Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-24

riousiy BY this oppressive system, IN enecuhe,
nv al, proDer means. its abatement to the extent
which We believe was contemplated oy tnose "no
formed the federal compact. and the uhuers'anu
ing of the states who were the parues 10 i's 'au-
hcation. -.
z Resolved, That while we concur WIN our
brethren Of South Carolina IN reProoaa"s tn's po.
licy, we must sincerely regret and dep'ote "'e
measures they have recently adopted 10 ooV'a.e
i,s evils That we cannot approve the remeay
,.hch that state has resorted to. and still less the
nrecin,tate measures she has adopted to enforce
i. That we cannot but regard that remeuv as
compromit;ing the true rights OF the states as
,oyereisns, by asserting them under the SANCTION
of the federal constitution, and, as obviously
tending, IL persisted IN. to political CONFUSION
and civil war That we deprecate ana dep'ore
the PRINCIPLES assumed in the ordinance OF her re-
cent convention, and the measures which her ie'
pi.iature yeem likely to adopt to carry them out
into execution Aud we regret especially the
prec,pitancv manifested, m prescribing SO early
a day for its exec utiOn, without having previous
" resorted To and exhausted every CONSTITUTIONAL
means To obtain redress-@ithout having co"'
muued with her sister states, whose interests a'e
identified with her own, whose sympa'n,es s'e
cordially excited by common wrongs oil" su"e''
Jugs. aud who attached to her oy ties as stope
regret that SO early period has been selected
becsuse il practically excludes that very inter
position of the presen, Congress which she IN
yokes. as the necessary time for deliberate acton
is not allowed 70 that body were 1t disguised TO
redress her grie,an by a reduction OF the Ia
riff-bec ause II excludes the possibility OF the IN
ter position of the other states, BY means OF &C.
neral convention, or their rendering that media
ton from which the happiest results might iaf'y
have been antcipated-and more than all, BE-
cause it vas not deferred beyond the period al
which the next Congress might be asse'nbifd,
which we have many reasons Tor believing "ou'd
be better disposed than the present, to remove
the evils which have led 10 ali these d'hcnites.
s. Resolved. That we have observed. in the
recent proclamation OF the president OF the Unit
ed States, principles avUwed. and powers assuni-
ed for the federal government, which we teei II
to be our solemn duty to dlsapprove aud protest
against. That we regard them as violating the
true construction and spirit OF the con>ntu'ioh'
and as inconsistent with the doctrines which TINS
state has repeatedly asserted. That we haied
the communication Of the Pr esIdent to congress,
at the announcement OF It's session, with ajipira-
ton, as the hdrbInger OF better times' as recall
ing the government to the objects Tor winch II
was originally constructed, as leading the wav to
n
ties, and as containing an exposition. a. just az
il vas able, of the true principles on which our
admirable political system was intended to be
founded. Tha, we feel called on to express our
Misrepresentation of the principles of the recent
prcciama,ion. lest our silence should br misInter-
preted, and the known appreciation OF Virginia OF
ether measures Vt the present administration,
should be regarded az sanctioning opinions which
we sincerely believe to be OF dangerous iendrn'
cy. and uhich. if admitted. would onIterate the
lines which separate the states and re'olu,ionIze
the character Of our government as cGnIedera
cy. That although the people OF these United
States it is true assented 10 the present constr
tuition. and are bound by all laws made in
formty thereto; vet we regard II as equally true.
that it was a confederacy formed BY the states as
such, ratified by the STATES as such, ard II which
the states, as distinct political communities. are
now the members. That we.can never consent
TO deny the right Of any individual state which
Voluntarily entered into this political association
for an indefinite period. to withdraw herself
peaceably from it, when causes shall occur. which
10 her judgment shall render such secession me-
cessarv That while, however, we regard
state as having a right to secede from the Union,
"when the sole ai'ernaiiUes left are the dissolu-
ton of the Union wih them ar submission to It
Government ,oiihoui limitation Of pomers,' we
think that prudence dictates that no state should
ever resort to such an alternative, until the last
extremity has been approached, and every con.
stitutionai efnrt has been tried, and every peace
full experiment exhausted, TO obvlate the suppos
ed injury.
That in case of ga deliberate, palpable. and
dangerous exercise Of Other po,oers not granted
by the said compact. the states soho ave parties
thereto, haze The right, and are in duty bound,
to intsrpose for arresting TIE progress Of er,i.
and for maintaining ,oithin thsir respective Il.
nits, the authorities, rights and liberties. aPper
fairalng to them "
That as a consequence from this principle, as
serted in 1898, We can never recognize the con
clusion assumed in the proclamation, that citi-
zen of state which has peaceably withdrawn it.
self from the confederacy, who in discharge Of
the allegiance he owes his own state. and in obe-
dience to her laws and mandates, violates law
of the remaining Union. car thereby forfeit his
life as TRAITOR. That we view with regret. some
of the doctrines held furth in the proclamation.
as 10 the origin OF our government. as involving
more latitudinous construction of the federal
compact than was ever eontended for by the an