Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-12-22


will OF that majority is unrestrained,
and that government n suffered to
search through their own records. for
presidents upon which to found their
claim To power. and thus melt away
the solder Of The Federal chain. by
making that constitutional now. be.
cause heretofore the same acts have
been done by themselves, il is equiva-
lent to the actual destruction Of that
instrument, and the substitution Of .
unrestrained in its powers,
and unlimited in it's sway. II is even
now strongly insinusted that the States
cannot interpose TO arrest an unc onsti.
tutional measure If 30, there 10 al
ready no limit to Federal power. and
our short experience has thewn us the
utter insuiiciency Of all restraints up
on parchment.
Virginia resisted the usurpations Of
England and encountered the hazard
of war for political existence, and
sought to guard against Oppression, that
her citizens might enjoy the liberty
which belonged to them, aud appsopri.
ate to their own use that which their
labor had earned. The Tariff law, Of
which all the Southern States so Justly
complain, 10 calculated to take from
our citizens the profit they earned by
their industry, and is also a violation
OF the Constitution. Not only has
this been done, but laws have been
passed appropriating the public money
for purposes foreign to, and unwar.
ranted by, the Constitution. Agents
have been appointed 10 negotiate Urea
ties without consulting the Senate
and proportions have been made to
seize upon the surplus revenue in the
Treasury Of the United States, to be
divided among the States according to
representation. though some Of them
export nothing, and consequently con.
tribute little to that fund-which is in
reality reducing the States to the con-
dition of vassals and pensioners, paid
by funds illegally exacted from them.
1T these laws, these acts, and this
claim to power. be constitutional, the
Constitution of the United States has
been misunderstood, and is insufTici lent
to accomplish the objects for which il
was designed-that Of preserving our
liberties and our rights IF they are
unconstitutional, the Federal Govern
ment has usurped the rights Of the
States, aud by constituting itself the
sole judge Of it's powers, has created
new political system, subvcrsive Of
that to which allegiance is due.
1t legislative expediency is to tri-
umph over constitutional rights. and
the obligation Of oaths be disregarded,
then all human means for the security
Of liberty will avail US nothing, and
freedom is gone forever.
We may see these laws continued
by States. combining to advance their
own local interest, and using their
power to Cypress the minority. which
would then be without redress. These
considerations ought not to be disre.
garded, At least by the Southern States,
who are the minority, but the produ.
GERS and exporters Of the products
which bring into the Treasury the
wealth, to obtain which, all the safe
guards Of liberty are about to be crum
bied to pieces. No State has made so
many sacrifices for this Union az Vir-
ginia, 10 which she has been so much
devoted. She has calmly awaited the
period when q returning sense Of JUS
tee would lead to an alienation Of her
ourthens, and an abandonment Of those
measures. Calling as
the oppression has been, under which
we have lab0red, we have been con
tent 10 make our situation know n ,hro'
our members ia Congress, and by lie.
gislative resolves. Heretofore the pub
lie debt has been the pretext for this
oppression. Now, however, it is upon
the eve Of extinction, when for the sake
of union. 1T not justice, we hone a
change in these fatal measures. But.
fear, doomed TO disappointment, we
must now prepare to Combat a scheme
which has been suggested, and has en-.
listed or Is likely TO enlist, strong in.
terest IN ITS support. I refer TO the
scheme of distributing the surplus re.
venue among the States. The legisla.
lures OF two Of the largest States have al.
ready expressed for II their approval; &
the President Of the United States has
recommended u 20 Congress in his two
last annual messages. No scheme
could be devised more ruinous TO Us
and the other Southern States, than
this. Should il be adopted, all hope
OF relief from this oppressive system Of
measures will have vanished, az each
year will show results which will pre-
sent the strongest sllurements 10 their
increase those who contribute least,
VIII be tempted TO urge forward the
most oppressive expedienis to increase
their portion Of the spoil-whiIe those
who pay most, at best receive back bu,
a small portion Of what themselves
contribute thus nrn,lncinn tie cnnn