Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-03-06
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

MONDAY, Feb. %.
speech o. mr.. FITZHUGH, IF Fairtar, on the
n Report Of the Select Committee. on the
RESOLUTIONS Of Georgia and s Carolina
The House having rejected motion to Law the
Resolutions on the table for the remainder of the
Session, MIR. FIrzHUGH said, thai he very sine re-
iamented, from personal as well political con.
siderations, the decision the House had inst given
He found himself precipitated by it into the dis
cussion oil one Of the most nome ntous and extern
sive questions ever submitted TO deliberaye bo.
Idy-with mind broken down by constant and la
POROUS application to business, and with means for
investigation as scanty as the time allowed for
their use had been limited. He found him
sell thrown in opposition too, to friends with
whom on other and interesting subjects he had
been heretofore acting in harmonious and jealous
co-oPerafion-friends, with whose feelings he had
learned to sympathise, whose sentiments he had
learned to respect and for whose talents he felt an
admiration common TO him, he was sure with all
who now heard him.
But public consideT atoms, said Mr.. F. furnish
me, confess, with still more abundant source
oil regret. am entirely opposed to the system of
abstract Legislation, fashionable of late in this
body. For the last ten years. it has, with very
little intermisson, constituted part Of our regu-
lar annual legislation. And yet, in no single in
stance, has II been productive of the results anti
cipated from it. The very measures, agains,
which we have protested time after time. have
grown into favor both with the government and
The people; and ii / am not very much mistaken
we are now in fair way TO " resolve'' them in
|
10 actual popularity with our own constituents.
Dut, sir, there are serious and very important
evils connectedwith this system ofIegislaton How
ever II may be intended its effect is 10 establish an
absolute despotsm individual opinion at least
In this Hall. test Of political orthodoxy is anm-
ally set up, and every young and inexperienced
legislator, as he presents himself at the bar of your
House, is required to subscribe it. on pain of helm
denounced as hereto, deserter from the only
true and holy faith. Ardent in the pursuit of DO
ucai distinctions he obeys your reGuisition, from
the belief that IL essential to his future success;
and thus finds himself reduced, by premature
commitment, to the painful alternative of sustain
ing forever alter, principles which his better udg
rnent may disapproye; subjecting himself, by
change, to the imputation of tickle and unsettled
mind.
He returns to his constituents, after long and la
POROUS session OF public duty, conscious of hay
ing faithfully discharged the trust committed TO
MS care, and looking with confident expectation
10 their appreciation for his merited reward. But
what is his surprise. when instead of finding them
prepared to appreciate his exerons, and to reward
his services, he is called to an instantaneous and
unexpected account for abstract principles wholly
unconnected with his Legislative duties, and who'll
~ immateriai as respects his Legislative qualifica-
mons! Ills constituents deprived of useful
representative, and he is cut short ia his career of
| high and honorable ambition. The House will not
neea my aid, sir, in making the proper application
| Oh the picture have drawn-and appeal at once,
10 their magnanuity and their patriotism, against
a course of action, leading to the results have
thus eDdeavored to exhibit
But, Mr. Speaker, there other and powerful
considerations that should induce us at this time to
pause 10 say nothing of the unsettled state of
pubic opinionon the subject OF our deliberations
| 10 say nothing OF the imperfect index to public
sentiment, furnished by Legislature constituted
as Inns is-to say nothing in fine, of the absolute
Illumination, inseparable from such frequent and
unavaiing repetitions of our grievances-tioes not
virginia owe it to her own dignity, before she en-
tiers ON the career of wild and dangerous oppose
ton TO the General Government, to which she is
united, TO require at the hands of her disconteD,ed
sister States, some other pledge of settled princi
pies, some other security for continued co-opera-
uon, IMAM The transient and angry ebntions of vi
olated interests! For four and twenty ont of tts
forty years during which we have existed as a ma
ton, has the standard of disaffection been raised
! within your borders. Sustained by yourselves a.
lone It has been TO the surrounding States an OBJ
| Ject OF alternate derision and respect Each has
resortedto II In her turn, as prompted by some
special interest of her own and each has as rpa,l;
iy abandoned it, when the interest that prompted
her movement, has been satisfied. Pennsylvania
OHIO, Kentucky and New York, have all, at dife-
rent times, been found by your SIDE But all of
them are now united in opposition TO you as the
jealous advocates of the very system YOU are a.
bout to denounce a fragrant violation of yo,r
rights, and as cruelty oppressive TO your interests
At length, too, s. Carolina is with you-that
respectable State, distinguished until now above
all others, Tor her unbrosen loyalty TO the Federal
Government-your reluctant co-adiutor in the
Gays OF the elder Adams-the violent and uncorn
promising opponent of your favorite candidate in
former Presidential Election-and the jealous
supporter, II not the author $50 far as she was iden
tined with her distinguished in Ton
gress, in lSl6-'l7) of the existing Bank of the
United States, OF the present extended scheme of
internal Improvements, and above ALL of this very
system oil commercial regulation, to which she is
now threatening and inviting forcible resistance
es' sir, she too is with you-but whether in con-
sequence OF momen,ary irritation or OF a settled
Grange OF principle, time alone can determine
Her invitation TO you is of serious import; and
before you accept il, you ought to be satisfied, not
only oil Der continued cooperation with YOU: hut
that the principles for which you are to contend
are IN accordance with your duty and your inter-
esis. Aud TO this latter inquiry, now beg leave 70
direct the attention Of the House.
The legislatures of S. Carolina and Georea bav,
ing declared the different laws Of Congress pass
ed avowedIy for the protection Of manufactures
unconstitutional and oppressive, have appealed 10
their sister states to ascertain how far thew NAV
calculate on support in such measures of opposi-
ton az they may hereafter deem il expedient 10 a
dept. And the committee TO whom the subject was
referred, in this House. have responded in series
OF resolutions, the first Of which is couched in
me following terms Resolved, That the Consti-
tuition OF the u. States being federative eo,n
pact between sovereign states, in construnr
which, no common arbiter is known, each state
haa the right TO construe the compact for iself''
tne nrst proposition contained in this resolu-
Ton. " properly understand IL. I Weld my nm
qualified assent The Constitution Of the United
states was certainly agreed TO by each STATE in il.
sovereign capacity, and may, therefore, very fair
" be pronounced a compact between sovereign. |
me Constitution, each state ceased TO be sovereign
IN relation 90 all the conceded IN fftc