Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-06

It IL believed to be among those axi.ms, which,
ina Government like ours, no man may be permit.
ted to dispute, that the only security for the per-
uiarent union of these states, is to be found in
the principle of common affection, resting on the
basis OF common interest. The sanctions OF the
Constitution would be impotent TO retain. in con
certed and harmonious action, "a soyereigntie-,
hostile IN their feelings towards each othef, and
sctins under the impulse Of a real, or imagined
diversity of interest. The resort TO force would
be alike vain and nugatory. Its frequent would
subject il, with demons,rstive certainty, to ulii-
mate failure, while its temporary success would be
valuelsss for ell the purposes OF social happiness
In such contests, however unequal, and however
transient, the seeds of disuuion would be thickly
Gown, aud those VIII may be destined to witness
them. will, speedily thereaf er, be called 10 lament
the destruction of the !arest prossct of civil lib
eriy, which Heaven, in its mercy, has vouchsafed
10 man.
The Committee have before eaid, that ,hey see
no reason TO lear that Georgia will not acquiesce
in the decision Of this question by the Judicial De-
paTtment. II has been that she has heretofore
Welded 10 the mere order of the President, and
the resolutions referred to the Committee evince
that she siili looks with undated confidence %
the Congress of the u. S. They can, the, efore
discover no ground for the assumption that she
meditaies resistance to the civil authority of the
Uaion. The indications which hav e been given of
an intention TO employ portion of her militia, if
necessary, FOR the protection OF her surveyors a
gains Indian violence, were limited to that object
That they were intended to oppose the cons,i,u-
tional authority of the Government, is unsu ppor,ed
By any facts which have been disclosed 10 the
Committee, and appears TO them unworthy OF be.
lief Their confidence in this con v;c,ion has been
to them source of unmingled satisfaction For,
siihough they would readily apply, if necessary.
the whole enc, gies of the Government to the sup.
port of its legitimate authority, they would, a, the
came time, regard the most oie preparation for
resort to military force, for the purpose of com
relling sister State 10 submission, as among the
greatest Of public calamties.
The committee will not enlarge upon the fripht-
fil consequences of civil They are known
10 be calami,ous to single Government, and "a
tal to confedcracies. Reason tell us this, s his
tory, with her warning voice, confirms it,
contagious fury RACES in such contests. No mat
Ter how small the beginning, how insgnf
cant the cause, the dissension spreads, unit, III.
whole confederacy is involved The Thru
Sacred Pdr,'' which ended 10 the ruin of all
Greece, began in triile, in the attempt of ,h.
Amphyctions to punish the smallest member of
the confederscY for violating some ground which
had been consecrated to the god Apollo The
committee will not multiply examples of the
same fatal character, OF which history is full
They nill say, that the" altinna ratio restn..'
which cannot be resortej 10 between two 30, ern
oNcIes UNI All Tue arguments OF have
been tried and exhausted, ought not to be hastily
used in community OF States bound together by
confcderated Government. The last arsurnen,
of kings, should not be the first among associated
Republics, The tribunal oil public opinion should
De resorted 10. In free Government il is almos,
onnipotent over communities as over indiyi
dials. None can dsspise il. Coupled with a in
dical decision, The empire Of public opinion vii
be as bilding rs The decision Of arms In ,bi,l
case, the laws have been already appealed 10, and
the comntiee most earnestly recommend relI-
ance upon their efficacy, anu upon thai ns,ipct Nv
sagaciy Of public opinion, which rarely fails 10
discover and 10 sustain the just side Of every great
question.
/, has hitherto been the happiness and boas, of
The American People, that, since the adoption OF
the present Constitution, their annals exhibit but a
single instance in which by The authority of their
Government, the blood OF the citizen has been shed
By the arms OF the soldiery. II should be the pray
or OF every American that this may be the last =
The apprshensions then felt for the continuance
ct our Confe2efacy fresh in the recolI ec,ion of
ihe Committee. Nor can they forget the esul,a
lion which was manifested by the enemies of Re-
publican Governments, and their confident pre-
dictions OF the speedy downfall of ours. The viz
tue and Intelligence OF the People, co-opera,iup
with the inherent excellence of our political nst
tutions, avered the danger, and preserved The u
MON. Three entire administrations have since
intervened without resoliing either 10 the actual
or threatened exercise OF force 10 sustain the au-
ihori,y OF law. During portion OF this period.
our country was involved in a sanguinary war
with one OF the most powerful nations of Earope
In its progress, when unlocked for CALAMITY filled
me humorous with apprehension, and roused the
patriot 10 redoubled exetion, spirit of iusubor-
dinaiion was manifested In an important portion of
the Union A crisis occurred more in,eres,ins
than any other in the history of our Confederacy
and there appeared reison TO apprehend that The
horrors of civil, might be superadd.d TO the =,
families OF foreign war. IF evidence WIRE
wanting 10 show he profound and intimate know
ledge of the nature and tendency of our POLITICAL
system, Possessed by the statesmen tho then pre-
sided over the Republic, il was at that time
sirlSnSly exhibited; and if any thing could add In
the debt Of gratitude which the country owes 10
this illustrous patriot, it is his conduct on tina,
occasion. Had thea's of military coercion been
used' The probability OF this application would have
been increased, and, under the excitement which
prevailed the commencement of hosilities bet
the Federal aud State authorities might have ter
minated onr,existence as free and united PeooIe
NO menace was employed. No threat of militia.
~ coercion Illuminated The movements of .tboss
to whom dsafection was attributed. were oh
served with care, and silent preparations were
made TO enable the Government to act with efsrc,
should the application of force become unavoid.
oie The threatened collision between the Federal
and State authorities wss fortunately avoided =
The conduct of the parties was submit, ed 10 The
Judgment of the American People. The sentence
which they pronounced was just, and it will re-
main irreyocsble. Public opinion performed its
oihce, and our Republican institutions arose from
the shock with renewed lusre and increased stabi
lhy The honest apprebensions Of those who had
before doubted their capacity to sustain the pres
sure OF danger aud the conflict Of war were dis
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