Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-03-31
Virginia Legislature.
PROTEST


nate OF Virginia. | Richmond Wing.
William NJ McCarty, Esq a senator from
the District composed Of the counties of Faif-
| far aud Loudoun, entered the following Pro-
test ar ainst the amendment 10 the bill entitled
" Al act, To incorporate the Staunt on aud Po-
tomac Raj Road Company" which was propo-
sod by Nj Dromgoole. and agreed TO by the
Senate. on Saturday last.
| " and provided. also, That nothing in thi.
act contained shall be construed 40 as 10 au-
tborisoIhe commissioners desig nated IN he frat
| section, 10 empower the Stanton and Polo
mac Raj Road Company 10 receive any sub
scuption Of stock on the part oil the Govern
ment of the u. states. and should the SAID com
psny permit OF receive any subscription. all
rights Il privileges herein granted, shall there
upon cease aud determine"
| MuTARE VEL riMERH sPERNo.
| The Government oi the Unltsd States, from
| its foundation To the present time, has claimed
aud exercised the power, either 10 make or To
| aid ~ the construction ot works oil INTERNAL In
movement 1hs most enig htenod Statesmen
Of all parties including nil Of our ffesidenls,
have conceded this power, and the Legislature
of Virginia has done much TO SANCTION me con
struction and to invite within her boiot the
| application ni Federal Funds. In tue winter
OF 1926 aud 1927, our Legislature passed Gel
|
opposite construction OF The tois''uiionhl
powers of the General Government. How lar
these Resolutions have contributed 20 tue en-
couinyement OF tue nnlfying doctrines oil
| Sister 5 ate or how lar they are intended 10
| nhye the way for the adoption Of The pfine'-
| pies embraced III his amendment, would mere
he an Improbable enquiry, i, vii be SUN
cen, Tor tue present occasion, TO remark that
these Resolutions. not having The bndns force
aud effect OF law, the minority III this state
| were lett tree 10 indulge Ia heu oplnlo"s, anu
TO receive from the Federal GoveTnmont any
aid 10 which they might cnnsid Ih'mnelfes
legally and co0sinllon"ily fhnll"u. ba'
majority OF the 3 nate have done by law, lhni
winch .suld not bo entcled by tho former 'eso-
lution, Those resolutions argued the question,
and persuaded the minority TO give up thea
op,oiuna 1hlsla", wiihout Argument or per
suss,on. Commands them. II they shall still
refuse 10 surrcnd der ia II opinons,nnd renounee
their JUS, claims upoa the General Government,
| they are told that they shall never more have
| fo,n The State Legislature an Act OF lncorpo-
I,,,ou To construct ronds on which TO trans
port their c, ops 10 market II this Illuminating
condition BIZ not coupled with, they are told
that their rights aud privilege ms h an
act OF Legislative proiheuoh, shaH lheieup-
! on ,ease aud determine The ayowed ohjec
| Il
to annlnllate the power OF Cougtass over this
subject, aud TO preserve our cilizenS from lhe
cunta mlnating influence Of The unconstitutional
acts Of the General Gosernnen','
There ia certainly n wide difafence between
nulfying the power OF Congress to pass u lna 4,
and nulhfying the law alter Il Is passed. The
| former il the doctrine commended for ia the n
mrndmeni The latter IL that commended for
in south Caroline. To both, nm decidedly
| opuosed But the means by which the tormer
| ia TO be accomplished are more Objectionable,
| than those which nave been Indicated Tor the
! sccumplshmenl ul tbs latter. The power Of
, Congress over ihs 1n9Jfct' Is TO bs annihilaied
nv lei iylating tho minority ou, Of their con
| sc,entious convictions, that Congress has The
| " uowrrn 10 arb them III their patriotic aud
Ludable eifori, u construct works OF public
and general utility. As CiiZeUs OF the Union
| contributing Tia If lair proportions 10 the public
| nurse they believe that they are entitled, with
o,her citizens Of other States, to for parilci-
| nation IA the legitimate dsbuTseme0ts OF The
| common treasure. They believe that they owe
10 the Federal Government, the same alegi-
.nc. that They owe 10 he oiale Government,
| and they feel fbr both u hke affection. They
beIeye that they are equally bound to sustain
! these Governments, aud that they have ~ turn,
an caual clBim upon Their patronage aud sup
! port 10 their respective sphsfes OF acton. BIi
| ,bis amendment demands AS the price OF an act
! OF incarceration from the slate Government,
the surrender OF their opinions, together with
their pecuniary hts aud privileges IN the
! Federal Government
! The amendment is intended also, TO preserve
them apanst then will, from the " contaninal.
ing influence OF the unconstitutional acts oi the
J General Government
Tins. have the Senate, considered il erpe-
dent, by an act Of Assembly, TO prescribe for
the minority, particular forms OF thought aud
OF aciion, 10 " preserve them from c0n'ami-
mating influence which they cherish. with all
the foudness of an ardent and devoted patri1-
fam. Henceiorib would this branch of tho
Legislature restrict them in their oJinions, Of
thu mowers OF the Federal Government over
thi, subieci," according to the provisions OF
I an Act entitled An act, IL incorporate the
Siaun,on and Potomac Rail Road Company
This amendment is the work of a majority Of
The Senate who represent a sjority Of the
peoplr Their particular constituents are pre-
suned TO sanction the ACT. 1hey, then, are
not TO he tue sufferers, bull the amendment iis
principles aud its consequences, are to operate
upon tie minority. lhe minoTitIeS III this
State, by whatever party appella'Ions they
have been distinguished, have al all tines been
the victims ii a cruel, peraevering and relenl-
less policy. They nave been excluded from
all stations of honor, profit and irust-Their
opinions, their patriotism, have been scohed
and decided They have seen the taxes they
have contributed taken from the public chest,
to pay baud OF public officers, selected eIcln-
sively from that majority, who had been their
oppressors. They nave received back no part
OF II, to pay officers selected from among them
selves and il one of the prescribed has been
oc easionally promoted from tbs ranks Of citi-
zenshr, he owed his ee yalion TO a rnomsntary
hstlessnrss, or to the sudden psngs of heetlng
r.norse. his policy, while 1t held out prem
ums 10 apostacy, ponshed us wees, the cafdi'
nal virtues oil honesty and Independence. The
mino NV man of this Republican Common
| wealth. has endured the same disanalhcations.
| ,na ANNA lsfran e Isensnls. winch the LIZ ish