Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-05
.tctteu otto S11W6M.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 5, 1880.
MR.. WEBSTER's SPEECH.


areen' and in the sequel, by all who shape their
course by that Beacon Ii ght the Telegraph PENDING
tue delivery ofMr. Websters speech, Green asserted
IN the Telegraph, that Mr.. Webster declared "the
Federal Government to be possessed of controlling
power the States and the PEOPLE. 70 It was in
vain that Mr.. Webster complained of this msrepre-
sentaon of his sentiments and that the concurrent
sense of those who heard him, acknowledged the
justice of the complaint. Green re-aflirmed his
statement the next morning, and has persisted in it
to this day. LIE. the reader who is capable of form
ing his own judgment, compare that assertion of
Green's, with the following sentences from Mr.
Websters speech:
The inherent right in the pcopcto reform their
40 not deny and they have another right, is to
ment 1t is no doctrine of mine, unconstitutional laws
oa .s The gIea. question is whose
laws On that the main debate hinges.
The States are unquesionaby sovereign so a
rh'gny is not affected by this supreme law.
So far people have restrained State sovereignty nv
the expression of their will in the Constitution D. States
So ,al 1t must be admitted Stae sovereignty is eecuay
oed do not CONTEND that il is ought be- contioied
farther The sentiment which referred propounds
Ing of t5a. to sa mo-, to be- eSnro n% ee
Tor one who to follow his feelings legal con-
h people of the States have chosen mpae e eon
troll on State sovereign,es The has ordered
10 make war; for instance is exercise sovereignty;
but the Constitution declares that shall make war
says tha.no sovereign State Sovereign as TO make
troll the State sovereignty South Carolina as well as Of
e other States which does not arise from her feelings
oi honorable JUSTICE Such opinion therefore, in def.
ance OF the Planest provisions of the Constitution
Light and darkness not opposite, than the
sentiments put into his mouth by Green, and those
used by MIR. Webster himself. 1t would be waste
or words, to dwell upon the moral abandonment
which conceived, perpetrated and yet persists in the
Misrepresentation. That in nnumerable cases be-
sides, has transcribed all precedent as it is much to
be feared, 1t has passed all hope of reclamation.
There Is point in human degradation as in bodily
debility, which once reached moral recuperation is
impossible. But that correction which Gen. Green
has refused the Public will make for itself II is not
ifopossble-nay, judging from the past, and from
some nsinuations lately thrown out in the Enquirer
it is highly probabe-that effort will be made to
persuade the Public, that the sentiments we have
quoted from Mr. Websters speech, were closet add.
tons, ntroducedFfor the purpose of repelline the
charges of the Telegraph. Should this uncharitabe
suspicion occur to any mind, perusal Of the speech
viii destroy it, by proving that the confession of The
sovereignty of the States, is of the very ist of Mr.
Webster's Constitutional argument
The Richmond Enquirer, incapable of ma gnaninity
towards political antagonist, affects regard Mr.
Vebster's speech as nothing extraordinary, indeed
as rather puny effort, for such is the spirit of the
observation, that sit at least great in magnitude
as it is in merit The remark is witty for aucht we
know, but surely not candid ''On the whole, fsays
that paper) we recommend it to Mr.. Webster to 90
back again to the history Of our Government to read
the Journal ofthe Federal Convention, the Debates
ofth Stale Conventions, the Letters ofhe Federal-'
island last, not least, Mr.. Madson's Virginia Re.
port of'e9-13o0. He will find them all in the Public
Library. If not, they ought Ito be there"
Mr.. Webster ought to feel grateful for this kud
and well meant advice. Whether Mr. Webster is
right in deriving the Government of the U. States
from the People, in coatradistinction to the States
will best appear from his argument upon that point
from which we quote the following:
This leads inquire into the origin of government,
and the Of its power Whose agent Is the crea
Coyemment of United States be the agent of the State
Governments then they control it. provided they agree
in the manner of controlling it; if II the of the people,
then the people alone control it, modify
form it. II observable enough that the doctrine for which
maintaining, not only that this General Government the
creature of the States but that is the of each Of the
OF determining whether within the limits of authority
is the servant of four and twenty of different wills
and different purposes and yet bound ALL This alb.
udiy, or seems no less arises from msconception to
the origin of this Government and lis character 1t sir
the peoples Constitution the peoples Governments made for
the peoples made by the people; aad answeab people
The people of the United States have declared this
s,iution shall be the supreme law We then adj
mi, the proposition, dispute their authority.
In these opinions, tleEnquirer discovers high Trea
son towards the doctrine of 49, After accusing Mr.
Webster Of ambiguity in the quotation have made,
it proceeds TO comment upon it, in its usual Socratc
style "7Ae People lit says). What Pcoplc1 The
People Of the U. States7 Mr.. w. will not hazard
such assertion, unless he means TO fly in the face
of all the FACTS of the origin, adoption, and action
ofthe Cousttution-as well as the theory laid down
in debates of the State Conventions, tie letters ofhe
Federalist, g. the report Of Mr. NJ. WHO formed the
Federal Constitution? Deputies from the nation? or
from The States as States elected by their Legisa-