Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-22

Sir. I will not detain tho Senate longer Oh this branch
oil the subject. 1 dismiss ii with a hopo that 1 have proved
mat II is not a constitutional right; that II was not contend.
ed Tor in '9S and 80, by what was called the republican
party aud that Jefferson thought, and Madison coneurs in
me opinion, that 1t is peaceable or not, at the will OF the
parties to the Constitution, instead oil any one OF the par
ties TO il.
l come now 10 tho consideration Of the Proclamation OF
the President; and i'm doing so, as ! have already gone full.
~ into the theory Of the government, l will not detain you
to point out the difference between us. You have read
what he has said, and you have heard my opinion on the
stature OF the government. Ii lie said by some who pro.
Tess TO be friends Of the President, that it contains doctrines
that are not the doctrines OF Andrew Jackson that the old
man was imposed on by the writer of the Proclamation
Now, by whom it was written | know not, and | care not:
He is responsible 10 the nation for it, and he knew very
well what II contained. Yes, very well. He would not
put his hand TO that, or any other paper Of high import,
without understanding what he was about. Call hin, do.
tard call him usurper call him tyrant, delighted al
the prospect OF spilling blood or any thing else tina, gen.
ilemen please, and my opinion is still unchanged. | be-
heve him to be a patriot. Nay, more; l believe that he
will save the Union and in a few years quiet the South.
Sir, it is a fortunate thing for this country that he is now
at the head OF the nation, and has such unbounded popu-
lsrty. In his last annual message he recommended to
Congress TO do all that Carolina could desire, and it made
nm impression on this side OF the Potomac that his e vilers
cannot easily remove. III there was not a prospect of re-
Iei, and that too not Very remote, the whole South might
Hook TO the standard Of South Carolina but as il is, Caro-
lima will be advised to retrace her steps, and not to attempt
to PROSTATE a law, when there is a prospect Of its being ex-
plunged from the statute-book. Yes, the confidence OF the
people in Andrew Jackson is of that character, since he
recommended TO Congress TO reduce the revenue " 10 the
wants oil the government" that they will cling TO the
Union instead of flying TO Carolina. But if we had a
President in whom the people of the South could not dis
cover a disposition 10 hear their petitions, and TO tighten
their %burthens. the preservation of the Union would be a
secondary, instead Of what it now is, the primary consi-
Iteration with them.
MIR. Chairman, much has been said here and elsewhere
against the doctrines of the Proclamation that they lead
to consolidation and every thing else that is offensive to
virginia principles. Offensive, did | say ali! so very
abhorrent, that disunion would be preferable to the tole-
ration Of them. Sir, ! will call your attention TO one or
twoo the expressions that gentlemen are most violent
against.
The President said, that 'the members of Congress.
when chosen, are the representatives OF the United States,
and.not representatives OF the particular State from which
they come Now what did he mean? That a member
OF Congress was one Of the representatives. of the people
oil the United States. This is true, or there are 10 such
people as the people Of the United States. And be-
leve that is considered a questionable matter; for, / heard
the other day, that a member, not of this House, denied
mat he was an American citizen, but insisted that he was
a ~Virginian. Yes, General Jackson meant, that although
a member was elected by a district, his acts of legislation
were not confined TO the district sending him, nor TO the
State in which that district was; but that he was TO look 10
the general good: that whilst he was Immediately respon-
sible to a district, and dependent on it for election, his acts
reached beyond its boundary, and affected every member
oil all the communities within the coniederacy. And
however 'they may in practice, as il is their duty TO do.
consult and prefer the interests of their particular constitu.
ents, when they come in conflict with any other partial
or local interest" they ought not to require for their con-
stituents what they would not allow to the constituents of
other members similarly situated. Sir, there are twenty.
