Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-13


Common ah from motives of regard and respect its
CoStatcs, has wished TO communicate with them the
subcc that with them alone il proposes
they alone being parties the compact and solely author
se Judge in the last resort OF the powers exercised
der iCongress being not party, but merely the
ture OF the compact and subject TO its assumption of
powers 10 the final Judgment OF those by whom and for
whose itself and its all creaed that il the
before specified should sand these conclusions would
flow from them that the General Government may place
act they think proper the list of crimes and punish
themselves whether enumerated not enumerated by
the Constitution cognizabc by them; that they may
transfer its cognzance 10 the President other per-
who may himself be the accuse counsel Judge and
jury, whose suspicious may be the evidence order
the sentence, his officer the cxecuoner and his breast
the sole record OF the transaction; that very numerous
and valuable description Of the inhabitants these States
being by this precedent reduced outlaws TO the absolute
dominion oil and the barrier of the Constitution
thus swept away from all, rampant now remains
against the passion. and the power of majority of Tinl
Congress- TO protect from like expectation other more
cricvous punishment the minority of the BODY the
Legislatures Judges Governors and Counscllors OF the
States their other peaccabe inhabitants who may ven
claim the Constitutional rights and liberties of
the States and peoples who for other good
bad, may be obnoxious to the views marked by the
suspicious of the President, be thought dangerous 10 his
their elections other interests public personals that
the irendess alien has indeed been selected safest
subject of first experiment. but the citizen will fol-
low rather has already followed; for, already has
don Act marked him its prey: that these and
OF the chara c;er arrested ON Gat1 the
threshold may tend to necessarily drive these Staes
into revolution and blood, and will furnish caumncs
against Republican Government, and prctcxts for
those who wish il TO be beev ed man cannot be gov
erncd but by rod of from that it would be dangerous
deuson, confidence in the of choice TO
silence our fears for the safety of rights that conf
dence every where the parent of desposm: free gov
eminent is founded in jealousy and confidence: il is
jealousy and not confidence which prcscrbes limited Con-
suons TO bind down those whom obliged TO trust
with power that Constitution has accordingly fixed
the limits 10 which, and further confidence NAV go
and let the honest advocate of confidence Alien
and Sedtion Acts and say the Constitution has not been
wise in fixing limits TO the Government il created ana,
whether should be wise in destroying those lmits,
LET i'm 10 10
ny, which the of choice have conferred on the
[our President and the President our choice has as
scented TO and accepted the friendly strangers to
whom the mild spirit of country and its laws had
pledged hospitality and projections that the men of our
choice have more respected the bare suspicious of the
President than the solid rights of innocence, the claims
of usifcator the sacred force truth and the forms
and substance OF law and justice In questions of pow
then let more be heard confidence i'm man but
bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Con-
stituon. That this Commonwea therefore call on
its Co-Stacs for expression of their sentiments on the
acts concerning aliens and for the punishment of certain
crimes herein-beiore specified plainly declaring whether
these acts authorised by the Federal Compact
And doubts not that their will enounced
to prove their attachment unaltered limited govern
ment whether general particular and that the rights and
liberties OF their CoSotes will be exposed TO dangers
by remaining embarked n bottom with their
That they will concur with this Commonwe alth i'm
considering the said acts as so papably against the Con-
stituton as to amount to undguised declarations that
the THAT compact is not The measure of the
powers Of the General Government but that il will pro
coed in the exercise these States of all mowers
soever: That they will view this Selling the rights of
the States, and consolidating them i'm the hands of the
General Government, with power assumed TO bind the
States, (not merely in the made Federa Tcasus
fGdcr but in all cases whatsoever, by laws made not
with their consent, but by others against their consent
That this would be 70 surrender the form of Government
we have chosen and TO live under deriving powers
from its WILL and not from authority; and that the
recurring TO their natural right in made
Federal, will concur in declaring these void and of no
force and ciH each unite 'ciM this Commonwealth in re-
que,ing eirrepedl at the merit session Of gress Teach
will take measures its own for providing that neither
of he
plainly and Intentionally authorized by the Constitution
CSC SxeTcssa a w,ha saa er r
communicate by writing or personal conference at any
times or places whatever with any person persons who
may be appointed by of the States TO cor
respond or confer with themand that they Law their pro
ceedings before the next Session of Assembly,
KENTUCKY RESOLUTIONS OF go
we were right as to the style of this paper How
ever It's sentiments may coincide with those of Mr.
Jefferson, the composition is not his-with one me-
morable exemption, Qualification is the righffh
medyCThus appearing, as if they had used near
ly all his draft session. bt kent mn for n stronor
or blow, the remedy of qualifications for the suisse
quent session.-With the exception of this phrase
the Preamble and the rest of the Resolution are
from different pen This, however, is immateriaJ
The doctrine is his. The measure, too to which
they resoricd is not distinct and immediate as his
draught puts forth. They throw themselves upon n
" solemn ProteSt'-but he for appointing Com
mttees of Conference with the other States, to de-
eide what was best TO be done.
We shall not go into the questions whether the s.
Carolina doctrine of Modification he the same with
that of Kentucky, of Mr.. Observation-Disclosures
Mr.. - theory of Notification be applicable To the
Iariif; thats whether that abomnable system be an
abuse Of deiegdted, or an assumption of tadeleoafed
iPoicerS-Or the still more interesting question wheth
or he never changed his opinions on this subject
See his letter TO w. C. Nicholas September 1879:
speaking OF what the Virginia Resolutions should contain
he says: "2 Making firm protesaton against the prece
dent and principle, and TeeJUng the right TO make this
papable violation OF the federal compact the ground of do
ing IN iuture whatever might now rrhtfiilIv do
should repeuuons OF these and other violations OF tho
compact render IT eXpeden g. Expressing i'm affection
a'e ana cOnchatory language attachment TO
union with our sister States, and the instrument and
principles by which united that are willing TO
sacrifice TO this thing but the rights seIgovern
nent IN those important points which we have never
yielded, and In which alone liberty safety and
hpphess mat not at all disposed TO make every measure
OF error or oil wrong, of session. are willing TO
look on WIN Indulgence, and to wait with patience Till
hose passions deusons shall have passed over which
inc eaeia government have artfuly excited 10 cover
own abuses and conceal its designs, fully confident that
e goou sense oil the American people, and their attach
ment 10 those very rights which we are now yndcano
wi before II shall be too ate rally with us round the
true principles OF federal compact This was only
meant to give general idea of the complexion and fonic
oil such an instrument. Mr. NJ, who came as had been
proposed does not concur in the reservation proposed
aooVe ana from isl recede readily only i'm Difference
w MS Judgment, but because should never think of
edaoh out repeated and enormous violations so these
when they occur, will be cause enough of themselves
see also his letter TO John Taylo of June I7Os-And HE
,eer TO Mr. Giles, ofDec 1926 care we then to stand