Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-03-07
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
THURSDAY, MARCU 1900
APPEAL TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES


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AfPEAL TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES
tcoscLU,ED
The opposition to the measures of government
In aoUS arose from causes, which were common 4
the people, not only of New England, but of al
ire commercial states, was manifested i'm New
York, Philadelphia. and elsewhere. By wba
process of fair reasoning then, can that opposition
he referred to, or connected with plan which il
SAID to have originated i'm 1914 and to have beer
intended to embrace merely a northern conledera
cy! The objection to the Louisiana treaty. was
founded on the just construction of the compac,
between sovereign states. 1t was believed in New.
England, that new members could not be added ia
the contederacy beyond the territorial limits the
contracting parties, without the consent of those
parties. This was considered as fair subject OF
Temonstrance, and as justifying proposals for an
amendment of the constitution. But so far were
the federal party from attempting to use this as an
additional incentive to the passions of the day,
that IN report made to the Legislature of 1903.
by committee OF which MIR. Adan,ss excellent
friend, Josiah Quincy, was chairman, Louisiana
having been at this time admitted into the Union
us expressly stated, that they hare not been dis
posed to connect this great constitutional question
auth the transient caiamiticS of the dau.. from
WINCH it IS IN their opinion, very apparently dis
tnguished, both IN its causes and consequences
That In their view of this great constitutional
question, they have confined themselves to topcs
and arguments drawn from the constitution, with
the hope of limiting the further progress of the e.
vii, rather than with the expectation of immed-
ate reiief during the continuance of existing niu-
ence In the national administration This report
was accepted; aud thus the project instead of
beng used as fuel TO the flame, is deliberately ia
Ken out OF 1t. and presented to the people by the
leaders as resting on distinct considerations from
the transient calamities' and for which pr esent
redress ought neither to be sought. nor expect.
ed
10 the embargo imposed in December 1907,
nearly all the delegation OF Massachusetts, was 3D.
posed. Ihepretexts for imposing it were deem
ed by her citizens mockery of her sufferinos-
Owning nearly one-thlrd ofthe tonnage in the Unit-
ed States, she felt that her voice ought to be heard
IN what related to its security Depending princi-
Pally on her foreign trade and fisheries for support
her situation, appeared desperate under the opcr-
aton OF TINS law IN It's terms perpetual. 1t was
bitter aggrayatIon of her sufferngs to be told that
ITS object was to preserve these il; interests No
people, at peace, IN an equal space of time, ever
endured severer Privalions. She could not con-
slider the humiliation of her trade as included in
the power to regulate it. To her lawyers, states
men, and citizens in general it appeared direct
violation of the constitution 1t was universally
odious. The disaffecton was not confined to the
federal party. Mr. Adams, it is said and not con-
tradicted, announced in his letters to the MEM
oers CT Congress, that government must not RELY
upon its own friends. The interval from 1907 to
1912 was filled up by a series of restrictive meas
urcs, which kept alive the discomfort and irritation
OF the popular mind. Then followed war, under
circumstances which aggravated the public dis
tress. In its progress Massachusetts was depriv-
ed OF gafrlsons for her ports--with line of sea
coast equal in extent to onethrd Of that o. all o.
no loft
whole war nearly deienceless: Her citizens SUBJ
Ject to incessant alarm portion of the country
invaded, and taken possession Of as conquered
territory Her own militia arrayed, and encamp-
Gu at an enormous expense; pay and subsistence
supplied from her nearly exhausted treasury and
reimbursement refused, even to this day.-Now.
what, under the pressure and excitement of these
measures, was the conduct Of the federal party.
the devoted majority. with the military force of,he
state IN their hands with the encouragement 10
DE derived from conviction that the Northern
States were in sympathy with their feelings and
that government could not rely upon its own
iriends' Did they resist the laws Not in a
solitary instance. Did they threaten separation
oil the States? Did they array their forces with a
show OF such disposition? Did the government
orpeople Of Massachusetts in any one instance
swerve from their allegiance to the Union ? The
reverse ct all this is the truth Abandon ed by fhe
batiobal government, because she declined for
reasons which her highest tribunal adjudged to be
constitutional, to surrender her militia into the
hands OF a military project, although they were
always equipped, and ready and faithful under
their own officers, she nevertheless clung to the
Union as the ark Of her safety, she ordered her
well trained militia into the field, stationed them
at the points of danger, betrayed their expenses
from her own treasury, and garrisoned with them
the national forts All her taxes and excuses
were paid with punctualy and prompness, an ex-
ample by no means followed by some ofthe States.
IN which the cry for war had been udest--These
facts are recited for other purpose but that of
preparing for the enquiry, what becomes Of Mr. A.
dams,s key his project, and his postulates p
ne latter were to all intents and purposes to use
his language, consummated'
Laws unconstitutional in the public opinion had
been enacted great majority ofan exasperated
people were in state Of the highest excitement