Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-12

power at pleasure Of aonalling the acts of twenty
three Suppose that three fourhs Of the States should
amend the Constitution in such a manner EN-
brace the contested Law, what prevents State from
conehd,3g sail that the law is uneons utional2 4
she an deesrc the Law void uuGcr the Consi
cen sic not do 50 under the smeuded Constitution when
she Is the only iudg ~ Is substantially given TO each
tate permanent We over the OF al OF
her 60 Ste IS he wise trainers oil Constitution could
not Eave intended engralt an sbsury upon our
sysisn. fot hOs sir that be constitutional remedy
which requ commission OF an umcons t iona. act
/ 10 enlO'ce | suppose South Carolns should nuiy
/ thc ora Laws tor Instance, would she be prs
venting the &. ne raj iron dong wLat il
United By Ihe CoatuiOns Has che the right of Law.
ing pross tor necessary revenue! Suppose sue shc ud
declare dat higher duties should be levied tan 2 2
per ceU witch would yield sufficient revenue for the
i""ry eSpe' Sc OF Iove'nmr't-N not that be
su lag 10 the right Of laying duues hich belongs
exclusively to Congr s.!
But sir does ths remedy ol notification meet the ey lis,
The execution OF an law South Carolina
Is not the only sricvsnce which South Carolina could com
PLAN OIL Ii Is the passage OF the law that violates the
compact and against ths she ought seek redress Sir
the remedy IS not under the Constitution: belongs to her
sovereign State. She must declare that Congress
having Violated the compact in OF the important
PARTICULARS she will do what the laws nltons allow
Sovereign State to dodeclae the whole violated which aa
we have heretofore shown secession There are hut
very lew cases, suppo,ing that il constitutional
TO which can he applied Suppose Congress- contrary
TO the letter and spirit oil the Constitution should establish
an oer oil hoDy, aud issue patents thereiom, eould this
he nuihed 10y slater Or suppose Congress should vio
late the Constitution by o OMISSION refuse 10 oue
instruction or rePe INVASION could the remedy reach the
ev'E Ii certainly could not aud yet grayey affirm
ed, that nuicauon Is the rgh,u remedy in all violations
OF the Constitution The conclusion, sir, to which NV
mind rressbly turns is, that qualifications as con,tini.
tioha remedy is wholly nadmisble; remedy incident
TO sovereignty, IL, in most cases. iuapplicahle.
Mr.. Chairman, | should he waning il, a duty which
owe 10 1seii II were TO idl here TO soemnly protest
Inst the right which claimed by many in this House
and out OF it, for the United States Court to Judge i'm the
last resort between the Sovereign States of this
cy will do the President the justice to saw that he has
not claimed Tor the Court this
he reason mas been most satisfactorily explained by the
gentleman from Caroline, (Mr. Dickersoil0 | will not
weary The Committee with an elaborate discussion of SUBJ
Ject which has been frequently and fully discussed with
more ability aud success than could hope TO initiate OH
the present OCCASION The idea a the creature of the
Sovereign States should judge in the last resort between
them In their sovereign rights bears its eaurcs so great
an abSurdy a. to place it beyond The reach or power of
argument Suppose, however, sir that th. Co,situ,i,
did recognize such Judge in the United States cnr Il
the ideas which have submitted on the sovereynt,, of
he States be correct could not decide where the States
had thrown themselves their rights Suppose
regular constituted umpire between free and ndepen
dent States does any one doubt the rights of agrieved
State to y from its decree in unjust and no
question. '
After devoing this subject my best reflections and
most patient examination, the deliberate convictions of INV
mind are, that is Conledera,ed Republic connoseI
oil ree sovereign aud Independent States, who have part
Ell win some OF their attributes OF sovereignty under
pied conditions, aud the these conditions of
what It is alone the judge may Withdraw these attri-
bues Tor which il is alone accountable TO the laws of
turc aud Of nations Hold up the Constitution i'm eyer
Eight which IL is susceptible OF, it as we NAV and we
the ederatve features slammed ON il JLs In
