Litchfield enquirer., 1829-02-26

lnE SSeA-t-eNf~ II Ts;t;.k nossessiOns and effect a resWlnti0n in inc U. States. by means of war with Great Britain. As the U. States and c. Britain m 1907 were at peace, a correspondence with the Gov. of Nova Scotia. held by any citizen of the U. States. imported no violation of law. But my differences from this fact were, that there existed hetwpen the British govern ment and the party in Mass. opposed tO Mir. Jefferson, channrI of communication. thr"' the Gov. of Nova Scotia. N Eich hc vas exer- cising to inAame thri: hatred against France, and their ieal0tIsies against their own govern ment. The letter was nnt to any leader of the federal party; hut had II" doHht it had been shown to some of them. as it had been to me, without injunction of seGrecy; and as supposed, with view tO convince me that this conspiracy between Napoleon and Mr. Jefferson really existed. How that channel of communication might be further used was matter OfcOnjectnre; for the mission of MT. John Henry was 9 months after my inter- view with Mr. Jefferson, and precisely at th" time when was writing to my friends i,l Congress the letters urging the substitution oI the nOn-intercOurse for the embargo. or Mr. Henry's mission I knew nothing tiI i, was disclosed by himself in 1912.
 It was in these letters of 1908 and 1909. that mentioned the design of certain leaders of the federal party to effect a dissolution of the Union, and the establishment of North ern Confsderacy This design had been formed in the winter of laOS-4, Immediately
 after, and as a consequence of the acquisition of Louisiana. Its justifying causes to those who entertained it were. that the annexation of Louisiana to the Union transcended the constitutional powers of the government of the U. States. That it formed in fact a new . cOnfederaty to which the states, united by the former compact, were not bound to ad- here. That it was oppressive to the interests and destructive to the influence of the north ern section of the confederacy, whose right and duty it was therefore to secede from the new body polite, and to constitute one of their own. This plan was so far matured, that the proposal had been made to an indi- vidual to permit himself. at the proper time, to be placed at the head of military move ments. which it was foreseen would be ne. cessary for carrying it into execution. In all this there was no overt act of treason. In the abstract theory of our government the obedi- ence of the citizen is not due to an unconsti- tutiona' law. He may lawfully resist its ex- ecuti0n. If single individual undertakes this resistance, our constitutions, both of the U. States and of each separate State, have provided judiciary power. judges and ju- ries, to decide between the individual and the legislative act which he has resisted as unconstitutional. But let us suppose the case that legislative acts of one or more States of this Union are passed, conflicting with acts of Congress and commanding the resistance of thelr citizens against them. and what else can be the result but war--ciyil war? and is not that, de .E1ct0, dissolution of the Union, so far as the resisting states are concerned and what would be the condition of every citizen in the resisting States Bound by the double duty of allegiance to the Union, and Co the State, he would be@crushed be- tween the upper and the neither millstone. with the performance of every civic duty converted into crime and guilty oftreasOn, by every act of disobedience to the law.
 That the power of annexing Louisiana to this Un- nion had not been delegated Congress by the con- stuticn of the United States, was my own opinion and 1t s recorded upon the journals of the Senate, which twas then membel. But far from thinking the act itself ustying cause for secession from the Union, regarded 1t as one of the happiest events which had occurred since the adoption of the consu- ton. regretted that an accidental illness in my fam fly, which detained me on my way to Washington to take my seat in the Senate, deprived me of the pow the cession was secured. arrived at Washington the 4h day ofthe sesscn of Congress, and on en- tering the city, passed by the Secretary Of the Senate who was going from the Capitol to the President's house, with the advice and consent o,ha body to the ratification.
 took my seat in the Senate the next day. Bills were immediately brought into Congress making ap- propriations to the of IS millions of dollars for carrying the convention into effect and for enabling the President take possession of the ceed terrtO ". These measures were opposed by all the mem- bers of the Senate who had voted against the ratca tion of the conventions. They were warmly and cor dially supported by me. had no doubt of tha con- sttuonal power to make the treaties. 1t Is express ly delegated in the constitution. The power of ma- King the stipulated payment for the cesaion, and of king possession of the ceded territory, was equally nnquestioned by me they were constructive powers, but thought them fairly incidental, and necessarily consequent upon the power to make the treaty. But the power of annexing the inhabitants of Louisiana to the Union, of -c0nferriny upon them, m mass all the rights, and requiring Of them all the duties ofcitl. gems ofthe United States, it appeared 10 me had not been delegated Congress by the people of the Un- out the consent of tue people of Louisiana themselves thought they required an amendment of the const- tuition, and vote of the people of Louisiana; and oHared to the Senate resolutions for carrying both those measures into eilect, which were rsJccted.
 It has been recently escertained. by letter G from ter he had received the tveates and convened Con- Rress to consider them, hat in his opinion the trea-
 ties could not be carried into effect without an amend. ment to the constitution; and that the proposal for such an amendment would be the first measure adop- led by them at their meeting. Yet Mr. Jefferson, of Congress, assuming the power which he had so recently thought delegated to them, and, as the Exec mtiye of the Union, carried them into execution.
 Thus Mr. Jefferson, President ofthe United States, the federal members of Congress who opposed and voted against the ratification of the treates and my E. -S.s. Av.-A.A IAsnato