Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-03-04

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ton and in conformity with it, there is any mode in
which State Government, as a member OF the u
Mon. interfere and stop the progress of the Gen.
cral Government, 10y force OF her own laws, under
any circumstances whatever.
: This leads US 20 inquire into the oririn Of this
Government and the source of its power Whose
agent Is II! Is it the creature of tho State Legsla
lures or the creature Of the People. Irthc Govern
mcn of the United States be the agent of the State
Governments, then they may control it provided they
can agree in the manner of controlling it, If it is the
agent of the People, then the People alone can con-
troll It, restrain IT. mostly or reform IT, Ii is obscrva-
bic enough, that the doctrine for which the honorable
gentleman contends. leads him to the necessity of
maintaining, not only that this General Government
IS the creature of the States, but that il is the crea
uro OF each of the States several that each may
assert the power, for itself, of determining whether
IT acts within the limits of its authority Il is tho
servant of four and twenty masters OF different wills
and different purposes; and yet bound 10 obey all
Inns absurdity for 1t seems less) arises from
misconception as to the origin of this Government
and its true character. 1t is, sir the peoples Con
s,ituton, the peoples Governments made for the neo
ple made by the people; and answcrable TO the peo-
pie. The people of the United States have declared
That this Constitution shall be the Supreme Law
We must either admit the proposition or disputc their
authority. The States arc unquestonably sovereign
so far us their sovereignty is not affected by tins
supreme law. The State legislatures us political
ooCles, however sovereign are vet nor soyc reion
over the people. So far as the pcopIc have oiven
power to the General Government. so far tho GRANT
Is unquestionably good and the Government, holds of
the people, and not ofthc State Governments. Wo
are ali agents OF the same supreme power the pcore
Inc 1cneral government and the State governments
derive their authority from the same source Neither
can, IN relation 10 the other be called primary. ,bon,
one Is definite and restricted, and the other general
ana rcsduary. The National government POS sesses
those powers which it can be shown the n,onIn b,v
conferred on H. and no mere Allthe rest bnorrs IN
the State governments or to the people Themselves
90 r us the people have restrained State sovereign
hr 4 IL
OF the United States, far, It must be admitted
state sovereignty is cticctually controlled do not
contend that 1t is ought 10 be- controlled further
lie sentiment 10 which have referred. proroun,is
t'at state sovereignty is only 10 be controlled bv lis
own feeling Of JUSTICE that is to saw it is not 70 br
controlled at ai fer one who is TO follow, his own
feelings is under no legal control. Now, however
men may think this ought to be- the fact is that tho
people OF Inc United States have chosen to impose
control on State sovcregntics The CONSTITUTION
has ordered the matter differently from vbot ,b;s
opinion announces. To make war for instance l.
an exercise of sovereignty; but the Constitution Do
ciarcs mat no S'a'e shall make To coin money
Is another exercise Of sovereign power but n, Stale
Is at liberty TO cop money. Again the Constitution
says that no sovereign State shall tie so sovcrcion rs
TO make a treaty These prohibitions. 1t mus. be
confessed are control, on the State sovereignty Of
South Carolina. we'll of the other Slutes which
does not arise from her feelings of honorable
in:lce Such an opinion therefore is IN defiance
OF the Pa!ncst provisions Of the Constitution
mere arc other proceedings of public bodies
winch have already been alluded to- and 10 which 7
refer again for the purpose of ascertannr more f,
~, whai is the length and breadth of that doctrine
dcnomnated the Carolina doctrine, which thu, Hon
member has now stood up this ilnor to maintain
In one of them find it resolved that 9. ba ,T,r;e. -,
1889, and every other Tariff desi1ncd IN nro.ro,a
zone branch OF industry, at the expense ofohers IS
contrary 10 the meaning and intention ofthe Fedo
compact and as such dangerous, palps bic and
.ciocrate uSurPation OF power, by determined ma
,he limits OF lis delegated powers as calls UPON the
States winch compose the suffering minority in !
their sovereign capacity, to exercise the powers
w'nch, as sovcfeigns, necessarily dcvolyc upon
y them, when their compact is vio,atrd"
Observe SIR, that this resolution holds the Tariff
oil 1873, and every other ia iii, designed 10 promote
one branch of Industry a, the expense of another 10
be such a dangerous, pal pablo, and deliberate rsur
pations OF power, calls upon the Sptos IN ,br;-
sovereign capacity TO interfere by their own nyo
This donunciatiOn, Mr. President YOU will pleo.o IN
observe includes our old Tariff of 1916 as well as
all others; because that established TO promote
the interest of the manufacturers of cotton IN ,bo
manifest anG admitted injury of the Calcutta cotton
trade Observe, again, that II the qualifications orc
here rehearsed and charged upon Tie tariff, which
are necessary TO bring the case within the oontIe
mans disposition. The tariffs us,rpation; il Is n
paiPabie usurpation; IT is deliberate usurpation
II is such ausnrpaiOn calls upon the States 10 cy
crcise their right Of intcrfcrencc.-IIerc is n case
thcI, WITHIN tie gcntlcmans principles, and all his
ton. The Constitution is PLAINLY dangerously. nal
paby, and deliberately violated: and the States must
ln'crposc their own authority TO arrest the law. Let
US suppose the state of South Carolina TO express
this same opinion, bv the voice of her Legislature
That would be very imposing, but what then, Is
the voice OF one State conclusive Ii SO haDpcns thar
at the very moment when South Carolina resolvas
that the Jarlf avs are unconstitutional Pennsylva-
MIA and Kentucky, resolve exactly the reverse.-
They hold those laws TO be both hrhly proper and
strictly constitutional. And now SIR, how does the
honorable member propose to deal with this case,
How does he get out of this difficulty, upon any
PfincipIc OF hIs! Ills construction gets us into il;
how does he propose 20 get us out?
In CaI'nla The tariff IS papabc deliberate usuTpaon;
CaIoina therefore, may nuyy and refuse pay the 1u
tes In Pennsylvania, IS boh clearly constitute ona and
highly cxpedeD and there, the duties are TO be psid-And
yet we live under government Of uniform laws and under
constitution, TOO, which contains express provision as
happens That all dUtes shall be equal III all tie Sae Does
no, this approach absurdiy.
there he settle questions independent Of
either Of the SIatcs 10 the whole Union ron. Of saod
Are we not thrown back again. precisely upon the old confed
plain nj ,,ya,,,,