Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-23

ties 10 T., IN nerpUsne ev' so lar 20 arrest the o-
gresS OF the evt, pad thereby pr. srrve the ronu-
ton Itself, weiias IN provide Tor the tcty vi the
parties to IL, thsie would he end TO all rrci ir"u
usu'ped power, and direct subvrr on OF he rights
specified recognized under all The sdts constitutions
"a well a. plain d-n o. the iuaiAm, MA principles
ON which Qur Independence itself was dcclsioi ="
But, III our authorities do MOI stop here The State
OF ke,urky responded 10 Virginia, and OH the 10Th Of
November. 1898, sdop ed those c. LIBERATED Resolutions
well know have be- p-rnsd Ivy the author OF the
D-caraii, n Of Americin lad -peu,ie nee. In those
RESOLUTIONS, the Legislature OF Kentucky declare.
g" That The government created by ihi' compact,
not made the exclusive iinal judge of the extent OF
the powers delegated "a isrl, since that wo Id have
made lis discretion, and no, the constitution, the
sare OF it's powers; but iat as in all other CT
compact, among parties having no counon judge, each
party has equal rchi TO judge Tor itself, well Of
iniractiens oi the node aud measure oil redress"
AT the ensuing session OF the Legislature, te sub
lrct was re-sSsmned, ond on the llth November,
1888. tie revolutions OF the preceding year,
deliberately re-affrme1 and it wa among Other thing
sole pinly declared
" inatt those who administer the Geneia Govern
m'ni be Permitted To transgress the limits liked 10y
that compact by total disregard the special delega
tons ut power therein contained, humiliation Of
the State Cove nnens, aud tn; erection upon their
iuius oil general coI.oiidated governments will be
the inevitable consequence: That the principle and
coSs ucton coutenlcd for by suudry of the State lie.
gsiaurrstba' the general government is The exclusive
Judge Of ihs extent Of the powers deleg gated it, stop
nothing short OF despotsin; since the dscr ton OF
those who administer the Government, and not the
Constitution, would he The measure of their power.
THAT the raj States who formed that ins rument
being sovereign and independent, have the unques.
tionabe right 10 judge OF its inlraction aud that
publication by those sovereguties, Of all Unauthorized
acts done under colour OF that Instrument is the rghtiu
remedy"
Time and experience confirmed Mr.. Jenerson's Opt
mon on this al-imporant point In the year S2, he
expressed himself in this emphatic manner: 81, is
fatal heresy 10 suppose that either our State Govern
nens are superior TO the Federal, or the Federal 10
the Safe; neither is authorised literally to decide
which belongs to itself its partner in Govern.
ment IN differences Of opinion. between their dIer.
ent sets oil public servants the appeal is 10 neither but
10 Their employers peaceaby assembled by their rep
Iessntaves in Convention The opinion of MIR.
Jefferson on this suteci, has been repeatedly and
so solemnly expressed that they may be said to have
neen among The most liked and settled convictions Of
his mind.
In the protest prepared by him for the Legislature OF
Nreiha, in December 1925, in respe the powers
exercised by the Federal Government relation the
Tariff, and Internal Improve which he declare
10 be u*ui paons of the powers retained by the states
mere interpretations into the compact, and direct inf
IONS OF T., he solemnly rts all the principles of
TIE virginia re oluons o! 9S-protests against " the
act'oi the federal branch of tho government as null AMI
vod X declares dat although Virginia would consider
dissolution OF the Union among the greatest caam
ties that could beia them, yet il is the greatest
mere II ore yet greaiersuhmission to government,
q unlimited powers. 1t IL only when the hope ofth,
shall become absolutely desperate that further forbear
ance could not be INDUCED
la his letter to Mr.. Giles, written about the same
time. he SAYS:
is you do. and with the deepes, afflction the
rapid strides with which the federal branch of our
vernment u advancing tow ards tie usurpaon Of all
The rights reserved 10 the States and the
III ">eH OF all powers ioreiga and domestic, and that
too by construction which leave limits their pow
ers, &c Under the power TO regulate commerce. they
assume indshnelv that also over agricutu and
lectures, Sc. Under the authority to establish post
roads, they claim that of cutting down noun aims for
me construction OF roads and digging canals. Sc And
what ia for the preservation of the Cen
sWnon Reafon and argum-ni! You might as well
reason and argue with the marble columns encrcline
mem &c Are we hen to stand to our arms, wi the
hot-headed Geo gian! Nj .nd say no, and South
Carolina has said nol-lhat must be the last resource
We must have patience and long endurance with our
rethren, sc and separate from companions only
when the sole alternatives len dissolution of our
Union with them, submission 10 n Government with.
ont lim alton OF powers. Between these two evils
when we must make choice, here can be no hesi;a
ion.''
Such, sir, are III high and mposrg auiho tiles in
support of the Croina doctrine" which s in fact the
do trne OF the "Virgini, Resolutions Of l79S"
Sir, al ha' day the whole country dividsd this
very question. IL formed the line OF demarcation be-
tween the federal aud republican parties and the eat
POLITICAL revolution which then to- place turned upon
me very question involved in these resolutions. That
question decided by the people and hy that dcci
zion the Constitution was, in the emphatic language Of
Mr. Jefferson, saved at its last gasp" should sup
pose cir, II would require self respect Than any
gentleman here would be willing o assume TO trea
lightly doctrines derived from such high Rest
ing on authority like this l will ask gentlemen whe-
iher South Carolina has not manifested high regard
Tor tile Union, when under a tyranny ten times more
grevous than the alien and scdiiion laws she has hi
hero gone no further than TO petition demonstrate ard
sOemuIy to rrobest against serie, OF measures which
she heheVes 10 be wholly unconstitutional and utterly
destructive Of her interests Sir South Carolina his
not gone one step further than Mr. Jefferson himself
wa@ disposed 10 in relation the very subject of
our present complaints-no a step further than the
statesmen from New England were disposed to go I'M
der similar circumstances; further than the nator
rom Mdssachusetis bmse II once considered "a within
the linrs OF constitutional opposition" The doc
trnr M u The right ot State To Judge Of the viola
tons o The Constitution the part of the federal G. ,v-
ernin nj aud to protect her citizens from The operations
oi Unconstitutional laws held by the enlightened
crlzrns OF Boston, who asssmbIied in FAneuil Hall on
the 10Th January 1900 They tate, in that celebrated
memorial that they look ID only the State Lesia.
ture, who were 10 devise relief against the
your power (say they) is adequate that Obi evil
den from the organization Of the confederacy"
distinguished Senator from one Of the New Egg.
land ate' (Mr Hhouse) in speech delivered here
on bill Tor enforcing TIE embargo, d9clared-'I feel
myself bourd in conscience declare (est the blood
Of thoe who shall fall in the ton Of this measure
shall be on ny head that consider this 10 be an act
which directs amorrl blow al the liberties Of nv csun-
try an act containing unconstitutional provisions To-
which the People not bound submit and TO which
In my Opinion, they will no, submit"
And the Senator from Ma,sachusets, himeelf in
speech delivered on the same subject in the other
House, said "Ths opposition is cons itutional and e.
gal; IL IL also conscientious. II rests settled and so.
her conviction, that such policy is destructive e in
eress OF the People, and dangerous 10 h being OF the
Government. The experience of every day confirms
these sentiments Men who act from such motives are
by any dangers. They know the lint Of e. n tilutona
CnnOsit;oD n AZ he