Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-05

pened spring up beyond the little limits OF my own Stac or
when refuse, for such cause or Tor any
the homage due American talent TO elevated patriot
isn TO sincere devotion liberty and tho country, or see
an uncommon endowment, OF hcaven-if see extraordinary
capacity vi,,ue OF the Southland If moved by
local prejudice gangrencd by State jealousy get up here TO
aba'e the 1.-THE of afr from his just character and JUS, e
may my tongue ceave roof of my mouth Sir let me
recur pleasing rccoleonsle nulse in refreshing re-
n'enhrance of tho ast-e remind you that IN carry tme
States cherished greater harmony boil, of pncp aud Of
feeling, than Massachusetts aud South Carolina Would to
God, that hafsony might again return Shoulder 10 soueT
they through the Revouonhand in hand they stood
round tho Administration of Washington aud felt his own
great arm lean on them for support unknd feeling u exist
alienation and dust the growth unnatural To such soils
OF false principles since sown They are weeds the seeds OF
which that same great arm never scattered
Mr. President, shall enter emcomhm upon Massa
chusc,.s-she needs There she -behold her, and
judge for yourselves There is her hory'he world knows
ny heart Fhe past at least is There Boston aud
Concord and Lexington and Bunke ll-and there they will
remain forever The bones Of her sons, falling IN the great
struggle for independence lie mingled will, the soil OF
every State from New Enslandto Georgia. and there they will
lie Tor ever And where American liberty raised its rst
voice. and where its youth nurtcd and sustained, there
still lives in the s'reng, its manhond and full of its orr
gnal spirit u discord and disuniom shall wound @ party
strife aud blind ambition shall hawk at and tear tiff folly and
madness-if neasness under sauary anniversary restraint
shall succeed to separate from that unon by which alone
its existence made sure, will stand the end, by the side
of that cradle in which its infancy rocked will stretch
forth its with whatever of still retain the
friends who gather round it, and will fall at last if fall ii
must amidst the poudest monuments of IFS own glory and
the very spot of its origin.
There yet remains to be performed, MIR. President
far the most grave and important duty, which feel
be dovolyed on me by this occasion 1t is to state
i
Piles of the Constitution under which are here as
sembled / might well have desired that SO wcighty
task should have fallen into other and aber hands.
could have wished that it should be executed by
those, whose character and experience give weight
and influence to their opinions, such posi-
bly, belong to mine But sir, have met the ooca-
sion, sought ii; and shall proceed to state my
own sentiments, without challenging for them any
particular regard, with studied planncss, and as
much precision as possible
understand the honorable gentleman from South
Carolina 10 maintain, that it is right or the State
Legislatures to Interfere, whenever their Judgment,
this Government transcends its constitutional limits,
and to arrest the operation OF its laws.
/ unders and him to maintain this right as right
existing under the Constitution, not right to
overthrow it, the ground of extreme necessity,
such would Justify violent revolution.
l understand him to maintain authority, on the
part of the Stalks, thus to interfere TO. the purpose
of correcting the exercise of power by the General
Governmnnt OF checking it and of compelling { TO
conform to their opinion of the of it's power
| understand him to maintain, that the ultimate
power of judging of the niitutiona extent of its
own authority, Is not lodged exclusively in the Cen
cra Government, or any branch of it, but that on
the contrary, the States may lawfully decide for them
selves and each State for itself. whether in given
case the act of the General Government transcends
| its power.
| understand him to insist that If the eXioency OF
the case, the opinion OF any State Government re-
qulre IT, such State Government may, by its own
sovereign authority, annul an act of the General
Government, which it deems plainly and papably
constitutional.
! This is the sum of what understand from him to
be tho South Carolina doctrine / propose to con-
slider it, AID to compare it with the Constitution.
| Allow me to say, Us preliminary remark. that call
this the South Carolina doctrine, only because the
| gentleman himself has denomiraled it. I do not
feel at liberty to say that South Carolina as State
has ever advanced these sentiments. ! hope she has
not and never may.--That q great majority of her
people are opposed to the tariff laws doubtless true
f,ot- -
toned conscentiousiy believe these laws unconsti
tutional, may probably also be true. But that any
majority holds to the right of direct State inefe
renee, at State discretion, the right of nufyingc
of Congress by acts of State Legislation is moro
! than know, and what shall be slow to believe
/ That there individuals, besides the honorable
gentleman, who do maintain these opinions, is quite
certain. rccollect the recent expression of sen
tment, which circumstances attending It's utterance
and publication, justify i'll supposinT was not un
premedHated The sovereignty of the State; never
| "to be controlled, construed, decided on, but By
4 s'her own feelings of honorable Justice"
| Mr. HAYNE here rose, and said, that for the pur.
/ pose Of being clearly understood, he would state
that his proposition in the words of the Virrn.
la resolution, as follows:
"Ihat this assembly doth explicitly and pcrcmpto.
Ty declare, that 1t views the powers of the Federal
Government, as resulting from the compact to which
the States are parties limited by the plain sense
ana intention OF the instrument constituting that
compact as no farther valid than they are authorized
ny The grants enumerated in that compact; and that
IN case of deliberate, palpable and tanoerous ex-
ercIse OF other powers not granted by the said
pact, the States who parties thereto have the
right and are in duty bound to nterpose for arresne
the progress of the evil and for ant aininr within
their respective limits the authorities rights and
Liberties appertanng to thenl."1
Mr.. WEBSTER, reSuHcd
am quite aware, Mr President, of the existence
OF the resolution which the gentleman read and has
now repeated and that he relies on it, rs his author
n.y. know the sourse, too from which it is under
God to have proceeded. need not say that have
much respect for the constitutional opinions of Mr.
ways. But, before tho authority of his opinion be
Vouched for the gentlemans proposition, it will be
proper to consider what the fair Interpretation OF
that resolution, 20 which Mr Madison is understood
to have given his sanction As the gentleman con-
strues IT, it is an authority for him Possibly Inc
may NOT have adopted the right construction. That
resolution declares, that in Tie Of Tie dangerous
creretSe g. Po0ers not granted by me Generul Con-
II. The States MI n,