Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-10-13

the u states, that IS, OF seven States out OF twCly
iourto give the law and evcn the constitution 10 Sc
ventecn States each OF the seventeen having par
ties to che constitutions. an equal right wiki cnch of
tie seven To eNpound IT. and To INSIST the eNPOsi-
stion: Ihat tho seven might, N particular Instances
bs right, and the seventeen wrong, than pos
sble But 10 establish positive and permanent rule
giving such power, TO such a minority over such .
majority, would ovcrturn the first principle OF free
government ana m pracdce necessarily oyeItuIn thc
Government itself.
Is 1t 10 be- rccollec,cd that the constitution was
proposed TO h" people Of the States 'choie, and
unan mously adopted BY the States rkolc, il bo-
ng part OF the constitution that not less han three
ioutthS OF the States should be competent % make
any alteration IN what had been unanimously agreed
To- 30 great Is the caution on Lhs point that III NV o
cases where peculiar interests were at stake pro
portion even OF three lourths is distrustcd and
nimIty required 10 make alteration
When Ire constitution adopted a whole, It
IS certain that there were many parts, winch II sep
arutely proposed would have been promptly rejected
II is far from impossible, that every par, OF const
tuon might be rejected by Uri'y. and yet taken
together as a whole be unanimously accepted. Fee
constitutions wi. rarely If ever be io,m2d without
reciprocal concessions; without articles conditioned
on and balancing each other. l. there constitution
ei single State out Of the twenty four tat would
bear the experiment OF having lts component pats
submitted To the people ana separately decided on:
w hat the fate of the constitution OF the United
Sta cs would be- If SNAIL proportion al the States
could eXpunge paris Of II particularly valued by L
large majority, can nave but one answer
The dihcuIty is not removed b. limiting tho doc
trine to cases of construction How many cases OF
that sort. involving. cardinal provisions of the consl
tuition, have occurred, How many now exist HoE
many may hereafter spring up Flow many might
be ingenousy created, If cntt!rd to the privilege of
decision ia the mod nposcG'
Il Is certain that the principle of that mode would
not reach Further than Is contemplated II Il single
State can OF right require thrcg iourths OF Its
States 20 override ~, cNPOlIuu Of tn constitution,
b, cause lhat proportion authorized to amend H.,
AL. h, Ice ~
tuition wss unanimously established, i ou.h II, 70 be
unanimously eEpounded,
Ph2 reply 10 all such suggestions scens 10 hc IN
avo dabc aud irresistible that The tuition Is
compact that is text Is to DE eXpounJcd according
10 the provisions for cXpuundlng l:--rek.ug par OF
the compact; and that none ot the parties r.h-
fully rcnouncc the eNpoundlng provision more than
nny other pat w hen such rlgnt acCrucs. may
accrue, Il must grow cut OF abuses of the compact
releasing tue sufferers trom her feuty 70 II.
In favor or the M hymg claim Tor the States, in
dlvduely. u appears. you Oh -eTvc liIal the pro-
cescings a. tine Legislature OF Virginia, IN gH, and
IA 90, against the AHCn and ScIHOu Acts, much
dwe!; upon
1t may onen happen, as experience proves. that
erroneous constructions not anticipated, may net De
sufficiently guarded against, III tie language used;
and IL IS due % the distinguished individuals who
have mscoaccvcd tho ntenton Of those proceedings
TO suppose tGat me meaning Of the Legislature.
though well comprehsnded at the tIrne may not now
De obvious 20 hose uaacquantod with tho contempo
But 1t IL behaved that by keepjug IN view the dis
tuctIon between tho governments Of thu States ami
the States 10 the sense which they were parties TO
tho COrs;u between the rights of the parties IN
their concurrent aud IN their individual capacities:
between the several modes and objecs Of nicrposl-
tOn agaiTsl the abuses Of power, and especially be
tween interpretations within Tho purricw Of the con-
stItut!on, aGd srpostons appealing from he con-
sttution TO the rights Of nature. paramount TO all
constitutions; wth en- attention, always of explann
tory use, TO the vess and arguments which were
cou5atad, the Resolutions Of Virginia ~ vndlCa cd
IN tho report on them, will be found entitled TO IN OK
position, showing consistency IN their parts, nd an
inconsistency Of the whole Wuh the doctrine undur
consideration
That the legislature could not have. intended to
sanction such doc;Fnc. Is 10 be inferred from the
debates in the House Of Delegates, and from ne ad
dress Of the two houses to their constituents on he
subject OF the L resolutions The tenor Of the debates
which we're ably conducted, and are understood to
have been revised FOR the press by most # not all of
the spc5 ers, dlsclpsrs no reference whatever to
constitutional right of an individual State TO rrsst
b. force the operation cf law Of the United States
Concert among the States for redress against the
Alien aud Sei,tiOh Laws, acts OF usurpcd power
vas leading sentiment; and the attainment or a
concert, the immediate object o.! the course adoDtd
by the legislature, winch that of inviting tho
cta2T States Ito concur IN declaring the acts 10 be
IncJnsiitutonu and 10 cooperate by the necessary
anu proper measures III maintaining unmpa red the
authorities, nights and Liberties reserved 10 the States
ccssary and proper to be cOHcurrc1Lly and
comparatively taken, measure. known TO
the Constitution, particularly tho Ordinary control Of
The people and legislatures of ;Lc State, over the
government Of the United States cannot he douoted
and tue interposon Of this control, as the event
showed was equal 10 the OCCASION.
Gtis worthy Of remark, and explanatory OF the iu-
'9u'lons Of tie leg stature, that The vorl- nor laa
bu' utterly null, VOID and o. 10 force lie C." which
had .'lo Hcl re- Of the Resolutions, tho word n
t' "crn struck our ny common consent
Though Co., words we've % fact but syn .uynsoIs with
unconstitutional yet. 10 guard against q meundcr-
standing 81 ,ag phase as MIRO iAaH dn,l7ra'ory ~
ouu'ou, tho VOID 'urc.rsu!r'iruel eUoo was re-
taiu.d. Up. Liable 10 t.'rt dtruor
TIE .Hy.shod Address OF no Log stature % .i1
pey1.0, Lns commitments az. fts arota'r coac.us.y.
cs4~uce 49, g.sWr. The AdI-ce5 warns them
gfrvt 'hr cn-foash,n spirit Of fhr General 6 Yvern
w"nt, oreIcs DO uHcorsiutiOHalify Of the Alien and
5sdItoa Ac5, points 20 other Instances u which tha
c1ls,itG'iuna. mrf had been oyrrIa1pet dvcs up-
on the dangerous mode OF deriving poVor b. inp!.,a
toni aud BOO gor0faI prrtses tic r-crstiy Of w1teb
ing o, r'Hc consolidating tendency Of tna f.drYa.
policy Ju' nothing i5 7aid that can be- und.Ht.n|
% ,.t 10 moan. Of MON. auIU4 600 ngttH o. .i.
li.. h-gsai tic regular ores V..htic forms ri ,ac
Com .fI.I.r.