Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-09-17

yoked, or required 10 transcend then, WIN
out, danger 10 the liberty which It was IN
tended TO preserve. Notrack Of tyrrsny is
more beaten, than that of power over the
boundaries of a constitution which It dare
not respect.
: Ie, The states allow TO the federal go
yernment every necessary authority. In
! the language ofthe author have last quo
ted, "The federal and state governments
are in fact but different agents and trustees
of the people, instituted with different
powers. and designed for different parpo,..
I, ses. Tie adyersaries OF the constitution
| and we may apply the following language
! 10 ours. in answer to the celebrated argu-
! mentof the same author" seem to have lost
| sight of the people, in their reasonipgs on
I! this subject and to have viewed these dit.
! ferent establishments, not only as mutual
! rivals. and enemies, but as uncontrolled by
| any common superior, in their Efforts 10 u
mrp the authority OF each other. hese
gentlemen" says Mr.. Madison, must be
reminded Of their error they must be- to.''
that the ultimate authority, wherever The
rderivative may be found, resides IN the
people alone and tina, il will not depend,
merely on the comparative ambition or adj
dress Of the different governments, whether
either, or which Of them will be able 10 en-
large its sphere Of jurisdiction, at the ex-
pence of the other. Truth, no less than de-
! cency requires that the event in every case,
should be supposed TO depend on the SEN
tments and sanction OF their common cor
stituents."
! 1t is The right, and moreover the dirty of
the people, by the exercise OF their elective
! franchise, TO restrict each government 10
its proper sphere of operation; It will ne
yer Ire their duty, however, TO paralize the
energy of The federal government. by rem
dering it absolutely dependant, for the ex-
ercise OF necessary power, on tie wisdom,
moderation, or fidelity of a single state,
whose duty will prompt it TO look 10 lis own
! interest. and whose interest will sometimes
lead it to disregard the general welfsre.-
| The people Of America, contrary to the
predictions OF my colleague Mr.. II. Nell
son, will have the prudence 10 guard
power delegated by themselves, Tor ttnr
common safety and happiness. from being
defeated OF its object, by an inconsiderable
part of their own number. SIR, in the re-
cent history OF our union, one prominent
feature cannot have escaped observation
that he extraordinary support srhich The
states sometimes dfard 10 The federal 60
Vernment, IS not so beneficial, as the cPpo-
sition, 1rhich they sometimes acGge, is PERM
cious. Were there room to doubt this fact.
its reason would be found to establish
its truth. The general government was
made 10 subsist, by means of this constitu-
tional authority-it was designed TO ope-
rate not upon the states, but on the people
the zeal of the stale governments may
inspire IFS councils with temerity, and pre-
| cipitate them into indiscreet action.-
Their separate advice is that of monitor,
who sees but small part of the ground, o.
yer which you are TO travel, and who is
not Immediately answerable for the sue
cess Of your journey. His zeal is unre-
strained by the wisdom which knowledge
lmparts, or the prudence which responsible
lily creates. Virginia announced sometime
before the last war was declared, that ii
was dishonorable for the United States to
remain any longer at peace-she, IN tact,
declared The war, before the general 60
vernment deemed eYpedieht to do so. Ii
was moved, | recollect, to amend the de-
cIaraton, by providing that the war should
not be begun until adequate" preparation
udNl bctH uldht ito dtiNCs f'Soipu's
and efficient prosecution" The amend
ment was secuted out of the house Of dele
gates, by an overwhelming majority, the
mover Off voting with that majority, a few
moments afterwards, for the naked and IN
qualified declaration. This was in the
derlh of winter. War was not proclaimed
at Washington. until the following summer.
Whether sufficient PREPARATION had been
then made for lis dctivc, rigorous, and sue
csssfai prosecution, those who had to con-
duct It's operations will best remember.
We have seen the character and conse-
quences of the support yielded by state
to the general government. My colleague
has already gloried in the success of her
opposition-in the revolution which she ef-
fected in 1898, by which he and his friends
were brought into power. The honorable
speaker gave TO us the same historical fact,
except that he admitted the state which he
represents to a part OF the glory of produ-
cling it. Let il be conceded, if other gentle
men are willing, to have been the act of
one, or Of both those states. Ii was effect
ed by resolutions and arguments. What
dissolved the embargo ? Neither resolu-
tons nor arguments J.; State rights-state
laws-resistance. What paralized the ef-
iorls of the national government, during
the late war! The refusal Of obedi- |
ce-resistarcc-stater rights again. To |
coerce n refractory state is IN awful expe-
rment. II is untried, and full Of danger.
The great barons of the old fcuda monar-
chies, while backed by their retainers, they |!
bearded majesty in despite of the crown
and sceplre, furnished no scene like war !
of this union against its members. Rebel |
lion, where but one government exists, is !
without a system. II begins its march in
darkness, and treads with uncertain and he
stating footsteps. But, when state re-
sis,s the constitutional authority OF the u