Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-03

TESS to have establishments i'm the District of
Columbia, aud this in contravention OF the nu-
nicipal regulations of the states for the sup
preston of immortality, or the punishment of
vice. And this construction is grounded on
the clause in the constitution, which gives
Congress exclusive legislation in the ten miles
square, the seat OF its sessions. Its true that
tile supreme court allows the commonwealth
10 compel the Cohens To paw the 100 ,lullars
they were fined. But his will not " egh at all
with the people of thi, state. Ii is not mi
SCRABBLE pepper corn which is to be brought in
TO the exchequcr they are i'll pursuit OF. Prin-
clplc is their object the preservation of their
rights, and the sovereignty of their state is
their aim. They are not disposed like Esau
TO barter their" birihriSh.s for mess of pot
tagc." They love the union of the states
much ; but the liberties of Themselves, and
their pOstcri,y more. They know that 10
preserve the union Itself ii Unnecessary To guard
the state sovcrcigntirs, since Union implies the
existence of individual political societies, not
the consolidation or amalsamaion of all into
Il single society The ground taken by the
snpr, me court produces the crisis, which /
have spoken of in the preceding part OF these
remarks The states must make stand, or
must abandon their rights for ever The lc-
Sslature of Virginia, ever foremost in the as
sertion Of their just and constitutional rights,
have on this very subject at their last session,
gwen pledge TO the people, and TO the nation,
Which they are bound by every consideration
o! patriotism, of consistency, and NAV add
OF honor, TO redeem. they have asserted that
the principles contended for by the supreme
court violate the state soyereSntics, and the
rights of the people whose representatives. they
are Those principles are re-isscrtcd, they are
extended toamore dangerous extreme. Will the
legislature prove recreant, s. retire inglorious-
~ from the contest? The unfeigned respect
which fee! Tor the representatives of the peo-
pie, trrbds me, for a moment TO tolerate such
an idea.--I avn persuaded that those men who
could IN the times of the alien and sedtion
laws resist open and forcibe efforts to carry
such principles into effect; are too firm to be
wheedled out of their rights, or To be scduced
by any Establishments whatsoever from the
assertion of them
But we are toii,t is perfect tranquility
in the land, aud party spirit is extinct There
is no man more opposed SO the asperity of
party spirit, ar It's bcing suffered to mar the
courtesies ul private society, ar individual in
tercouTs", than the writer of this piece. But
we must not sacrifice great principles to mere
ttl1'iette The idea of the extinction party
spirit is mere chimera. In every free coun-
Try II will exist. Nothing but the rod of des-
ii
tent, II may even be salutary; il creates and
Keeps alive degree of Vigilance on men in
power which may often produce the happiest
effects The notionof arnaIgamating all parties,
was Visionary one, which no practical
statesman who knows any thing OF mankind
would ever entertain. And il may be consi-
dered problem ofsome difficulty of solution
whether the efforts made in that way, since
the revolution i'll parties in the United States
have been attended with happy effects The
old distinctions are put down, and in their
room will probably arise geographical dis
inctlons the most mlschievOus OF any and
wlhch Will sacrifice on the altar of their in
terests the dearest rights of the people, and
the most sacred principles of the consultations
Need do more Than refer 10 the Missouri
Question to prove the truth of these remarks?
Party spirit is not then extinct. 1t sleeps
perhaps, but it wiki wake like the giant from
his slumber, with renovated vigor, and with
an increased appetite for mischief. But if par
~ can be said 10 he extinct, how is it so !?
Have the republican party abandoned their
principles Have they after the victory is IA
cheyed, not only thrown away their arms,
but submitted TO he led in triumph by their
adversarics Will they like Sampson after
resisting all open force, fall asleep aud permit
themselves To be- shoru oftheir strength, and
plunged into perpetual blindness and imbe-
ciiity MaGnanmity does not require such
sacrifices at their hands. If their political OPP
ponepts will unite with Them they would be
willing to receive them with cordiality
and respect but it would surely he ask
ing too much of the republican party, to be
lie the practices Of their whole political
lives, to throw stigma on their own prin-
cIpies; and to abandon in the face of the
world doctrines which they have uniformly
maintained are essential 10 the preservation Of
the rights and liberties of their country. O.
theirs tell us, that the questions about state
rights are stale, Improbable and trining, and
that out of Virginia they have no supporters. If
that We're true, we should not abandon the
contest let lis do orr duty as faithful citizens
oil this ancient commonwealth which we in
habit and which we love, and trust the rest to
God. But do not despair Of the republic.
The times even appear TO me to he proptious
FOR the assertion ofour Just privileges. In
dlcailons are giving in other states of the
growing sense ofthe spirit of encroachmept
which exists, and the determination to with
stand it and ii is not in the nature of things
That the states should not sooner or later feel
their community of interests in resisting a
policy, which extends to them, the same leni-
~ which Polyphemus did to the companions
OF Ulysses, which rendered him the happies,
man who was last to BIZ devourcd As to the
rldlcule attempted to be thrown on the cause,
which esponse, ] can only say ridcule in
my Judgment is not the test of truth. The
most valuable OF human Institutions may be
the subject Of ridicule nay the profane and
impious often apply il TO our holy religion
lIut must we on that account confound all dis
tlnciions of right and wrong, of sacred ant
profine?
1t is very probable that during our revo
lutlonary contest, the earliest stages of re sis
lance to British tyranny were ridcued, 'Th,