Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-12-03
&tct,,uo,rU EWbt0.


FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER }, 1880.
uJ'The reader will see in another column he let
ter OF the venerable General Sumter, on the nuifi
cation doctrne-extorted from HIM, no doubt If not
dictated to him-by those who propose 10 grace and
strengthen desperate and odous cause by the at-
thorty Of his name.
IL Is instructive to witness tho progress of human
opinion Until Mr. p. p Bnrbour n few years uyo.
vcntured, in the plenitnde of his hair splitting pro-
ponsity to question the constitutionaity of the Tariff
such an idea lad probably not entered dozen heads
1t however was adopted by many, who wished il TO
0c true, and in few years has rpened into IN incon
trover''be axom No man who respects his popu.
larity thinks of calling it in question.
The multiplying doctrine was started in the same
accidental way. and found favor from the same eau
SEES, until when only few years old, we find such n
man as Gen Sumter holding the following Ian
guage:
"That the Legislature (says the GeneraD as
sovereign power can nulfy the unconstitutional acts
OF the General Government, is the primary and prin
cipnt doctrine Of the State Rights Party"
So 60. That which is speculation II aov
becomes doctrine Tomorrow. What saw our States
Rights entlemrn-particulary our Barbour, orr
Richie, and the rest of the real Simon Purcs-,o
this unconditional, unqualified position Of General
do not, cannot-but why do they not attack it,
fhey who so beaborcd Massachusetts in 1913. for
similar heresy--whose keen and sagacions noses.
scent danger to the Constitution and States r iphts
IN every breeze that comes from Kentucky, BIS
ton-how Is 1t, that this titutionll doctrine SO
new, so absurd, so manstrous, Overwhelmingly
dangerous, that if it prevail Union and Constitution
arc gone together-has failed to provoke more than
the gentlest and midest Specification of dissent?-
Had Massachusetts, set up such a pretension what
would his Honour Judge B,rbour, have said to it. in
that late va ledctory in which he took occasion to
treat Of federal politics? Were Henry Claw tho
advocate of such doctrine, would he be studously
sparedl Judge Barb,ur's farewell address, was par
ticularly devoted to the consideration of State and
Federal relations: is it not subject Of amazement
that in treatise such subject-writtcn at such
time-wth such nominni intcntions-he should
wholly. and absolutely, pretermt thr question of
fcation remarkable in its nature, so threaten
ing in its consequences, occupying much of public
attention, and supported by con sderabe for
reputation and talent? The honorable gentleman is
panic struck at the symptoms of consodatiou-he is
horribly alarmed and agtated by the Tarf-(whch
by the bye, he helped to establish, whether good OF
bad) and roads and canals freeze him with consterna-
tion-but upon this doctrine of nulication-h his
monstrous pretension Of one State to annul law OF
Congress-whch does not merely aim dagger q,
the Union but punges it up to tho hilt in its heart
--upon Ibis, the gentleman, (f he does no, survey il
with favor looks with the most philosophc tranqu
ty! In professscd treatise on national politics he
does not consider it OF consequences enough to merit
one single word of remark! All the patriotic fears
and tremblings, and horrors, and night mares, tina
shake him md rid: him cruelty, inspired by the
Tariff and Ronds and Canals Strange! that on,
whose nerves arc unsrung by the COMPUTATIONS o
his own BRAIN by spectres and COLLINS that exist M
where else-shoud stand composed and unmoved, il
the presence of armed assassins!
There must be for this wonderful incon
gruity, fit were worth ones while to look for it.