Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1832-12-17

| a
sanennafy struggle to a glorious Independence
that sacred Union, hitherto nvioiate which per.
iee'et by our happy 9 Constitution has brought us
b. the favor Of Heaven 10 state Of prosperity a,
Aoma. end hieh consideration abroad rarely II vcr
| eqnalled IN the history OF nations To preserve
lhis bond Of Cur political existence FROM destruction
! 10 mahtan nYioiate tins state of national honor
aud pf.spity, and to lasify the confidence my (l.
low ci'zaps have reposei IN tns, l. ANDREW JACK
soN, Pta:dem y tie t'ittd STATES, hive hough
moper IL ssne this M PROCLAMATION, sta.
| U='g ny vieWs otihc Constitution and laws appli-
cable o the measures ldpptcd by the Convention OF
~onlh Ga-ol,na, and 10 the reasons they have put
! iorth 10 sustain them, declaring the course which
lutY viii require nc 10 pursue, and appealing to
the understanding and patriotism of the people,
VAIN Tim ot tl.e consequences that must lnevlta-
bly, re- al from an observance of the dictates Of the
! conveuiian
Strict dry woal1 require of nc nothing more tAnn
the exercise d those powers with which | am now,
or my hereafter be invested, for preserving the
! peace of The UrIoa and for the execution of the
| laws. Rut the imposing aspect winch oppo
ST ON has assumed in this case, by clothing
ltself with staia authority, and the deep interest
winch the people Of the United states must
al f,sl N preventing resnu to stronger mua-
s9res whit tire IS = hope that any thing viii be
I'D 10 reasoning and rannnstranrc, perhaps de.
mud and vii certainly asilly full exposition Ia
south C,,olina and tie nation Of the We've eUter-
lam Of dis important question, well as distinct
cnnnsiatipn Of the course which my sense Of duty
vii require me 10 pursue
The ORDNANCE is founded not on fhc inlcicasi-
Bile right Of resisting acts which ave ldau!y uucou-
stfulionaI AMI too oppressive Ia be endured nui
On the strange postum that any one state may not
only declare an Act.of Cor, ress VOID hnt plohlbit
lis cXscntlon-tllpt they may do THIS consistently
! with the tnnstniou-th3d the tue construction OF
that instrument permits stale Ia ro,,ln lis place
IN he Union, and be bound by NO other oil IFS
law. than those it may oho ose TO consider cons'l
iut.ona II is trac, they add that to jn.tify this
/ abroga,on ON law II must he palpaby contrary
10 the Constitution but 1t is evident that TO give
the right Of 'esistns laws oftht dt scrplon, cou
pied with the uncontrolled RICH, to decide what
law deserve that character is to give the power OF
resisting MI iaws.-For MS by the theory, there is
appeal, the alleged by the state good oT
bad mus pseail Fit should be sHid that public
opinion Is a sufficient check against the abuse OF
! tins power Il may i,l asked why il is not deemed
sufficient enrrd against the po5Sacc Of an uncon-
stinliona Aci by Congrossl There is howcver
! a restraint IN tina last case, which makes the
assumed power OF State more ndcicnSible
AMI winch does not exist III the other. There
re Two appeals from an Unconstitutional Ac'
! pass 81 by tongress---onc to the Judclary,
he other to the people and The States There
no appeal from the State decision in theo-
y. m | III practical illustration shows that tho
court, rlostd aeans, an application To review
IT, both judges and jurors beng sworn TO decide IN
rs favor. But reasoning on this subject IS super
| iuaus when our social compact in express tcruis
deeafes thai the laws Of the United STATES its Con
sliiJ ion. and treaties made under it, are the su
prema la~ of the and--and for greater caution
ads thu the Judges in every State shall be boun,
| thereby, any thing IN the Constitution or laws o
any State 10 the contrary notw outstanding" An,
it NAV tic asserted without fear of rcfuolor, tina
no Fed rhfiyc Government could exist without
similar provision Look for moment to the con
sequence. II South Carolina considers the revcnu
iaas unconstitutional and has right 10 proven
their execution IN the port Of Charleston, there
would be clear constitutional objection to thci
collection II every other port, and no revenue coull
be collected any where for all ilnposts must be q
quail Ii Is no answer 10 repeat that an uncOns,it,i
tonal law IS no law. so long ms the question of it,
legality is to be decided by the State itself for ey
ary law operating injuriouslv upon any local IN
,erest will b. perhaps ihough and certainly repre-
sentell as unconstitutional, and AS has uccn snoNn
t.ere IS no appcnl.
! TT is icume had oecn est b''sied at an Garlic
.lav, the Unien would have been dissolved IL IT
infancy. The excise law IN penns vlvaniU The en-
hirgo and non-intcrcourse law ~ the Eastern
Siatrs, the carriage tax IN Virginia were all dee
m Il unconstitutional and were more unequal II
then 9peration than any oi the laws now conoanr
ed If; but fortunately none ofthoso States dscov 81
od thst they had the night now claimed by Soutt
ICarona. The war into which we were forced tc
suppor, the dignity of the nation and he rights u
our citizens, might have ended in defeat and dis
grace stead of victory and honor if the States
VINO supposed II a ruinous and unconslitutilna
measure had thought they possessed the right o
nn,fyins the act by which it was declared and de
nymg supplies for Its prosecution. Hardly am
unequaliy those measures bore upon sevea
mrmb;rs of the Union, to the Legislatures of none
did lhis efficient and peaceable remedy, as II IS cal
led, suggest itself The discovery of this impor
ont feature Constitution was reserved to the
presen. day. Ia tho statesmen Of South Carolina
b longs the invocation and upon tho citizens olthal
state Nill unfortunately fall the evils Of reducing
II 10 practice.
Ii tfIr doctrine of State veto upon the laws OF
| .he Unon carries with ii internal evidence of its
lnlpr ctcabe absurilty, our constitutional history
W Il also afford abundant proof that 1t would have
been repudatcd viii indignation had ii been pro
| posed to form feature IN our Government.
In 4 colonial state although dependent on another
power, we very carly considered ourselves as con-
nected by common interest with each other
Leagues were formed for common defence, and be-
fore the Declaration of Independence We were
Known in our aggregatecharacler As THE UNITED
COLONIES OF AMERICA. That decisive and IN
ortant step was taken jointly. We declared our
lives nation by joint, not by several acts, and
when the terms OF or confederation reduced
to form it VS. in that of solemn league Of several