Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-19


the general government is the exclusive udp. ~,
extent Of the powers delegated to il, stop Moth.
short of despotism; since he discretion o. tbosa t
administer the Government, and not the Cop,i,r,.'
would be the measure Of their powers. That tho y"
ve,al States who formed that instrument BEING so.'
eign and independent. have the mquesonsbe ROB.
to Judge of its infracon, aud that nullGca,on e."
those sovereignties, Of all unauthorized acts done urs
colour of that instrument is the rgh,fuI remedy"
Time and experience confirmed Mr.. Ies.,
sos's opinion on this all important point. !,
the year 1921, he expressed himself in hi, en-.
pha,ic manner. sit is fatal heresy 10 ,u,,
"po,e that either cur State Governmeh,, ars
" superior 10 the Federal, or the Fedrr.l to n.
" Stale; neither is au' horised literally 10 decj5,
" wha' brlongs to itself or its coparrner 10
" Cove, nment; in dferences of opinion, BE-,
tween their different sets Of public .er,sp,<
" the appe al is TO nrirer, bu to th,ir e.npIov.
" er. peaceably assembled by h r rrpresr,,.
"uves in Convention" The opinion Of II,
Jefferson on ibis subject, ha, been So repe,,tt.
Iy and so soIemnly expressed, that they mayb.
said 10 have been among the most fixed end
settled convictions Of his mind.
In the protest prepared by him Cor the L,
gi,ialure Of Virginia, in December 1925, in
respect 10 he powers exercised by the Federal
Government 10 relation 10 the Eariff and ius
nal Improvements, which he declares 10 b.
Z" usurpa,ons Of the powers retained By the
states. mere inlerpolarions into he con.,sg
and direct infractions Of i,,"-he snlemly re
asserts all he principles Of the Fugini- reso
Ia ions Of go protests against " these acls Of
| tho Fedrr al branch OF the Government as nun
and void, and declar's that although Virgipn
would con slider dissolution Of The Union 4,
am, NC the greatest calami.Ies tina, could bef
hrm, vet il is not lhr greatest. There il u;
O greater-su 10 a government d
unlimited powers. II is only en- he hop,
of this shall become absolutely dtsprrae
tina, further forbearance could not be ladg.
grd
In his letter to Mr.. Giles, written about ID,
same time, he says:
"I see, rs you do, and with the deepest aiiictO.
the rapid strides with which the Federal branch of o
Governme mt is advancing towards the usurpaiion OA
the rights reserved to the States and the consod.O
in itself of all powers foreign and domestic, snd that
too by constructions which leave limits to the.
powers, &c. Under the power to regulate comnees
they assume indefinitely that also over agriculture m!
manufactures, &c. Under the authority to est4bI4
post roads, they claim that of cutting down mountains
for the construction of roads and digging canals &C
And what is our resource for the preservation Of M
Constitution Reason and argument! You might
well reason and argue with the marble columns ehes
cling them, &c Are we then to stand to our A'h'
with the hot hesded Georgian No and | sy ~
and South Carolins has said mol that must be tbs hs
resource. We must have patience and long endurius
with our brethren, &C. and separate from our comt
ons only when the sole alternatives left are dsG
ton of our Union with them, or submission to Coz
ernment without limitation of powers. Betweenth,s
two evils when we must make = CHOICE there can /.
no hesitation"
Soch sir, are the high and imposing author
tiles in support Of The Car"lina docrIn', 'Shnh
is in fact he doctrine OF the Virgins Resola
lions Of 1898.
Sir, at that day the whole country was dive.
ed on This very question. /, formed the line
demarkation between the federal and 'epubI-
can parties, and the greet political re'ov'h
which then took place turued upon 'As SsI
cues, ion involved IN these resolutions. ina
question was decided by the people, aOo"
that decision the Constitution was IN The en-
phatlc language Of Mr.. Jefferson "sa"d a. "
las, gasp" should suppose sir. II Would"
quire more self respect than any gentleman
would be willing TO assume, 10 trea' "I''
doctrines derived from such high source
Resting on authority like hi, ! VIII ~
gentlemen whether South Corollna fH !"
manifested high regard Tor The OnIo"'"p'
under a tyranny ten tunes more grIe''os ~"
the alien and sediion laws, she has hi'' A.
gone no further than to petition, rem"I"''
and solemnly 10 protes, against se'Ies OIL "'.
sures which she believes 10 be wholly UNIV
s,ilu,ional and utterly destructive "l h'' w."
esis. Sir, South CaroI;na has mol gon, '"
step further than Mr.. Jefferson hlmse" '"
disposed to go, in relation 10 the very sOT
Of our present complaints-uot sep '.
Than the statesmen from New EngIan0
disposed to 60 under similar tTeuh'''
no further than the Senator from Ma'''t"'
selts himself once considered as wi'"nh r.,
limits Of a constitutional opposi''oh
doctrine that it is the right OF Sale 70
of the viola ions Of the Constitution o" "" r
Of the Federal government, and to prov prov,
ci,iz~ns from the operations OF unco"slh'"
laws, was held by the enlightened ei'D' :,
Bos, on, who assembled in Faneull han ." ,,
25th. January 1909. They state IN "a
b. a,ed memorial, that "lhey looked o"l d.
S,a'e Legislature. who were eomte's"'
wise relief against the uncons'tu'Ion'' w. 80,
the General Government That y''' m
(ssy thew is adequate 10 that obls,' ne
from the organization Of the conteos'ar'
Ger, one