Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-12-10
MT BAKER, of Montgomery, presented the 1

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 of the States; and fearful that unless some
 principle of compromise can be agreed upon,
 d state of things may ensuc, which every pa
 triot, every true friend of his country, ought
 most anXiously desire may not, and to pre-
 vent which ought to be their ceaseless endea-
 vors, deem it proper again to address you, and again to explain the views entertained by this State, as to the constitutional powers of Congress.
 One of the most invaluable privileges be- longing to freemen, and more particularly to those of these United States, is the rights guaranteed to them by the constitution, to ad- dress their fellow-citizens on the subject of their grievances, and demand redress for the same. That it has been so often exercised, and that no attempt on the part of Congress to abridge that right has been attempted, af- lords an excellent commentary on the nature of the constitution, and argues a devotion to the principles of civil liberty, which must gra- tify the feelings of all Americans. It is in no degree the wish of this General Assembly, to add fuel to that flame which already burns with such intensity in some portions of the Union, or to give encouragement to any DOT tion of the Union, to the pursuing of any course calculated to widen the breach already existing, and which cannot be sustained upon the most tunexceptionable grounds. Usurpa- tions of power, either by the General or State Governments, should be equally alarming to the true friends of freedom; and it is the in terest of all, unquestionably, always to be ready to resist it's approach. With much so- licitudc has the movements of a sister State been watched; and with much anxiety has this State viewed the increasing spread of doctrines which, if acted on, would produce q cris;c from, uhich copSpOueucpc mipht flow to this country, not easily to be foreseen; and to prevent which, something ought speedily to be done. In these times of danger and of peril, the country has right to require all the wisdom and all the patriotic efforts of her most enlightened sons. It has right to ap- peal to their philanthropy, to their love of country, and to demand that, they rally around the constitution. To this General Assembly, this appeal shall not be made in vain; and for the preservation of the constitution, they are ready to renew the pledge made by their fla thers to the country, of their "lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor"
 The tendency of the governments towards a firm consolidated government, has become the apprehension of sound refecting minds; and the States have become alarmed for their Integrity and sovereignty, seeing that Con- greSs claims and exercises powers not con- templated by the framers of the constitution. This is not the fear of few, but the well grounded apprehensions ofthe southern States; and this State cannot disguise the fact that she partakes largely in those feelings, and that she views the rights claimed by Congress on the subjects of the Tariff and Internal Im- provements, as opening field, boundiess as space itself; and to recognise such rights on the part of that body, would be to render use less all those guards provided by the constitu tion for the keeping of Congress within its FGe RGBnd d6 tRed Rad d o that ment, who supposed that in the written consti tuition the right of both the General and State Governments had been so well defined that no possible difference of opinion could arise. That Congress has gone on to the claiming of power after power, and as the southern States believe, without constitution al authority, is beyond question; at all events, the exercising of those powers has been per sisted in, in opposition to repeated remon- strances and petitions from the States, and untiring opposition from southern members in Congress. This repeated exercise ofpow CT has thrown dark and gloomy cast over the political horizon of the south. It has caused deep pervading excitement, and the awful term Dsunion, which should forever have slumbered in oblivion, has become quite familiar to those who ten years ago woud have been startled at its bare mention; and although a majority of the south would not now advo- cate such course, yet there IS evidence ot state of things of burning spirit, which none can observe without awful concern. The dis tant thunder and the faint glmmerings of dis tant lightning, admonishes us that storm may come And viewing as this Legislature
 h., pt nf tlc still sufficiently great to drive the life-blood freezing to the heart, it will proceed to de- tail the grievances of which they complain.
 In bringing before Congress the first great act of oppression of which we complain, the Tariff, this General Assembly is not una ware that the inquiry will be thrown back, why did the south aid in fixing on itself this system? and what right has it now to com plain of the grievous operation of policy, the work of it's own hands? To this we have to answer, that if the south has ever partici- pated in the creating of this system, it was at a period when the situation of the south was in the most prosperous condition; when just emerging from successful war, every heart beat high with national pride; that the south with that feeling of disntereste dness which has ever characterized it, readily yielded to the requests of the manufacturers, who came humbly suing for aid, willing to give por- tion of their own then rich inheritance to their Then common brethren. But this General Assembly cannot understand upon what prin- ciple it can be contended, that an act flowing from the best motives of generosity, can be construed into the concession of. right. Nor, is that an enviable feeling which induces that portion of the Union that has been nurtured by it, with the spirit and ingratitude of the viper, to sting unto death those that gave them life. But it is denied by this General Assem- bly,, that the south has ever yielded on any occasion, the right in Congress to pass laws for the protection of Domestic Industry. By
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