Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-12-14

hiS Ievered name to SO palpable an absurdity.
Nor did the States, when they severaliy ratified
II, do SO under the impression that "a veto on
the laws Of the Uuited States was reserved To
them. or that they could exercise it by impli
cation. Search tho debates in oil their Con-
entions-ex anime the speeches of the most
Jealous opposers OF Federal au,hority-look at
the amendments that worc proposed. They
all silent-not Il syllable uIteresl, net vote
given. not n motion made, to correct the OK
plicit supremacy given to The laws OF the Union
over those of the States-or To show that I'M
plication, as is now coutendcd, could defeat it.
No, No have not erred The Constitution is
still tho Object Of our reverence, tho bond oil
our Union, our dcGtnce in danger, the source
of our prosperity in peace. Ii shall descend,
| rs we have received u, uncOrruptcd by sophs-
teal construction, TO our posterityj and tho
sacrifices of local interest. OF State i'reJudices
Of personal annosities, that We're Made To bring
i, into existence, will again DO pa,riotically Of
ferel for its support.
The two remaining objections mcdc Gy the
Ordinance to these laws are. that the sums in
tended TO b. raised 10y them ara greater than
arr required, aud that the proceeds will bo I'M
! coustiiutionay employed. The Constitution
has giycu expressly to Congress the right OF
raising revSNne. and Of determining tho sum
the public cxigeuces will require. Tho States
have no control over The exercise Of tins right.
| other than that which results from the power
! Of changing the Representatives who abuse il,
and thus procure redi ess. Congress may uu-
doubleday abuse this discretionary power, hui
the same may be said of others with which
they are vested. Yet the discretion must exist
sOnew here. The Constitution has given il IL
the Representatives of all the People, checked
by The Representatives OF the States; aud 10y
tho Executive power. The South Carolma
construction gives it to the Legislature, or the
Convention OF n single Slate, wi ere neither
the people Of the d,lferoat States, nor the
States in their separate capacity, nor the Chic
Magistrate elected by the people, have any 70
presentation. Which is The most discreet ,lispo
stion of the power 1 do not ask sou fellow
citizens, which is the constitutional DISPOSE ion
i that instrument speaks "a language not he
| misunderstood. but IL you were assembled ia
general convention, which would you think
the safest depository oil this discreet ,uary pow
CIR in tie Inst resort? Would you aid clause
giving IL to each of the States, or would you
sanction the wise provisions already made Nv
your Constitution? Ii this should be the result
uf yohr deliberations when providing for the
future, are you--caD you-be ready to risk all
That we hold dear, TO establish, Tor II temporary
aud local purpose, that which you must nc,
knowledge To lie destructive, aud even ahsLrl
as u general provisions? Garry out the con Sc
quences Of this right vested in The the diff sren,
States, aud you must perceive that the crisis
your conduct presents AT this day, would recur
whenever any law of the Uuiied States, dis
pleased any of The States, and that we should
soon cease To be nation.
The Ordinance, with The same knowledge
of the future that characierizeS q former OBJ
lection. tells you that the proceeds of TAX vii
he uncomstitutionally applied. IL this coulI be
ascertaincd with certainty, the objection
would, with more propriety, I've reserved Tor III,
law so applying the proceeds, but surely cauno
be urge against tho laws levyiug the duty
| These are the allegations contained in ih
Ordinance. EXaTtnc them seriously, my fel
low-cltitcns-Juige for yourselves. i appea
TO you to determine whether they arc so clear
50 convincing, as to leave no doubt Of then
corfecthess aud even il you should come 4
this conc fusion: how far they justify the reck
| less, destructive course, which you are directed
tn pUfsue. Review these objections, aud tn
conclusions drawn from them, more
What are they? Every law, then, for raising
| revenue, ~accOrding u tho South Z ,rOlina Or
dinancc; may be righttully nnnuled, unless il b.
SO framed as no Law ever will or can DO framed
Congress have right to pass laws for raIsu
revenue, ADD each STATE has right 10 cppos
their execulon-twO rights directly opposed I,
each othct and yet is this absurdry supposed
to he contained in an instrument dra WI for ilft
express purpose of uvoidins collisions beiwecl
the States aud the General Government, by a,
assembly of the most enlightened Statesmen
ahu puteSt palriotS e'ef c'hpouicu ior d siiniia
purpose.
In vain have these sages declared that Con
gross shall have power To- lay and collect take.
duties, impOsts, and eXcises-in vain hav
they provided that they shall have power {
pass laws which shall he necessary and prOpe
10 carry those powers into executions; that tfus
! laws aud that Constitution snn!i he The "su
preme law of the land; and that the judges il
every State shall he bound thereby, any Thing
in the Constitution or laws of any State to tn,
Contrary Notwithstanding" In vain have ,h,
people of the several States solemnly sane
| toned these provisions, made them their para
mount Law and individually sworn to supper
them whenever they wer. called on to execute
any office. Vain provisions! Intellectual re
irictiunsl vile profnnaiion Of Oaths! inseral
mockery of legislation! Ii Il bare majority o
the vo,ers in any ole State may, on real o
SUPPOSED knowledge of the intent with which
a law has been passed, declare themselves FREE
from its operaIon-say here II gives too little
there too much, Il operates UneqUally-
suffers articles IN he free that ought To be take,
in this case The proceeds are intended To b.
applied TO purposes which we do not appfUpe
in that the amount raised is more than is want
ell. Congress, IL is true, are invested by TIT
Constitution with the right Of deciding lbes
questions according to their sound discretion
Congress is composed Of the Represent
OF all the States and of all the people of al tn
States; bu, WE, part of the people Of on,
State, to whom the Constitution has given NJ
power on The subject, from whom il has OK
prcssly taken il away-0e, who have soleDuiI
nSfecI that this Constitution shall DO our Law
zoe, most Of Nb6m have s& 6Tn to SUPPORT i
zoe, now abrogate this law, and swear, AM
force Others TO swear, that it shall not he obey
ed-and we 40 this, not because Congress
havo no right to pass such laws; but be
cause they have passed them With improper
views. They are unconstitutional from the
motives Of those who passed them, which