depreciation which would deprive it of these features
which would convert sovereign and independent States
INTO mere corporations, will sweep away The best guar
aans oil our liberties If the agent alone be the proper
Judge OF the extent OF the powers granted away with ali
e nights winch appertan TO the States, the Constitution
50 Tar RON being bond OF union and the palladium OF
our liberties, will be converted instrument of es
polism Virginia believed that union and liberty IL
sell were suspended Oh the due preservation OF the rights
Oh ie SlStes Al the very moHen when these rghts are
endangered at the time when the elements of powerful
opposition are arranging themselves formidable array
aud ready TO sweep them from existence are we not cali
\ w ch inf,
those who love their country loving it, dare mainIan
its rights and liberties TO come forward in tbeir
This appeal is made the Legislature OF VIRGINIA
the successors OF those who Stood up 9s i'm manY and
Pdinohc opposition to The encoachments Of power the
same clNiS now presents Itself, and dare do les,
The principles OF the Presidents Proclamation OUGHT
BE Denounced; the right of State TO secede when bc
constitution violated, TO lis injury aud oppre ouoh
10 De Sustained look, Sir, upon this most dang rous
rcmedy-one which ough u be resoried to on Holt
occasions The Union OF these States is an incsima5le
"es'"F' uHis'hg health strength and security among its
various members; but, Sir it must be constitutional uni
on, cSmchted by mutual interest aud mutual affection
hen ceases TO be union of character il ceases 10
he valuable, and cannot be lasting This is bcvoud III
o'heTs government OF opinion kept together moi bv e
bayOnet the sword, bat by t,e afctions of ,I w
sweep away iiS, It's solid foundation, aud it becomes
ba'eless fabric, without life energy Ours is not
Pehment OF force; is not in its history or theory and
cannot he in practice. Push South Carolina back into The
Union at the point of the bayonet and will Won moi bsv
TO Keep her there by the same power? viii her, be
Republican Government with the sword hanging over
nel' ~ Is R'ii'dTy government oil the form. At
empt TO force her. aud you ALLEVIATE her affections from
Us forever. Hol may retain her as a CONQUERED P,o
vince bnl MOI as free aud Republican State When
we Iehect, Sir, tina, there is the wide range of
history, an example of a whole peoule ressin, a
Just aud constitutional ldw-wlien we reflect M Ill,
great BODY OF the people slow 10 move and can
not DC urged u resistance by ought but Injustice and
oppression, II becomes government 10 look vol 4, lie
measures AMI 10 pause at the appearance of discomfort
9d'c ought 10 practice iorbearance-it ought IN an
peal 10 us sister States for redresst ought TO urge in the
mos solemn manner, the unconsituonality of The Law
ana lhe magnitude OF the oppresson- ought 10 bear
uch' .nh Dear long, before it ers the con fdcracv
WINE say, this feel bound to declare that the IL
point beyond which, forbearance would moi he = vi,n
"heh reInorseless majority respect the RIGHTS
OF hhorIty;-when justice is disregared and the CON
suuilon openly violated and time brings with il no
Bduoh To ITS suherngs, II then behoyes Slate from Re-
pec 70 ITS own character, and the principle of
"heh owes to It's own citizens, secede from so ,,nc
quail Union ~ ~ ""c
Mr.. Chairman, is Il indeed rue a, the ProrI,n,,,o
"ou" persuade nS, that the States have no protecton
against Tie exercise Of unconstitutional mower hy c.
sreFsf Is brute force all that remains for ma f. dc
ghi OF rebellion only rgh', right coevs with man
ms america made lriumrhs in the great cause oC lin,
Hgh's OF man Was il for the protection of The rigb,s NJ
mJTly, that our ancestors left the home of ti,eir r,
W as u not for this, that they planted the
Of beriy IN the wds OF America If so our rons,,
o' me blessed fruits Of their wisdom and their booJ i
"oahuaIy an instrument Of despoiism only serving IN
ocN ana delude US, with the of Liberty Inli1u,
Gu power IS despolsm w ether IN the hands of the nan
~ we The only check to the exercise of this power
W we general government, is in the sovereiputv If The
e,aes' AID when to be q free and soysfeion
S s-s we shall soon cease 10 be free p. opie
FOREIGN.
II