Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-01
SECOND SPEECH OF MRssNEBSTER..
0y DIR Ros7'S REsOLU7Y0N.-sali

ant duiy, which Feel 20 be devOlved on me by
hi. ocoasieo. II is TO state, and TO defend,
VII 4 I conceive "a be the true primer piles OF hs
Cons tuition onder which We ate here assembled.
I might well have d. SIRED that SO weish'y q
TASK should have fallen into other and ADLER
hands. I could have wished that II should
have been executed by those, whose character
and experienc. give weight and influence TO
their opinions, such as cannot possibly
belong e mine But, sir, have met The &C.
casion, not sought it; and shall proceed to
state my own sentiments, without challenging
for hem any particular regard, with studied
plsinnes> and as much precision as possible
understand the honorable gentleman from
Sou,h Carolina 10 maiD'ain, thai ii is right
Of the State legislatures 10 interfere, whsnev-
er, in their judgment, this Government tran
sends its constitutional limits, and 10 arrest
the operation OF It's laws.
unders'a and him 20 maintain this right, az
a right existing under the Constitution; not as
right TO overthrow it, on The ground Of ex~
treme necessity, such as would justify violent
revolution,
l understand him to maintain an au hori,y,
on the par Of the STATES, thus 10 interfere, for
the purpose Of correcting the exercise Of pow
er by the General Government, OF checking il
and Of comp, Hing il 10 conform 10 their opin-
ion Of The extent offs powers.
understand him TO maintain, that the uti>
mate power Of judging Of the Constitutional
ex,rni Of its own authority. is not lodged ex-
clusively in the General Government, or any
biaoch Of il; but thar, on the contrary, the
State. may lawfully decide foi them elves, and
each State for itself whether, in a given case,
the act Of the General Government trznscends
lis power.
understood him 10 Insist. that If The ext
gency Of he case, in the opinion Of any Safe
Government, require il, such State Govern
ment NAV, by its own sovereign authority, an
null No act Of the General Government, which
il deems plainly and palp Ably unoops .itu;ional.
This is the sum If what 1 understand from
him To b. The South Carolina doc rine pro
pose to consider it, and to Compare il with
the Constitution Allow me to Say as a pre-
lim,nrty remark, that call this he Sou n
Carolios dc rine, only because the gentleman
himself has SO denom,uated il. l do no. feel
at li5ery - say, thal Suu'h Caroline a, a Stale.
has ever asvaUC'd these sentiments. hope
she mas no, and never may. That great ma
jori,y Vt her people are opposed TO he Tariff
law 81 doubtless true That q ma joriiy some
what less han that just mentioned, conscien.
CT sly believe THESE laws uuconstit uiional, may
probably also be true. But, ;ha. any majority
State discreuou, toe rIsh Of multiplying acts
OF Congress by acts Of Sac Legislation, is mere
than ] know, and what I shall be slow to be-
lisye.
That there are individuals, besides the hon
orabe gentleman, who do maintain these opin-
ions, Is QuTe certain. | recollect the recent
expression of sentiment, which circumsi an
crs attending lis utlerance and publication,
Jus ny Vs. m surprising was not unpremeditat
ed. The Sovereignty Of tie State; never To
" be controlled, construed, or decided on, but
"by nsr own feelings Of honorable Justice"
Mr.. HAyNE here rose, and said, that for
the purpose OF being clearly understood, he
would sae, hat his proposition was in tn
words Of he Virginia resolution as follows:-
" that this Assembly doth explicitly and perempto-
ry Jeciare, that 1t views the powers OF the Federal
Government, resulting from the compact, to which
the psrtes, limited by the plain and
inlenoH OF the instrument constituting that compact.
A. ~ farther valid than they authorized by the
frs enumerated IN that compact; ard that in case
of l. ocrste, paipable, and dsRge exercise of
other powers, not granted by the said compact, the
States WHO parties thereto, have the right, and
in duty bound interpose for srrestng the progress
OF ,he evil and for malntainin within their respective
limits. the authorities, rights. and Liberties apperta-
ing to them
MIR. WEBSTER resumed:
an qnlt aware, Nj. ftesideh', OF Tue ex-
islenee oil the resolution which the gentleman
read, aad has now repeated, ald that he relies
on IT,, as his authority. / know me source, too,
f.om which i, is understood TO have proceed,
ed need not say, ,ha' have much respec:
for the Constitutional opinions Of Mr.. Madison;
they would weigh greatly with me, always
Bul, b lore The a'ho,iiy Of his opinion be
youchcd tor the sentleman's proposition, it
viii be proper TO CONSIDER what is the fair in
terare,alIon OF that resolution, 10 which Mr..
NJ .d,son Is undsrs God 10 have given his sane
ton. As me gentleman co"strUes 1t, 1t is an
au noriy Tor him Possibly, ne may no. have
adopted the ngn' coes,rucuon' Nd, rese'u
tion declares, that in the case 81 the dangerous
xuerc,se of posce,s no, 'ansd By The General GoU
syam.ui. the States moy infsrposs 10 arrest tie
s,ca.,ss ef fAs sriL Blu, no" in'er2osr, and
.,. t,:ss his dc lar ion purpor,? Does j,
more, than that there may be extreme