Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-07
\. STEVENSON.
COMMUNICATED


Your friend aud servant,
a. STEVENSON.
COuMU.NTcaTED
Below an extract from speech delivered April
last at ST. Louis Missouri by Beverley Tucker Esq Tho Speaker
have anticipated present crisis asd to have
hope not unnecessarily prepare the people ngan,,
surprise.
l is this Protean party 1.-THE Federal partyl under
whose influence the true character OF the Constitution
has been forgotten, that all ideas of State sove
regnty have become unsettled aud confused. It's very
advocates know not what il is and when they talk of
placing the State upon her sovereignty they do in fact
propose TO put her in the attitude rebeious rassal
me other party seeing the absurdity OF this take advan
tage oil IT, and affect 10 consider the claim OF soyeregntv
by the States as idle and ridiculous.
"Gcnemen il the States are not sovereign who is the
sovereign in this Republic of ours? the Federal Co
yernmemf IL my neishbor wrong me, do 30 the Fe-
derai Government for redress No. IL a man owes mo
money, do sue him in Federal Court! No; except in
few rare instances. IL burn my neighbours house or
take my neighbours le does the Federal Government
punish me No. strange sort of sovereignty this
which exercises control those acts which are ds
truchve oil the peace and webeing of society! Then
what can the Federal Government do TO me answer
at can do those things chch. in the pen forna,ee Of
ats functions, become necessary to their exercise" II
Is entrusted with the Post Office, and may therefore pun
ISM those who rob the mails; il is entrusted with COM
nerce and the customs, and may therefore, punish pirates
and smuggers Ii is entrusted with the war power and
may punish all sorts Of offences: but long as a man
VIII take care not TO Interfere with that Government
as 10 impede Its action in its appropriate sphere he NAV
rob, and burn and murder, and it has more to do with
re IN
sovereigns What is sovereignty II is the legal and
irresponsible power to protect right, redress wrong
10 me, and imprson and hang, for any thing il may
please 10 declare criminal (d) Can there be any atho
rlty higher or more binding than this Can there be
any control more efficient than such power exercises
Can any be deemed criminal before God or man for
any ng he may do in obedience the behess of an a-
honty, thus bearing the keys of life and death So an
soiute this duesse, that the law of nations and the uni
yersa municipal law of every nation jus,ics any man in
ghng IN defence OF the country where he happens TO
be- even against his own liege sovereign And why
Because his life is the mercy of the authorities oc f
country, il he refuses.
"What, then, is sovereignty? will tell YOU gentle
men consoldatonss: II is that which is inc0pdble offrea
son or rebellion II is that whose authority ichin its an
PTopTidfe jurisdiction all that is done in obed
ence to that authority The excuse found in its power
to enforce Obedience and where that power Iatcfiy ex
ISIS mere IS sovereignty The legitimate power fine
ana imprson to head and hang; the power Of pit and gal
lows, id'cfdty claimed and distinctly aeknocIedged
tonhoW reserve, without exception Witou resPOnsSiR.
fy; these are the marks and tests of soveregnty
is this the view the nuher takes OF the matter, No.
,or IL ne dld he would see that am act of notification will
bring this authority into direct collision with similar
authority in the hands of The Federal Government The
President must enforce the the United States and
the Government will punish all who impede their execu
on; and the people thus placed between two conflict
ing authorities, commanding aud prohibiting the same
thing on pain oideath Can this he the condition of free
PeoPeI Can both such authorities he legal Assured
not. What then? Is the state sovereignty tbereorc
nuity SO says the conso,.atonst; but until he can
make the powered life aud death nuly, he can never
nuliiy the State sovereigntes What then is 10 be done
is manifest that the collision between two such auto
Hes cannot endure momen and yet both exist and in
case oil their collision, there be some remedy what
Is IT! Let us The laws OF the United States must
be executed Where? Throughout the United States
The President is charged to enforce what he believes IN
be the laws OF the United States Where? Throughout
the United States. How then can any State escane er
execution within her limits BY cEAs1NG TO proN ov
THE UNITED STATES. II she remain a member of ,,e
Union she places her people in the peous condition of
'eOeton citzeS who must be at proceeded against
at all hazards and 10 ali erfTenites If she vyhJr,v
she places Them in the condition OF foreigners responsible
10 herself alone II she remain the President is bound AZ
once 10 resort to acts OF violence and boodsbed which
may make the ieud irreparable. If she Withdraw de-
claraIon oil war must precede any authorized violence
and peace, and perhaps renewal of Union NAV no CO.
cured The views Of the nullher on this subject are
nanifesty coniused while the consohlaionis is enual
~ absurd on the other side Because the nuer chooses
to overlook the essential marks and qualities of sovereign
W and TO talk OF it as Of some mpapsbIe essence some
thing IN the Clouds the other insists on CONSIDERING il as
mere nOnentlty And yet this nonentily may pro-
nounce ami inct sentence of death him the nerfect
legality OF which no tribunal on earth will presume n
question In Other words they deny the competency of
Stale to separate om the Union. What the use of de-
nying this; when, ii the thing be done will bc az etc
tualy done as il it admitted? No State will resort
70 this remedy unless in extreme case, and under
feeling Of desperation The right TO fight will not submit
TO ne made subject OF argument, when the party is i'm
mood orit 1t cannot be restrained by coercion; for lie
moment you apply That, you call il into exercise You
may clam the right to punish individuals rebels and
traitors when you catch them; but IL you do you do so in
violation Of that universal law which considers the ,bo
Tty OF power nghiuy the arbiter Of life and death an
excuse for all that is done in obedience thereto ri
" Now, compare this practical application nj the ori,ci
pies OF the Constitution, with that in which the nuier
anu eonsoidauonist both Is il not clear that in
any government there man be abuses which yitl usGy
AMI provoke ressance} The history of all the world
proves II. And what has been the result Civil war
oioodshed-gnomnious punishments Of the nolest and
purest men-confscaton return 10 the
control OF desposm sieroer than before Was it unvise
~ me trainers OF our Constitution to provide for different
result in such contingency?
" 10 such an event. ia a consolidated government. the
only possible put down resistance by strong
naha ana punish its authors When these are numerous
we nave case Of civil the inevitable consequence
against son.
In government like ours II the disshccon is confn.
60 70 minority Of State, it is put down by Sate-su-
hony' without involving the rest Of the Uuion, and
raining the hgsmen,s which bind the Houbers together
eHtehus 70 whole State, her withdrawal would, IN no
"lse' impede the operations Of the government The
amouh' would be, that nation would have sprung
" 'onE me nations Of the earth, towards which, tie Fe
uoTa government would establish such relations mig