Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-08-16
CONTINUED.

I
ton, on .M,nday Juiy4. 1881. by the Hon WIL-
Linn DRAYTO.N:
tCoNriNUED1
The Virginia Legislature. ia their Sd Rpsolu,iop
declare: that in ct a deliberate pnlpab q ond
dangerous exero'e Of powers, not granted bv he
euerai Compaci, the SAFES no are paroles her
h0oe me right, aud in duty bound TO int, nos
y0r drTeStng The progress IF The epi aud for main.
tanning within their respective limits the su,hcr,ie,
rights and liberties a. erainiog TO them" In the
Resolution, they dsrounce the Alien snd : d;,,or
Acts as unconsi utcbal xsreises of power; aud tb.
hnaiiy, protest agaiast sdoe Ac'e 40 pai9abEs and
alarming in'rsc fons Il she Cln'u ion.' By de.
hoeTdfe PapI6fe and dangerous exercise OF powers
not granted 10y he Federal Compac'," 'hs Virginia
Assembly understood such vie atoms of the Cons,iI,
on az manifested deliberate intention on The part of
the q neral nment, to assume royets so paIn0-
oily usurped, for dangerous purpo,es M 10 r.mva a.
pos ibi iy OF dcub, the motive and N. otirc-
As II Congress should suspend the writ of habeas cor
pus, N time OF profound peace, when neither rebel
non nor invasion were approximations pass bin of
atIainder-or lay tax directly exports - or make il
treason Tor the people TO remonstrate as anst the pro
ceedngs OF the Senate and House of Representaiive
&c That such acts as these were mean, bv the Vir
GIN Legislature, ID not the passage OF a law deem
ed by State, or by States, to be unconstitutional is
evident from their language and conduct. They de-
clare That 1.-THE Alien and Sediion Laws ara palpabie
and alarming iniraciiops of the COns,iuiion"-lhat
power 70 en@ei them no where dc eg ed the Cen
eral Gsvernmeni." Had hey CONSIDERED these Ia ws
70 nave originated In a denberae intention TO usurp
powers subversive of the Constitution the cribs would
nave arrived, which IL referred to- in I'll. third r. So
'u'iOh Wben ihey were 10 duty bound
sress OF NE evil by appalling 10 the last resort Sc
css'cn from the Union Instead If pursuing This sours
they leave the Alien and Sediion Laws ia mn on.rs
uon-do not, in any manner 'arrest their prosress {"
ano SIMPLY make their protest against them which by
iher own declarations is can expression OF their opin-
ION nnaccompanied with any Other effect, than whai
II msy produce on public opinion, by excng ref c.
Non. ln enumsra'inS the means which mig have
been employed ''withn ihe uis of he CoDs,i,u,op
which are detailed al length ia lh-ir r. po, The Y,r
MIA Assembly neither express nor in the reIo,. a, d.
v. n a nh All, NJ IA
ou' laws The constitutional modes of in,erposirS in
tAe opinoc 81 the L"gi,la,urs Of Virginia re The
to'io"ing; "Ths Legislature % the ses might have
mace orec epresentaiion TO Co0gr-.; or they NIGH
have repres nted TO thsC respective Senators in Con
gfess ,heir wish that woihrds thereof would o. ooose
an explanatory amendmenf to the Consti uton: or two
thirds OF themselves II such had been their op,ion
nigh, by an application 10 CoBgres. have obtained
convention Tor the same b-ct UuderstapdpS he az
eeebia fd kesolu,ions in the which have sat
ed yied to then my ul ascent, with hi, aodi ion
ha' n my opinion ihe ri ht OF STATE 70 separate from
the Union, u not restricted 10 the Gaze sol d.ber.
ate, papabie and dangerous int, action of the FeJ,a
CompAc but that State PAS this ghi wheoeyer
power directly granted by the Constitution Is 30 on.
pfetsVeIy exercised as,o render the Union an intoe
rHoIe burthen 10 her instesd ben. 81, Bu, this
night springs MOI from the Constitutional was soeval
with the formation OF society was proclaimed n n .
declaration Of lniependencs--and will continue un-
w. 'oE ny syn in2ss nov Uallsd s es SHAH be
crushed by me iIon rule OF conquetug despoi.
