The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-24

Virginia was then in a minority-Turn to
her resolutions i'm l798-and read the Re
port of 1900, in defence of them, written by
the enlightened Madison. You will see how
the affairs of a wise and ~virtuous dinoritS,
are conducted. =
In these resolutions, she claimed the right
OF expressing her thoughts in all cases of " a
deliberate. palpable and dangerous exercise
of powers not granted" by. the federal
compact, The report proves that the Alien
and S~editionlaws were of this description
But ct what, Sirs have YOU to complain ? /.
the embargo so paipab,e and dangerous AN
ATTRACTION OF the compact us to require the
intcrposition OF the state of Massachusetts ,
LAS not a federal judge at Salem solemnly
decided, that 1t was 40 infraction at all OF
the constitution Where was this scrup!e
IN the year '93, when the embargo was adopt
cd during the administrator of Gen. Wash =
ington The'U States gives Congress the
power of "reSniating commerce." Are you
bold enough 70 say. tina. m:.ae. cc..a;. cir
cuInstapces it may not be necessary to sus.
pend commerce, for its better regulation 7
Or are youbold enough to assert, that 4 tenn
porary SUSPENSION for its better regulation
Is equivalent to a total d~ca,ruction 1?
Away with such nonsense.-Butev even ad-
uniting that tie embargois "a palpable and
dangerous" infraction of the constitution,
what them The example of Virginia will
not shield your infamous proposition. There
is nothing in her mode Of interhosinion,
(Which bears the slightest analogy to your dis
organising and reasonable scheme. What
isyour idea? For the Eastern States to form
one united "dcclaration of the conditions on
which the union must be preserved" But
this is not all. Each is to give the other 1.-THE
most sacred pledges to await all the conse-
quences )" in other words, if the u S. disrc-
gard your dictation, YOU are all to Hy to arms,
and accomplish that dissolution at the point
of the bayonet.
Now, sir, do you and the federalists of
Massachusetts, behold the course and doc
frlne marked out by that jaco6in state (Vir-
ginia. In her resolutions, she soIemnly ap-
peals tothe other states, in confdence-"that
the necessary and frotier means. viii be ia
ken by each for cooperating with this state,
in maintaining unimpaired, the authorities.
rights. and liberties, reserved in the states
respectively, or to the people" And what
were these necessary and proper means!-
The point of the bayonet! Opposition to the
Laws?. Disuuion /? Oh! no. Virginia al
ways mild, always reasonable, always obedi- i
ent to the laws. keeps strictly within the
pale OF the constitution. Mark what she saws
through her report of 1900:
" 1t 1t be liable to COLLECTION, it must be, be-
cause either the object, or the means, are ubiecti-
enable.
d" The object being to maintain what the con.
%stie,itlon has ordained, is in itself laudable OBJ
jject.
" The means are expressed IN the terms I" the
necessary ard proper measures" A proper OBJ
Ject was 20 be pursued, by means both necessary
and proper.
E" To find an objection then, it must be she YIN
that some meaning was annexed to these general
terms, which was not proper and for this piir-
pose, either that the meSns used By the General
Assembly, were an example of improper means,
or that there we're io proper means to which the
terms could refer.
" In the example given by the state, of decIa
ring the alien and sedition acts to be unconstituti-
onai, and of cominunicating the declaration to the
other states, no trace of Improper means has apA
peared. And lfthe other states had concilrrcd in
fnakiAg like declaration, supported too by the
numerous applications flowing Immediately from
the people, it can scarcely be doubted, that these
SIMPLE means would have been rs sufficient. as
they are unexceptionable.
" It's no less certain, that other means might,
have been employed, which are strictly within
the limits OF the constitution. The legislatures of
the states might have made 4 direct representa-
on TO Congress; with a view to obtain a rescind-
ing oithe two offensive acts or they might have
represented to their respective senate in Con.
Sress, their wish, that two-t thirds thereof would
propose an explanatory amendment to the consti
tttlon or two-thirds of themselves, if such had
been their option, might, by an application to
congress, have obtained . Convention for the
same object.
These several means, though not equally eli
Sible IN themselves, nor probably, to the states,
were all constitutionaliy open for consideration
And 1t the. General Assembly, after declaring the
two acts TO be unconstitutional the first and most
obvious proceeding on tie subject, did not under
take to point out to tie other states, a choice a.
mong the farther measures that might become
necessary and proper, the reserve will not b
misconstrued by liberal minds, into any culpa +.
imputation.'.
If the federalists of Massachusetts are ic-
deralists " in heart and in sentiment" thew
will " so and. do likewise" If they can be-
lieve the embargo law to be All infraction of
the Constitution, let them pursuade the le-
gislatures of the other States to unite with
them in ir-,tructing their Senators TO obtain
It's repeal-let them Unite in obtaining such
an amendment to the constitution, as NAV
bind up the hands of Congress from passing
an embargo law.
But If this be not enough for you, address
the understandings of the people. Prove to
them, that the men in power are abusing their
confdence-persuade them to change their
men, that the: may obtain a change Of mea-
sures. This is the conduct that is worthy of
Republicans and Federalists. This was the
Conduct of the Republicans in 1900, and they
trIGmphed, because they SUPPORTED the canSn