Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-07-16

vent any mlstzke) "The several States that framed
ma. instrument, the Federal Constitutions, being
reign an9 Independent, have the estioaabe ryh,
70 judge OF s inirac,ions and notification by those
Soveregnties. Of all Unauthorized acts done under CO.
or Q. that instrument Is the righYi remedy" pre-
sumo we shall hear no more Of "nulic alton" being
medern invention and the Carolina doctrine. will
perhaps, lind more favor in the eyes OF some, when
traced to the Virginia and Kentucky Re.oIu,ioc. nj
9S and 80. But the true import and extent of this
doctrine 1t seems to me, has also been greatly misrep.
resented. The advocates of State Rights have been
as cor'endng for the right OF State, to
peal az pleasure, all or any Of tho Acts OF Congress
and the consequences Of the exercise of such an
'hory has been made the subject of and
OF sarcasm Now, as lar az L know, no advocate of
State Rights has ever contended that the exerc.e If
the Legislative powers OF Congress in relation To the
Army, the Navy, Notifications, the Post Office the
Judiciary the regulation of Commerce, in relation to
war or Peace or any othr matter. expressly confded
by the Constitution to the Federal Cove rnmen can be
lawfully arrested or stayed by any power whatever IL
has never been doubted denied that the acts of the
Federal Government within the lodged sphere
OF i's authority, obligatory upon the States nor that
me laws OF Congress "made in pursuance of the Con-
suution are the supreme laws Of the land" But il has
been commended that in an extraordinary case where
the powers reserved to the States under the Const-
tuition, are usurped by the Federal government and il
comes 10 be question Of conflicting claims TO
~, II is the right Of State" and in proper case
would become ga solemn duty" not only dto Judge OF
the nfractions Of the Constitution but TO interpose its
authority Tor the OF ts reserved rights
the Federal Government shall confne it's operations TO
matters clearly Federal and in which all of us have
common interest, no collision could possibly arise II
Is only when they doubtful powers not
~ granted; when they (who alone possess
the power TO make i refuse o appeal to the source
OF power" which Gen. Jackson we'll considers +" az
The most sacred OF all oblgatons"-that il could
even become necessary that State should interpose
Tor arresng the progress Of the evil" until such time
as (according to the idea Of Mr.. Jesrson) Conven-
ton assembed at the cal! Of Congress- or twobrd of
the States, should decide 10 which they mean 10 give
an authority claimed by two of their organs" In an
extreme case like this there is other possible
Inaa sl,..fL a..
rsht viii be found indispensable 10 the of
the reserved rights of the State though its exercise
ought to be, and will be restrained by all the
uons oil prudence and OF patriotism, which must make
the interest, il will be the duty Of State not to
take such high ground until the only alternative left /.
10 assume IT, or " to submit to Government without
limitation oil power IL does appear TO me- i'm the
language OF MIR Madison's Report that If the DELHI
era'e exercise oil powers papaby withheld by the Con.
su'ion could not justify the parties to it, to interpose
even so lar "a 10 arrest the progress Of the evil and
maintain the rights and liberties appertaning to the
States as parties 10 the Cons uon and thereb to pre-
serve the Constitution ITSELF there would be an end
10 All relief from usurped power" This power may
he liable to abuse, though while the Constitution
he expounded fairly, aud Justly administered-aud the
Union shall be lett as common blessing, hardly con
sder II possible that it should be abused but
mat may be, IT Is certainly less liable to abuse than the
power claimed the other hand for the federal gov
eminent; II IL less liable TO abuse than the power daily
exerted by bare majority OF the Judges of the SUI
preme Court of annuling only the acts of Congress
but OF every State in the Unsn-and il is moreover in
usphsaoiy necessary Tor the OF the
ed rights OF the States and of the people, unless il il in
tended that these shall be held al the me of the Fed
| era Government
will put strong aud let gentlemen point ou,
u they can the "righul remedy" according to their
principles. The Treasury being filled by taxes limos
eh upon YOU under all the forms OF the constitution
me noneysfs appropriated to purchase the freedom Of
your slaves, Tor the purpose OF colonizng IN I'm in
rc' You are TO be paid for your property with mo.
hey Drawn from your own pockets, until the money il
exhausted, and your property gone WHAT'S the RENE
s1Jy t..o sba
SIDE, II IS your duty to submit The Supreme Cour,
mas no Jurisdiction over the Act levyng the tax (for
IKE 'ne farm, purports to be for revenue
'hat approprilng the money. The Federal Govern
ment has decided the law TO be consu,ional-it has
been sanctioned by the will of majority the supreme
law S,ate mas no right " to Judge of the nfrac
! what then?-Your are bound TO subnit-No saw zen
uemen you musi rebel-you have still {" the right o.
rebellion leh,-a sovereign Sate' guilty of rebel
nom thus you zee, gentlemen that il comes to this
that State. or the people of State have 70 mean.
lett OF preserving the rights expressly reserved TO them
by the teriis OF the compact hut by mourning the gI,
and merting the fate Of Traitors unless indie their
son shall be sancied by success and the free citizens
sovereign State have precisely the same remedy
Tor the preservation Of their constitutional rob, "a tbs
slaves OF some eastern des posm-rebeIliouy
Leaving this topic, proceed 10 make few brief re.
marks IN alton TO the course which the Representa-
tives from South Carolina have found tn seive.
ed upon to pursue. From the session of '23 '2l wber
the " American System,' in is two branches Of the
Tariif and Internal Improvement became, az we have
| Re
re@enatves have been compelled to sruggIe with
ul Odds and under the mcs discoura ging crcums,an
ces against measures which the people of South Caro-
Una had IN their primary assemblies denounced "a sun
constitutional, oppressive and unjust" and which the
Legislature, after repeated remonsrances and prote
had soemny declared 10 be " so gross a violation n
the rights OF the people, and palpahle usuroaiion
powers not graned, that the measure, TO be pursued
consequent on perseverance in this system were
purely questions OF expedency, and not Of
and that I" they were only then restrained from the as
seron OF the sovereign rights of the state by the hone
mat the magnanimiiy and justice Ct the good peope
oil the Union, would effect abandonment of a system
partial IN Its nature, unjust in i's operstion and not
within the powers delegated TO Congress ' Instruct.
ed Gentlemen, as your Representatives have been. "a
MAINTAIN these sentiments they have enIeavore ed 10
support them with fidelity due 10 the on of the
deliberate opinions OF their constituents and zeal pro.
poroned TO their conviction Of heir truth s. importance
They have nevertheless, been condemned 10 wi,nes IS
the repeated failure OF all their exerions; their
TO the "magnanimy and jusice Of their bre Ina
been made in vain, and they have been left under The
painful conviction OF the truth of Mr. Jeersons asser.
Ton, that reason and in opposition TO this sys
tenn oil egaized plumber, might just well have be
addressed "o the marble columns which surround mn
legislative halls" We have been compelled Gentle
men, to see the system of hnpOsts designed by the
Constitution for raising revenue openly perverted N The
purpose OF laying the agriculture and commerce of the
country and especially Of the Southern States under
contribution 10 the manufacturers. We have seen the
system OF Internal improvement, which came recon-
nended TO ne by the fair promise of unnumbered hes
sings, degraded into "dgraceful scramble, for The
public money, and threatening speedily to become in
The prophetic language of Mr. Jefferson ga source Of
boundless patronage TO the Executive Of iobbjng IN
members OF Congress and their friends and a bottoles
abyss OF public moneya source OF eternal scramble A.
mong the members who get monev yvas,sd l.,