Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-18
(ORRESPONDENCE-
'7KpedI TO the citi>ens of the Ueiicd STATES.
CONCLUDES.

~.
the del" CATION of Massachusetts was opposed The pre-
texts Tor Imposing ii, deemed by her citizens moc1
ey OF nes sohernss Owning nearly third Of the
IN the United States she rt that ought
!" @ heard in what related its security Depending
p"SfaIiy "n her foIeigu trade aud beIies support
hsr situation sppsaed dies, under the OF
'ns law tn ITS teros perpetual IL bitter asgrava
h "' he snheIings To be told that object pre-
serve THESE ierests No people, peace, in eoua
space "i time ever endutei pivao,s. She cond
NOT SotS'ner the annihatiou ui her trade included in
the power Ia regulate IT, To her aud
eNzens ~ general appeared di,cci visitation Of the
constitution. IL was universally odnus The daNrc-
ton was ne" confiaed the federal party. MIR Adams,
u u said, aniis cUnradicrh In his Letters
IN the me'nbcrs Of CongSess, thai not
rely upon its fiieuds. 3ie interval RON 1897 TO
ihis' wes oiled up by series nj ,sIretive measures
wbch kept alive the dscou and of the popu
lar mind. Thep followed the var, binder noes
which aggravated the public distress. In its PROCESS
oaSsat ousetts depived at for her ports
wan hne OF sea-consi equal in extent third Of
that al all the other artue States she LETT
tue whole war nearly deeneeess Her czans subject
'ne.'sa"' aatui-a port'no the c"nuty Invaded. and
taken posses sirn OF ecuQucred territory Her
oiitia arrayed, and eacamps6 expense;
pay a1h subsistence supplied from hrI nearly exhausted
treasury. and refused even ibis day
Now, what, uuier the pressure ant excStemcnt of
measures was the conduct of the ieoetaI pa,tv b,
voted majority with ,he military force the State IA
their hands;-Uh the encouragement, be dcsived from
II conviction that the Northern States in sympathy
with their feelings. aud that conld rely
| It's own iEirndS Dad they resist the laws Not in
solitary Instance. Did they threaten a scpara-
ton of the States Did they array their forccs with
how of Dispositions j3id the eov-rum.nt or r.opl.
OF Massachusetts in any instance from their
aes the Union! The all this is the
truth. AhanlOpehby tho uatioual government
she declined for which her highest tribunal adj
Judged 10 DO constitutional. surrender militia iao
The hands Of military prirct although they always
equipped and eady aud faithful ofr
h' nevertheless chung The Union ark OF her safe
~, she ordered vol militia uto tine field s,a
toned them at TIE points Of dagger
ss from he's own treasury, and garrisoned with Them the
Oariona fnrts. Al her and were r.i id with
pouethality aud emptiness, example b, fol-
lowed ny the St>tes in which the cry for war had
been the lohdrst fhesr facts eced FOR no otbef
hut that ~ rIepa"s for the enquiry, what be-
pmes Of DIR. Ala1s' key, his poi Ct and hs 'posu-
fatr The latter TO all iuients and purposes TO use
his Language. 'consummaied.'
Lave Unconstitutional in the public opinion had boon
epnrted aeO, majority Of rxssp peore ere
N state Of the highest excitement. The leg ature (f
his word hr takeu) under the ment Of tho
'eadets' The jnacal courts side, and the
Jnries werrs he prcteuds ted golden on
por-ni'y had arrived. 'How winter of their dis
content made glorious summer All tho cou,busLles for
revolonp ready. Dhep, behold. instead Of n dis
nn'nhered Union, military unveuens, northern confe
deiscy, and British alliance accomplished at tue favora-
bic moment of almost total prostra tiop of the credit
power OF the national rulers, small dppu-
taton of gravo citizens. selerted from the civil
life, and Legislative councils, ASSEMBLED Hartford
There. calm aud collected, like the Pilgrims from whom
they descended, ADD uunindful of these who had
achieved 'hr Independence of their country they
Aied on the most eGfctual Of ptesrrvug for their
lslow citZrns aud their descendants civil aud polt
zeal liberty which had been won 10 them
The character OF this much injured assembly has
heen Subjected "a heavier iGpniauns, uuher an entire
deficiency not emily OF pIo"i bot of probability ever
9eiel "ny other of disrbargng merely the duties
Of coUuiiiee OF legislative body, ad making a pub
lie report Of their dOings their constituents. These
impnniions have never assumed precise FORM gne
opinions nave prevailed of coubinaiicn separate tho
Union As Mr.. Adams has uded by the manner
IA which he speaks Of MAT convemou adopt or cooo-
Fh"h'e those impaaions on lis proceedings may.
"a gpntn mai ipc
"ibouG this uot suitable Ton to- ca into full
xpIahation and vndication Of thar measure.
Ihesn1Jcct naturally resolves itseifinto four points
or questions:
First, tue constitutional right of a State 10 apnoint
delegates TO such a convention:
SECONDLY, the proPrety and expedency of excrcisng
that right at that time:
Thrifty, the objects mteuded TO be attained BY Il,
and the Powcrs given FOR that purpose by the stale to
the delegates; and
Fourthly, the nilnner in which the delegates exer-
cisEd their power
As to the first point it will not be doubted that the
people Iavo Alright in an orderly and pcaceabe man.
ner to assemble to consult upon the common rood
ana 20 request OF their rulers by the way oedfesses
petitions, ar circumstances, redress Of the wrongs
zone them and OF the grievances they suffer- This
IS enumerated in the constitution Of MASSACHUSETTS,
amonS our natural, essential and unaenabe rjplts;
and 1t Is recognized III tho constitution OF the United
~ aes ana VINO then slul dare limits to its ex-
crcise or To prescribe to the manner i'm which il shall
be cXered' We have already spoken of the gate of
pubic affairs and the measures of the general govern
noht in the year 1914, and tie degree of exciteme
Amounting nearly to desperation to which they had
brought the minds ofthc people in this and tho adio
ing States Their uterings and approximations could
no longer be silently endured and numerous meetings
ofthe citizens had been held on the occasion i'm vnT
ous paris OF The country N waS then thouaht TINT
tho treasures called for in such an emergency would
b. more prudenty aad safely rnaturod and promoted
by the government OF the State than by unorpaniacd
h"dieS OF ihdydnals strongly excited by what they
considered 10 De- the unjust and oppressive measures
OF the general government II an the citizens had
INC right Jointly and seyeruly, to consult or the COM
mon good, and to seek for redress of their rrieyno
ccs no reason can be given why their Legislative as
senOly, which represents them all may not exercise
tho same right III Their behalf. We 10 where find
any constitutional prohibition restruint rthe ex
crclse a THE power by the State; aud if net prohib
ted u IS reserved 10 the State. We maintain then
thai the people had uagucstionabe right in this
- web a. IN ohor modes TO express their opinions
OF tue measures of the general government and to
seek by addresscs petitions, circumstances, to