Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-15

.SPNSeS" larry mese distractions into practical opera
,ton' should that uin% ever come, | trust l shall
Iase honesty enough to- adhere to my principles, and to
show that l am no mon-dcorShipper Inever believed for
que ,noineh'' that The doctrines set forth IN tho Proclsma-
uon, IN relation to the origin and theory OF our government,
were ue matured ana weYl considered opinions Of General
Jackson L could not beheve il, without first persuading
myself mat ne had renouhced the political creed, which
no hau oeen all his lie protesting, and upon the princi-
pies oil winch ne had Tor fotpr years been administering the
soverhment' And u l hadi doubted before, my late visit
10 w ashington would have removed those doubts.
Mr, Chsirman,Cl beg pprdon Tor having detst-uW =.
committee so long, and l fear 4 should apuLs.1e Tor nav
ing failed TO redeem the promise with ''hieh 1 SC! out;
but, sir, finding IL almost inlposst% " express opinions
(Which was my sole intep,isoI '"nen i eommeneeu) win
out assigning some = ~. ~ oPnnons' nave oeeh
imperceptiblv s--uced into a discussion. which l fear you
will have Ibid as irksome as Improbable.
APPENDIlX- (A3
MIR. McroMAs's (of Calbelll AMENDMENT.
whereas the General Assembly Of Virginia, actuated by
an ardentdesire TO preserve thel peace and harmony OF our
common country; relying uponl the sense of Justice of the
people Of each and every State Iof the Union. as a ,uAici.
ent pledge that their representatives. in Congress will so
modify the acts laying duties and imposts on The importa.
un OF foreign commodities, commonly called tho tariff
acts, that they will NJ. longer furnish cause OF complaint TO
the people OF any particular Statd; believing. accordingly
that the people OF South Carolina are mistaken ian suppos-
ing that Congress will yield them no relief from the PIES
sure oil those acts, especially as the suspicious approach Of
the eXtinguishnent OF the public debt afo, DIS a Jus, ground
TOR the indulgence OF a con;raryt expectation; and conf
dent that they are TOO strongly attached 10 the union OF the
States TO resort TO any proceedings which might dissolve
or endanger l., whilst hey have aIky fair hope Of obtaining
their object by more regular and peaceful measures; per-
suaded, also. that they will listen willingly and respectful
~ 10 the voice oil virginia, esrneAtly and afectionately
requesting and entreatng them Ito rescind or suspend
their late Ordinance and await THE re .ult of n combin-
ed and strenuous effort OF the flicnds of Union and
Peace, to effect an adjustment and reconciliation of all
public differences now unhappily existing REGARDING
moreover, an appeal TO force on the part Of the General
government, or on the part OF the Government OF South
Carolina, as a measure which nothing but extreme neces-
shy could justify or excuse in either; but, aPprehensive
at the same time, that if the present state of things is al
lowed 10 continue, acts OF violence will occur which NAV
lead to consequences that all would deplore, canno,
but deem il solemn duty 10 interpose and mediate be.
tween the high contending parties, by the declara,ion of
their opinions aud wishes, which they trust that both will
consider and respect: therefore,
l.. Resolued By The General .Hssens5iy, in the name
aud on behalf Of the People Of VirgihiG. That the com
petent Authorities Of South Carolina be, and they are
hereby earnestly and respectfully requested and entreated
TO rescind the Ordinance of the late Convention OF that
State, entitled, IAN Ordinance to nullifk certain acts of
the Congress Of The United States purpolting to be laws
laying duties and imposts on the importation of foreign
commodities; or, at least, 10 suspend its operation until the
close of the first session of the next Congress.
2. Resoiued, That the Congress of the United States be,
and they are hereby earnestly and respectfully requested
and entreated so 10 modify the acts laying duties and
imposts on the importation of foreign commodities, com
monty called the tariff acts, ss to effect n gradual but
speedy reduction oil the resulting reven4e of the Cen
eral Government, 10 the standard of the necessary and
proper expenditures for the support hereofI
3. ReS0iued, That the people of Virginia. expect, and,
in the opinion Of the General Assembly, thei people of the
other States have a right to expect, that tha General Co
vernment, and the Government oil South CaAolina, and all
persons acting under the authority OF either, will carefully
abstain from any and all acts whatever, which may be cal.
culated to disturb the tranquility of the country, or en-.
danger the existence OF the Union.
