Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-06-09
NO. 10.

IzxnDWDzzrxzuzzxzxx zxx=nxzzzszsEnzzsnHc1
still how could it result, from the nature
of Il government not pure cOnfederacy,
but partly confederate and partly nation
al. Surely so far as it is national, the
nation is to determine whether the gov
ernment shall cease, or its operati )ns
be suspended, and not minority Of the
nation, as single State must be.
Will it be said that the theory Of the
Constitution, as thus interpreted, is un-
safe for the States and their independent
rights. That the power Of the General
Government (by this theory being ire
sistibc--and power being in its nature
ambitious and grasping, may, and will
absorb the power of the States
for this,-l suppose, is what is meant
by saying that the tendency of the Gen
oral Government is to consolidation
If this were SO, it would prove that the
structure of our government is defective,
and that some corrective for this defect
ought to be supplied; but surely it would
not follow that each State is to determine
what that corrective shall be; and when
and how it shall be supplied and applied;
for all defects in the Constitution, the
Constitution itself has prescribed the
course for obtaining the remedy.
But waving this, how il the theory of
the Constitution as thus interpreted un-
safe for the States and their independent
rights! 1t is true we may suppose such
an abuse of power in the general Gov
ernment, and by a conspiracy of all its
branches, at the same time, and for the
same purpose, as would put in peril the
States and their independent rights; and
so it would, and equally so, all our rights;
but then you must first suppose for such a
degree of corruption of human nature it.
self as is wholly incompatible with any
Government which is trust from the
People. For it s,lpposes corruption Of
the Legislature in both its branches-a
corruption ofthe Judiciary, and corrup-
ton of the Executive; and conspiracy of
all these to betray the delegated trust Of
the People, Now this is to suppose such
a degree of corruption in State itself,as
| repeat, is wholly incompatible with
Government which is trust, and to be
managed according to the trust. When
that degree Of corruption which is suppos-
ed takes place in State, from that mo-
ment that State is doomed to the misrule
of anarchy for a while, to be followed,
and quickly too, by the iron rule of des-
potism; and nothing human, nothing hui
man, l repeat can stay the hand of its des-
tiny; nothing short of Omnipotence him.
self, and his almighty arm, can stay it.
When that day shall arrive, the day thaa
shall witness such degree of corruption
in the whole body of our public admins
tration it will argue a correspondent de-
gree of corruption in the whole body OF
the people; and then we shall have no
reason to talk about state rights, nor any
rights; all, all, every right, state and ma
tional will be buried, or Fastening to their
burial in the same common grave; on that
grave we shall see planted the standard of
Dcspotism, unfurling its cnsigns to tho
breeze, and waving in triumph over the
buried rights of the nation. A gigantic ty-
ranny with his iron sceptre will then crush
this young and rising world. The wido
earth will feel the calamity and bewal
the extinction of the last best hope of hui
man kind. Thence hold, that State
rights and national rights are insepara-
bly, bound together in one common bond
of fate; together to live, or together to
perish:
''Tha, one faith, one fame, one fate shall both at
tend"
For, observe, the States and their indie.
pendent rights, can only be assailed
through the Legislation of Congress; there
the tyranny is to begin; there the law,
which is to usurp and cngross the appro-
priatc favor of the States, is to be pro-
pounded and passed; which law tho Ju-
dietary is to sustain and the Executive to
carry into effect. Now all the members
of the Legislature in both branches Of
Congress, they who are to make this law,
which is to begin this usurpation and ty-
ranny, como from the Pcoplc-shortly to
return to the People, and are themselves
u part of the People. Now who is tho
man, where is the man 80 infatuated as/
To give his vote for such law Ii would
be in him an act of political suicide-it
would be nn act of treason to himself, as
well rs TO his country--it would be an
act of self immohtion and without motive.
Unless he gave it as conspirator against
the liberties of his country. f-s
Where then is the danger TO the States
and their independent rights from tho
power Of the general Government adj
hitting il TO he what il has been explain
ed to be, and irresistible II is in fact no
where to be found hut in our iInagina-
tions; and in the supposition and picture
Of incredible cases. il appears TO mo
that onr iealonsins ON fhia head ariso