Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-10-27
VIRGINIA LEGIsLarURE.
+. HEMANS.
From the " Constitutional VIM.

" '.'S "e''1'e " a., FTtddy .lIdTch >, 1926
MIR. PAGES SPEECH.
the SENATE having, on motion of Mr.. CIop-
TON, returned the c nsideration ofthe subject, Mn.
PAGE rose, and said
ar. SPeufCT: move the indefinite postpone-
ment OF The ileso uions from tie House of Dele
SftcS declaring certain Acts e the Congress Of
Tie United STATES unconstitutional En,er,ainip.,
the opinions / do, sir It will be only under the
rressn'e Of inperious necessity, that | will enter
upon their discussion. Believing thai thew will
answer no COOL purpose, and may give occasion
or invIdious reflections, feel disposed to relieve
both myself and the Senate, from the further con-
sideration OF the subject. 1t is not my intention.
SIR 10 enier into a constitutional argument up1n
Inc questions pFe-ented by the res lutions If they
are oil The vast importance, which they are repre-
scented 10 tie, why have they MOI been BROUGHT for
ward At an earlier period Of the session. WHY have
we not heard Tie voice of oar constituents; The
sEence OF the people on these subjects is conciu-
Sive evidence, thai they DO not consider them of
vial importance. Where, sir, Sre the petitions
a1d remonstrances announcing the wrong and de-
mandiEe reires4, that require to call on the
General Go, eminent to abandon its former policy
under the penalty Of our high d-pleasure5
1t viii be admitted, sir, that we have been her
long enough. It is time hat we should return to
OR homes Our families anxjously awaiting
our return, and orr constituents demand IT, The
importance of our acts is not, it is well known,
~ proportion to The expenses incurred by the Com
nonwealth IN consequence of our proiracted ses-
sion. II Is time to attend TO our agricultural pur-
sii and to the l5boprs of The varying yer I'm
Ger these circumstances at the close OF long and
TEDIOUS session, when our minds are wearieI ou,
AID DIR Strength exhausted by inces-ant attendance
upon our public duties, we are called upon TO
ADOPT these resolutions denouncing various acts
oil The greatest importance, hen not the slightest
Gisappro5 'iOn il indicated by a single Temorslrance
4 he vltat l.,
iaired, 10y the adoption OF the resoluiiona and on
whom are they intended to operate? Ii no object
= 10 be elected, 1t Is vain AMI nugatOry to pass
then. II any effect is produced, it must be either
upon the Government Of the United States, or the
people Of Virginia. WIN they produce any effect
Upon the Executive OF the Union! rs there any
reason 20 hope lhh the PRECEDENT will adopt our
opinions? nay, sir, has he not always resisted
those opinions! He knows well, sir, that tCe de-
serve nothing at his lian,is-that every thing w.
Gould do we did, to prevent his elevation to the
Pre.idehfll chair. He has not failed TO EXPIRES, 10
Abe world, his sentiments, he subjects embraced
by The resolutions AMI he will only see, or think
he sees IN the course we are nov pursuing the
etusOns Of our spleen and disappoin ment al the
Tcsilt OF the Presidential election. We shall then
a'srredly be deceived, ii we expect by these resp
i-tions TO produce change of opinion, in The Exc
cu'ive branch Of The Federal Government
What effect, sir, viii they have on the National
indebted tgr
ihe hoaors The high AID distinguished honors we
have conferred on them They owe to us even
their very existence Do not Randolph and Tsze-
we'll know the prevailing sentiments Of the people
whom they represent? Was not Randolph re-
Gently sent to that body, to fight, side by side
with Fazewell, in the same and under the
same banner? VIII your resolutions excite the
iervOur Of their ZEAL or add to the powers of their
already resistless eioquence?
Sir IL is our business IN Ieosfafe on tho s, sc,s
which are Eow on orr table and demand our aiten-
ion and after dIsposing OF them, i, is our duty to
90 home.
What effect, sir, will they produce on The popu-
LAT branch OF Congress? II they have no effect,
they VIII be utterly useless; and if they produce
an eticc', That effect, according to circumstances
viii be either useless, or highly pernicisus The
Nepfe-entauve IS bound q" Ouey the will and speak
tive sentiments Of hIs constituents 10 them. and
% them alone, Is he responsible Tor his public con-
duct. be and hi constituents think with YOU ON
these subjects, they will Of course be useless-the
adoption OF resolutions will not alter his course
II bis Constituents think differently, and he is in
diced BY these resolutions to protest against mea-
'ufes which they approve, you succeed in pros
ir~ting he great Representative principle, one Of
ihe most sacred aui fundamental on which our Go.
vernment is based
What riIsc', then, sir are they 20 have, or will
tHey nave on our constituents. We, Mr.. Speaker
nave been 'cat here Tor ordinary Legislation I've
have been ss'! here TO receive the instructions oil
The people WHO eject w., and 10 execute their
viii not TO enJeavoor t. impress eur opiaion on
them. They have a. much leisure 20 examine
these subjects as we have; and they are equally as
capable. Bat if we BY legislative acts, impose
or sentiments on them, we invert the order Of
things: we substitute our will fm theirs; we in
srIct them, instead oil being instructed by them.
NJ. Speaker, matters OF this high and momen-
'o0s character, should be LEFT entirely 10 the peo
- ia 'hs s'scc' aIar:iise they Scsss5 re-.