Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-02-06

OFF, are the obvious checks; and the sound ac-
ltion of public opinion, with the ultimate power
| of amendment, are the salutary and only limi-
atoms upon the powers of the whole.
However it may be alleged that violation
of the compact by the measures Of the govern
ment can affect the obligations Of the parties,
it cannot even be pretended that sl,ch violation
can be predcated oe those measures until all
| the Constitutional remedies shall! have been
fully tried. If the Federal Government ex-
jercise powers not warranted by the Consitu.
ton and Immediately affecting individuals, 1t
will scarcely be denied that the proper remedy
| is recourse to the Judiciary. Such undoubted-
ily is the remedy for those who deem the acts
Iof Congress laying duties on imports and pro-
viding for their collection to be unconstitution-
ial. The whole operation Of such laws is up
on the individuals importing the merchandise /:
/, State is absolutely prohibited from LAYING i'm
posts or duties on imports or exports, without
the consent of Congress, and cannot become
party under those laws without importing in
her own name, or wrongfulIy interposinc her
authority against them. BY thus interposing,
however, she cannot rightfully obstruct the
operation of the laws upon individuals. For
their disobedence to or violation of the laws,
the ordinary remedies through the judicial tri
bunals would remain. And in case where an
individual should be prosecuted for any offence
against the laws, he could not set up, in iusti
fieation of his act, law of State, which be-
ing unconstitutional, would therefore be repars
ded as null and void The law of State can
not authorize the commission of crime a.
galnst the United States or any other act which
according to the supreme law of the Union
would be otherwise unlawful And it is equal
Ily clear, that, if there be any case in which a
State, as such, is affected by the law beyond
the scope of Judicial power, the remedy con-
sists IN appeals to the people either to effect
cnange In the representation or to procure re
let by an amendment of the Constitution.
But the measures of the Government ire to be
recoS nized as valid, and consequently supreme.
until these remedies shall have been effactual
~ tried; and any attempt to subvert those mea-
sures or to render the laws subordinate TO Sta te
authority, and afterwards to resort to constitn.
tlonai redress, Is worse than evasive. Itwould
NOT De proper resistance to ga government of
unlimited Porers"-as has been sometimes pre
tended, but unlawful opposition to the very
limitations on which the harmonious action of
the government and all its parts, absolutely
depends. South Carolina has appealed to none
OF these remedies, but, in effect, has defied
tnem all. While threatening to separate from
the Union IT any attempt be made to enforce
the revenue laws otherwise than throuo!, the
civil tribunals Of the country, she has not only
not appealed in her own name to those trib,I-
nails which the Constitution has provided for
al cases in law or equity arising under the
constitution and laws of the United States
but has endeavored to Illustrate their proper az.
ton ON her citizens by drawing the copnizanceI
OF cases under the revenue laws to her own
tribunals, specially prepared and fitted far the
purpose OF enforcing the acts passed by the
state to obstruct those laws, and both .Jnlces
and jurors of which will be bound by thelim.
port OF oaths previously taken to treat the Con.
stitutioH and laws of the United States in this
respect as nulfity. Nor has the State made
the proper appeal TO public opinion and to the
remedy Of amendment. For, without waiting
to learn whether the other States will consent
to Convention, or if they do, will construe or
amend the Constitution to suit her views she
mas OF her own authority altered the import off
that instrument and given immediate effect to
the change. In fine, she has set her own will
and authority above the laws, has made herself
arbifer In her own case, and has passed at once
over all intermediate steps to measures of ayow
ed resistance, which, unless they be submitted
TO, can be enforced only by the sword.
In deciding upon the course which high
sense OF duty to all the people of the United
states imposes upon the authorities of the
Union, in this emergency, it cannot be over
looked that there is no sufficient cause for the
acts Of South Carolina, or for her thus placing
IN jeopardy the happiness of so many millions
OF people. Misrule and oppression, to war;
rant the disruption Of the free institutions of