Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-04-30
LETTER VII

which presume will be made up without dilncuIty.'
LETTER VII
Letter from Frank Hitter Esq to his friend i'm E,,rope
My dear Croke-lti high time that history of the
contests between the Greens and the Blues OF our political
circus were brought to close. But when first under
took TO give you sketch of Modification and the lie aiding
political events connected with IT, saw them along Wis.
Ia so that the objects increased in size importance
proceeded and many filled large space in my vision
on near approach, which had bes at first
But must hurry the remaining facts To
have already informed you that the nulliers of South
carolina Affected 10 regard Mr. Clay compromise a r
umph won by their spirited assertion OF their ri hts
They had however, another ostensbe preext for retrac
ing their hasy steps which further savo for their honor
was Afforded them by Virginia The Legislature of that
state, feeling The warmest attachment the Union and
alarmed at every thing that threatened it, even remotely
put at the same time sympathzing with Carolina, whom
she regarded as only acting good cause
sent to her, by special commissioner an earnest reuue
10 repeal or at least suspend, her Ordinance of Nulca
ton, unit, after the session of Congress bv which
complaints would be listened The Executive OF south
carolina gave courteous reception this request aud
the convention was re-assembed 10 consider il and act
upon H. II was after this call, but before the
met that the compromise bill proposed and passed;
nat the business OF that august assembly well set
ued by what had preceded it, that it to be a Sc
cond time its fate 10 be called merely register an cdict
ana an edct, the contents OF which every body knew
They accordingly repealed the dreaded Ordinance
which, should be remarked, by general consent
expressed before the LIST of February to remain
cuted until 1t was seen what course Congress would pur
misconstrued the Convention passed another Ordinance
nulliiy the Force BILL although they knew that that re-
peal made it Imperative aud that it remain pulty
unui they themselves again called il into life. They
moreover probably thought that this act Of Congress
which Gov. Hamilton called (by rather free translation !
"brute thunder should be answered bv the same SORT NJ
unmeanng illumination.
But the Nullilers Showed that however an xous
ey may nave been 10 avoid the hazards war; they
no relish Tor the Gains and conteniment of peace They
had scarcely given vent 10 the Civilizations they affected to
feel that the Carolina martin had driven the bald Eagle
the Union from the field and their Joy at escaping
from his taons with the loss OF only few feathers from
his TAIL before they Showed that their purpose was still to
keep up popular excitement in the Southern States The
new Governor and his predecessors fine efusion OF
uan rhetoric, at military parade got up for the occasion
declared that the seeming pachcaion but truce aud
that the "batte not yet over 1t was now asserted
Tor the first ume that the protecting system constituted
bu small part OF their controversy with the General
Government.
sympathetic movement has been produced in
the neighborng States, and the political agtaors that
nave mus manifested themselves leave some room 10
doubt whether they the continued effect OF the re-
cent storm, or the groundswe which precedes and por-
tends another Ii is said that the Southern the North
ern States or rather the slave holding aud the slave
holding States, have different and reconcieabe
That the former are, and always be minority that
the majority are allowed TO interpret the Consttu in
their own way, the rights and interests the minority
VIII be at their mercy-and that there no effectual
means oil defending those rights and interests but what
are afforded by notification and secession asserted by
brave men with arms in their hands.
Inc claim to the right OF qualification may be consider
Gu TOT Tie present as annllated. Almost State in
The Union, except South Carolina has by its Legislature
formally discaimed it, But the right of has re-
ceVed more countenance and support Ii is recognized
by many lawyers and politicians in the other States and
indeed the line between those who admit and those who
deny the right is often faint be almost
u6le Upon this shadowy abstraction, then, the friends
Mr. Calhoun in OF the States have taken their stand
heir motive not merely to keep up Southern feeling
by sense OF common interest," buthey also xious
to raise cloud OF dust by way OF covering Mr. Cahoun>
retreat Tor though they should not in propaga
ing his doctrines, they likely oessen the public odium
against their author in the degree that he has
cietes and those doctrines Dsnly avowed and
dered familiar by popular discussion.
Notwithstanding this separation OF notification from
cesslon by public opinion, yet the two very init
maely entwined, and their graf champion says that nc
one can admit the right of Safe TO secede without
hitting also its right nullfyI will give you an abstract
OF the arguments by which bah these claims support
ed at the hazard of making myself by you
and what is more, OF not berg read
The arguments urged in OF these rights are-iirst
those deduced from the principles of government;
condy those derived iron the authority of able expound
ers OF constitutional law hrdly those arising from expe-
diency, and the inconvenience OF the opposite doctrine
The arguments derived from those principles polity
and right which all recognize, are-Tha the people
the fountain of al political power: that thew have
natural and inherent right 10 establish government with
such powers and under such restrictions they may think
proper; and alter abolish what has been so establish
ed That the States, which formed the Federal Consd
tuition, were separate, independent communities connect
ed by a common descent community Of interests and
feeling, but were bound together by political ties cI
they could not pleasure: Each was a complete
political sovereignty That In the exercise of the soye
reign power thus possessed, the people Of each State
separate community had formed compact or league for
the purpose OF establishing General Government ove
the whole, for certain specific Objects That in execution
OF this purpose they had agreed dvest themselves
certain rights powers, and TO confer them the Gene
raj Government thus established; by which specific
grants OF power, all others would have been implicitly re-
served to themselves ii they had not expressly de-
clared
1t therefore follows, that all acts of the government
made in pursuance oil The powers conferred, may be
garded as flowing through the appointed function aries,
from the people, and to their efficacy and binding
force 10 that circumstances and that those acts which do
not conform TO the powers conferred, wanting the only
legitimate OF authority, obligatory, but
void: That there being naturally common arbiter
among sovereign States and having been provided
by the Federal compact each State is necessarily left
slowing OH the common government have been fulfilled,
and when they have been transcribed: That when any
State party TO the compact really believes that the
delegated powers have been exceeded TO her serious in
jury, she has right, founded the usage of nations
which is OF itself derived from reasons and principles OF
general utility either TO insist Teparaon redress
her wrongs; consider the compact thus violated
at an end IL she chooses TO take the means of re-
dress into her hands, she may among other things
prevent the execution OF the void power within her
limits which IS Nuliihcaton: IL, however, she decides
to regard The compact as terminated she may do So by
declaring her SECESSION withdrawal from the Union
But they add that the compact provides that the three
ouhs OF the States may alter the established govern
ment, and consequently may extend, abrdRe or abolish
any power restriction OF power in the Constitution ant
may thus either recognize delegate the power
TO be usurped, and therefore annuled il woulG seem tC
conform 10 this provision OF the compact or at least TO be
in harmony with It,, to submit the question Of
legitimacy TO this tribunal Of three iourhs of the States
and, If that number should decide in afFrmance of III,
power, then the multiplying State should acquiesce: but
pofn