! fubject TO the re-
viGon ard control Of the courts Of the
United States. If the fate courts de-
hnitively poaeGed the right of deciar-
ing the invaliiity ofthe laws OF this 60
vernment, it would bring us in fubjec.
tion to the Gates. The Judges OF thoie
courts, being bound by the laws Of the
fate, j: tate declared an ad Of Con-
grets unconfitutional, the law of the
Aa,e would oblige its court to determine
the law invalid. This principle would
ALTO aearoy The uniformity of oblisa-
ton upon the fates, which houId at
tend every law Of this government.
II a law were declared void in one fate,
ii would exempt the citizens of that fate
frcm its operation, Whit obedience was
yielded TO it in the otser. fates. l go
farther and FAY, if the lta,es oritate eouris
had final cover of annulling the acts
of this government, its mitera5le and
piecarious exiitence would not be worth
the trouble Of moment to preierve.
It,wou1i endure brt 'hort time, as
fsbjett of deriion, and waiting into
an empty f7adow would quickly vaniih
from our fight. Let NE now Elk if the
power 10 decide upon the validity Of cur
laws reiides with the people. Gentle
men cannot deny this right to the TO-
vereign people. / admit they ,pofeis
it. But it at the fame time it does NOT
belong to the courts OF the United States,
where dcesir lead The people! 1t leads
them 20 rhe galows. Let US iuPpoie
that congreis, tossetful of the limits Of
their authority, pals an unconaisston-
al law. They lay direct tax upon enc
fate and impOie none upon the others.
The people of the fate taxed, CONTEXT
the validity OF the law. They forcibly
reGa it execution. They are brough,
by the executive authority before the
courts upon charges of treafon. The
law is unconstitutional, the people have
done right, but the court are bound by
the law and Obliged to pronounce upon
themth fenseuce which is Inflicted. De-
ny TO TIE courts of the United States,
me power of Judging upon the coniti-
,u,ionslity of our laws, and it is vain TO
talk of its exiting eliewhere. The in
tractors of the law are brought before
shefe courts, ard # thesccurts are impli-
city bound, the iEvalidisy Of the laws
can &c 20 defence. There, is however,
Mr.. Chairman, fill a itronger ground Of
argun>"s -s----AL.- T-l;-sa. I n,au fs-
lett one or two cafes 10 iliufrate ii.
Congrets are prohibited from ,lailirs a
bill of a,,aiader it is ALTO declared in
the contribution that /" no a,tainder Of
treafon lAall work corruption of blood
or forfeiture, except during the life OF
the party attainted." Let us fuppoie
thar CensreS pats bill of attainde,, or
they exact that ony "a. attained of