Mr.. COOKIES AMENDMENT.
At the end OF the third resolution insert
4. htesoired, That inasmuch as the Union depends for
its existence, as well as its energy, on a strict adherence to
the letter of the Constitution, and the smalles, departure
must lead to the establishment OF a precedent pregnant
with danger, and liable to be quoted as Of right, in all ca
ses oil doubt, resort should be had to the parties, the only
source OF power, for explanation. or for such an enlarge.
ment or restriction OF authority as they, in their wisdom,
may approves; and, in the meantime, cit is better to forego
the exercise OF a power OF doubtful authority. even thouph
admitted on all hands TO be salutary in its operation, than to
inflict the slightest wound on the Constitution"
b. RESOLVED, That this General Assembly, che rishing a
warm attachment to the Union Of the States, and DESTROYS
of preserving to the Federal Government the exercise OF
all its constitutional powers, and to the States the full en-.
Joyment OF all their rights, is solemtlly impressed with the
belief, tina. the only means of maintaining the order and
harmony OF our political system, and perpetuating its bless
ings, is TO oppose, with equal vigilance and frmness, the
ehcroachments oil either government upon the rightful au-
thority of the other.
6. Resoived, That the Federal Constitution is a COM
pact, originally formed between separate, independent and
sovereign States, whereby each State, upon the terms, and
for the equivalent therein expressed, voluntarily agreed
10 vest a portion oil It's sovereignty, every other State vest
ing a like portion, in a common head, to be exercised by
the joint will and deliberations Of all the parties, reserving
to itself the exclusive enjoyment of the residue and the
contrary doctrine, maintained by some, and set forth i'm the
late Proclamation of the President of the United States.
that the Federal Constitution results from. the people. in
the aggregate, and not from the States, in their sovereign
capacity, is fallacious and unfounded, not warranted by
the history OF the formation of that instrument; opposed TO
the true theory OF our government, as expounded by the
RESOLUTIONS OF tis Assembly IN lT9S and 1899; and would
tend, in practice, to the most serious consequences, giving
to the minority OF the States having a majority of The DO.
pulaion, the control over the other States; CONSOLIDATING
the States into one nation, and leading, unavoidably, TO the
transformation OF our fcderative system into a single 50 90.
vernment, without Limitation OF powers"
T. ReSotued, That amongst the rights reserved by the
states, is that OF watching over the measures of the Fee
deral Government OF freely declaring their opinions re-
speeding the constitutionality or expediency of its acts;
and oil interposing, by all proper and constitutional means,
Tor the protection oil their citizens against usurpaions or
abuses OF power by the Federal Government.
8. ResofUed, That as the States are the parties To the
constitutional Compact, in their sovereign capacity, and
lhere is no Common arbiter superior to the authority Of the
parties themselves, as a necessary consequence the parties
have an equal right. each for itself, to decide, in the last
resort. whether the compact be violated; and chow
ever true 1t may be, that the judicial department of
ihe Federal Government is, in all questions submitted
TO 1t by the forms OF the Constitution, TO decide i'm the
last resort this resort must necessarily be deemed
the last in relation TO the authorities OF the other de.
partments OF the Governmen'; not in relation TO the rights
OF the parties 10 The constitutional compact, from which the
Judicial as we'll as the other departments hold their dele
gated trusts. On any other hypothesis, the delegation of
judicial power would snnul the authority delegstng il:
and the concurrence OF this department with the others in
usuTped powers, might subvert forever, and beyond the
possible reach OF any rightfuI remedy, the very Constitn.
ton which all were instituted to preserve"
9. ResoiUed, That the alleged right of a State 10 nuYi6y
a law oil the Federal Government, believed by such
Slate TO be unconstitutional, attended by an obligation on
the part oil that Government to refer the matter 10 the
States, by proposing an amendment Of the Constitution.
and In the mean time, to suspend the execution of the
law, is a doctrine, not denvable from the most Iaitudi.
any oil the reserved rights Of the States, and not a legni.
mate inference from the principles promulgated by The
Resolutions OF this Assembly in '03 and 90: but is a doc
trlne Incompatible with the efficient operation Of The Co