sp, ak with unqualified confidence o. he sorrec.-
ness OF my ion OF The Virginia Re ,ouiious as
1t 49, Ia us utmost extent, recognized ny Nj Madison
himself, who was The autho- OF them, in ist;er wri
ten by him in Angus 1880. | appeal to higher
ties imOny, for perhaps there is individual living 10
whom 'hs possession OF solid learning sound jud nj
clear dse5imna ion an uDin ab'e integrity, will
viii BE- more generally allowed, than 10 Mr. MAd'son.T
-As the Virginia Resolutions are confidently relied
upon as precedent for the measures now recommended
in "the Exposition" will state the substance OF them
and of their accompanying Report, more fullv than 1
have in the body OF the Address.
The Resolutions Immediately pertinent, are the Sd
the 9th, the Tn and the Sh, which are in these words
3D. Resolution "Ihis Assembly doth explicitly and
peremporiy declare that it views the powers of the
Federal Government, as resulting from the compact TO
which the States are parties, limited by the plain
sense ana intenuono The instrument constituting that
compsc; as no farther valid than they authorized
by the grants enumerated in at compact; and that i'm
case oil adeiberate papabe and dangerous exercise OF
Other powers, not gran ed by the said compact the
states who parties thereto have the right and are in
duty bouRd TO intepose for arresng the progress of
the evil and Tor maintaining within their limits
the authorities rights aud liberties appertaning them
he 9th Resolution. "Ihe General Assembly doth par
tculary protest against the papable and alarming nrac-
tons OF the constitution, in the two late cases OF the
Alien and Sedion Acts, passed at the last session of
Congress- the first of which exercises power no where
delegated TO the Federal Government; and which by
uniting Legislative and judicial powers TO those of the
Executive, subvers the general principles of free
government, as well az the particular organization and
positive provisions OF the Federal Constitutions and the
other Of which Acts exercises, in like manner a power
not delegated by the Constitutions; but on the contrary
expressly aud positively forbidden by one of the
Amendments thereto. power which, more than any
olher ought to produce universal alarm because il is
levelled against that right OF freely examining public
Characters and measures and of free communication
mong the people thereon, which has been ever Justly
deemed the only ehecual guardian of every other
right" The 7th Resolution. g hat the good people
OF this commonwealth having ever felt and continuing
TO feel the most sincere affection for their brethren of
the other States the truest anxiety for establishing and
perpeuating the union OF ALL and the scrupulous
hdeIy 10 That constitutions which is the pledge of
ial friendship, and the instrument OF mutual happi-
ness; the General Assembly doth soemnly appeal to
the like disposition in the other States, ia confidence
thai th W IL cOucut ia tbs CO-.mOnWs Anh in
srit does hereby declare that the Acts afort
said are Unconstitutional; ard that lbs necessary and
pro- mea'ures Will be ekeo by each, serat-
Jog WITH his IT., IN maintaining unimpsif,d. tn,
authorities, rights aud liberties fe'sfvrd 10 the 'tes
respectively, or 10 tie people" The 9Th Resoluli1u
" That the GOveu)c be desired ~ transmit copy OF
the fore going Resolutions to The Executive Auth fily
of each OF ,hs ohsr alas, with request hai he
Of and hat copy be furnished 20 each Of the Sena-
tors and Reprrssni aves representing this s. ao in The
Congre.s OF 'hs U1ited Safes"
The Lesisla urs Of Ygnia after receiving he an
swers OF several of he SAFES to lhti, Rssouons ere
solved that the General assembly having carefully and
eepettuy attended the proceedings Of number Of
h. dt's, in answer to their Rssolu Of ID eember
81, l19S, add having accurate and July re-tx
iued and -cOnideTed the laer God 10 be ~ r in
dspsussbls duty TO adhere 10 tho sans founded
Tu n, consOnaut wi h tae Constitution, and az
Jucivo 20 its prescryaot add more especially be
their du renew, and they do hereby renew, their
pro egs against ihe - lien and edition Aol as pslpa.
bic aud alarming nfrasions Of The Constitution "
b, keeping IN view the rights possessed by the
STATES be yond tho constitution, and consistently with
,hs Conli uton, seems 10 me, that there will be no
Difficulty IN understanding the true nature OF ihe VII.
einii Resolutions,