Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-04-18

d., For THE coNsrIrurroNA1 WING.
.IcTeS-Mmd, Gentlemen, he calls me a Cotrard; Coward
was the word by my vaor.
Sir LUciuS O'T,iggcr-Well sir
.IcrcS-Lookee-S Lucius, tbs M that mimi tho ,os
Coward,-Cocard may he said in iokc-but ifyou call
ed me ii I0HrooI', odds daggcrs and balls -
ST LUcir,s with defiance Well, SIM
'icreS-l - - should have thought Won ver, ILL
bred man.-l MeridG,.s Rjrals, sce,,e the last;
The Boosting of Mr. Acres.wth his final 6tcI,inr out
Is not altogether unlike the courageous preamble and
most feeble Resolutions got M in tie last sceoe of tho
labors of the Legislature.
The Preamble, adopting the language of NIadison's
Report, asserts that in of deliberate palpable
anu dangerous exercise by Congress- of powers not
granted by the compact Tor Constitution 1.-The states who
are parties thereto, have the right and dufy bound
10 lnterpose Tor djcSHg Tie progress Of the cyI and
Tor ma'nfa'hS 'cttH Mei' rcspecfrc limits the au!l.o
tues rights, and liberties appertaning to thern."-
he preamble further declares that in the opinion of
thc General Assembly, the l,-nciDles here asserted
apply with full force against the powers assumed by
ress Ill the passage of the Tariff Law, and the acts
directing surveys routes for roads and cauaIs-Re
IL therefore Eesoved--rcsolYed what?-wliat would
man o common say would be the resolve of Tho
Legislature after reading the Preamble?-Whv surely
that the state as IN duty bound would ADOPT vigorous
ana efficient measures for 0IreSta" The rr0rrcss of
such deliberate, palpabIe and dangerous usurnations
and tor mgtttti iCittin It's Oirn limits its authorities
rights and liberties. If the Resolutions had been of
his character, they would have responded TO the Pre-.
anloe Ut they had directed the Executive forthwith
to arrest the United States Engineers and SURVEYORS
WheresocVef onnd in ter1itory-and take loci.
bic possession OF the Custom Houses and reduce the
npost duties according TO liking there would have
Oecn some consistency in the proceeding. But for the
nigh tone assumed III the preamble to cvaporate i'm tc
empty, milk and water declarations that the tariff and
IheTnaI improvement measures unconstitutional
really looks so puerlle unworthy of an august and
d'gnihed acknowledgement any Virginian who is not
ashamed OF the Whole business must acknowledge that
he has lost the honorable and ctvalrous pride which
belonged TO his ancestors. Had the Preamble merely
/ n ln N rrtIDT ~,
uar acts OF Congress unconstitutional it was IFS
iig and duty SO to declare and such declaration
had accordingly been made, the thing would AT least
nave been consistent: But Tie Legislature law down
their premises with all the skill and precision Of Io~c.
Tho major proposition assumed is, that when Con
gross violates the Constitution by deliberate papabe
and dangerous exercise of power. it is the right and
"uty OF the state IN plain Ea9lish 10 rcSist-he minor
asserts that the Tariff law and the acts for survey nn
the routes of roads and canals are deliberate palrabe
ana dangerous usurpations of Now what is
Tie conclusion? RSID, tenedtiS d1nici>-I will not re-
peat lAe conclusion Thank Heaven, however that it
was So unwarlke, harmless and pacic!-I rejoice
tina: the General Assembly Of this ancient and hoIora
ole stae-his cradle of berty-tis birth place of Tie
father0t his Country however unwiscly they may have
vehtnred TO the edge OF the PrccipCe-tho brink of
that awful gulph / do not mean Mr. Rchie's Gulpll
OF Constellation, but the deep dark, botoness pit of
ireason'-l say rejoice that they have had the wis
dom and discretion TO retreat with all possible speed
Fallsait IS celebrated maxim that discretion is the
better part otvaor" never in more luckily save
us But alas! why ii necessary sgageer & buster
and insnua &c that to fight if like poor 1cyes
we really intended from the beginning bark o2 I{nc
ne AtctTymG!--Thi5 is tie cause of nv grief and !
doubt net, will be the of sorrow TO thousands In
truth, the history and character of these memorable
resolutions ought TO be spread before the people, and
with the help of my wits and the Kindness of the
Editors Of the Wing, will undertake in one or two
succeeding numbers to present views the sub
lect' Il cr'stS IS indeed approaching full of alarm to
every r!rtuouS Patriot mot the crisis which like spec
tire has haunted the shades ofhe Wigwam and cOnireJ
up so many unreal horrors the Imagination of lis tc
n"H'Jout crisis when the principles of the Dccara.
lion OF independence publicly denounced by a Sc
nalof elect from Frglnia-when that Senator
does not scruHe to at such men as Bolivar aud
lar yette-Lwly did lie spare Washing tom when
a same Senator was elected for the avowed purpose
OF waSIrg all discriminating against the present
administration and not Judge of acts with candor
honor ana lmpartaty: crisis when the publishers
io The State Government paper in Richmond are labor
ing with fatal success TO lceacn the minds If the
.Pe'PIe ~ ms Communicable their attachment In Mc
feocrot Unjon-wIen these same publishers are burl-
ing their uudistngushng vengeance against every act
OF The present administration, tight wrorg.-SuCh
Crisis rs hIs has arrived, Mud calls upon every friend
OF tins Union To stand forth and preserve it from pro-
ianaOu and dishOnor w hat else but tho ,,nijripr
insatiabIe political hatred Of these publishers aided
by the efforts of ambitions party could have coaded
Tic Virginia Assembly into tie adoption of Resolutions
every line OF which Is full OF ndecisou Inconsistency
and absurdity. Let the people OF Virginia remember
tbat these Resolutions suddenly brought forward
al The close OF long session. 1t the mighty grcvan-
Ces OF which they complain actually existed, WHY were
tey not introduced earlier PERIOD WHY no at some
preceding session. Were there any petitions from thc
people, complaining of the ntoerabIe expressions and
cruel e%actions ofthe General Government Not one
ne people were quiet and satisfied. They did moi
puzzle Themselves with TIC metaphysical subteties of
TIC new school and viii venture to assert that not
ono III five hundred eneTtains tie least conceot ~ Of
nat most nconPrehensibc dogma tbai any one state
III TINS ODon delaware FOR example which is about the
SIZE OF Virginia cotton patch) can at any lime. oil
us own free will aud pleasure, defiance the laws
OF Congress.-Such however. has bccD the favoritc
P.ooicHi OF me Richmond ScboOl.-Tha odiOus mis-.
cWeVou5 and nsureciOuary doctrine, has not only
bccn proclaimed III ncwspapcrs-in the Legislative
uaii-at Fourth Of July dinners, and in the noisy
circles of tavern porch politicians but has also received
ihe grave assent of our highest judicial trbunas-T
true That these Oracular Il evcdtous have rcneraUy
been delivered in that cautious and studied language
winch conceas their real meaning from the eyes of The
vulgar. W ere they stripped Of this disguise and OK
J, fol I.l-. Fit. 4