Tour grand divisions OF the people of the United States,
and each division is entitled TO send representation i'm pro-
portion 10 it, populations; and these divisions are subdivi-
ded into as many districts, as a division is entitled TO mem.
bers in the Congress OF the United States. This was so
arranged for reasons heretofore stated, that each district
might have a member to make known its wants. The
objection to the Presidents proclamation in this particular.
would be a valid objection, If each division or State had its
members In Congress voted for by general ticket; for.
then a member would have been voted for by the people
OF State, instead of by the people of a district there
IN. Let me simplify In the formation of our new
State Constitution, in consequence OF there being a variety
Of interests in the State, it was thought necessary, in or
der that each interest might have its due representation
10 nave Jour DIVISIONS OF the State and IN aIlnt IN aacb n
certain number OF members. But it does not follow me-
cessarily, because | ain located in the tide w alter di.
vision, and represent a district in that division, that | am a
representative OF that division, and not one of the repre-
sentatyes OF the people of the State of Virginia. Sir,
the obligation that l am under to this Underwater division
oil the State, is oil the same nature, and of the same ex-
tent, as that which binds a member of Congress to the
State within which his district is. have been sent here
to attend 10 the domestic and internal concerns. not only
OF the people who sent me here, but of all the people of
the Commonwealth. My acts in this body do not apply
exclusively to the people, whose pleasure it was that /
should have a seat here, but they reach and affect all in
the State. A member of Congress is elected TO attend TO
the external and foreign relations of the nation, and the
influence oil his acts is not circumscribed to the limits of
IN STATE rom which he goes, but is felt and frequently
complained of in other States. Mr.. Chairman, il is the duty
Off member, whether he be in the State or National Legis.
Iature, TO refrain from violating the Constitution under
which he is acting-to claim nothing for his constituents
that he would not, under similar circumstances, allow TO
other people. BY so doing, justice would be done to all,
and complaints would not disturb the repose of the nation.
II 1 am not mistaken in the meaning OF the President,
and also mistaken in what / believe TO be the duty of a
representative oil the people, we ought not to abuse as we
do, members oil Congress for their unwillingness 10 give
up an advantage that their immediate constituents have.
under any policy, however injsriously it may operate on
other portions OF The people.
Again:-General Jackson, in his Proclamation, has said
the Government OF the United States is the Government
of a "Single Nation" This is heightened federal doc.
trine, gentlemen say; for, ii denies the sovereignty of the
states, and rs, in effect, pronouncing ours a consolidated
Government. Whether the language used by him, will
in Its literal sense, justify such a conclusions, i will not de-
termine: but L am very sure he did not intend to be so
understood; Tor, he has several times advised Congress-
not to exercise doubtful powers, and has, since the Pro-
clamation was issued, communicated TO Congress the
unfortunate difference between the governments, and in
that communication speaks in the most Ineligible lam
of the reSeTUed rights of the States. | am bound
then to think, that injustice is done him, in ascribing TO GER
tain words, meanings that his prior and subsequent acts
prove were not intended. | am glad, however, that he was
not the first State Rights man ofdistinciion, who uttered that
expression i'm relation to the General Government Yes.
sir, we are a " single naton," unless not only the disfil.
gutShed JederdhSts are mistaken, but three, if not all of
Jackson's predecessors i'm office were mistaken. Till now
| never heard the people of the United States spoken off,
as the nations OF the United States; but had supposed we
were viewed as the greatest nation on earth. Mr..
Chairman, the ingenuity of gentlemen may bewilder for a
time, and produce the belief in the minds of the people.
who have not looked into the history of our government.
that General Jackson has committed a political sin that
TO perform its part, and a different verdict will be the award
Of their judgment.
Before | go further, let me premise to the committee.
that | am abeut 10 introduce authority, that more than sun
ports me on this point. | do not subscribe to the whole.
but take only so much Of il as reaches the point I lin AT
All that passes that, | mean the 60 single nation" is conso-
lidation, which | do not adopt. The authority to which |
who were in the Federal Convention, 10 the Congress Of
the United States, in the wear 1887: After inioruino