Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-08-08

have much misunderstood them. n 1, pre-
ciscly upon this point that the public mind Of
Virginia has been most strangely misled by
the authority Of the Presidents name, and
the sPcciousncss OF your paragraphs. You
owe the people 4 heavy debt Of PREPARATION,
which hope you will live TO pay. This leads
US to the second object Of the resolutions of
l'?s, which IS " TO maintain within the linn
ITS OF the respective States, the authorities.
rights, and liberties appe raining To them. ~
have already shown, in my second letter
That these authorities, rights, and libe rites are
not merely those which belong To every sove-
reign State, and which may be enjoyed as well
IN state OF separation rs in league with
Others, but also all the authorities, rights and
iioefties which the states are entitled To-, UNI
der the Constitution and as member, Of m,
Union. No State, therefore can possibly
elect this object OF tho resolutions of l.9s.
ny any proceeding which either eahdrars her
from the Union, or reaksns her just influence
in 10.
The remarks offered under the preceding
mead, apply with equal force aud propriety TO
this. You and the President both saw. that il
IS arrogance and Prcsumption in State to in
stst on retaining her place and influence in the
Union, while she refuses to submit to q part of
It's laws. Admitting, again, bat this is perfect
" true, but rc-asscrting that il cannot apply
10 the refusal of n State TO submit TO what IS
NOT law, have 10 ask you how IL is possible
Tor State To "maintain her authorities
rights, and liberties" except by the check
which she may apply as a State, and as a msp,-
Der ~ the United States, To the usurpations Of
the Federal Government, or by an appeal to
armsf ] pray you, sir, TO enlightcn my un-
Iderstanding upon this subject. II rou cannot
show me some other mode OF proceeding, I
ed hat
all events, until il shall be done by some one
or other, shall be compelled TO continue in
my present heresy. II il was the meaning
and object OF the resolutions Of l79s, that the
States had the right, and were i'm duty bound.
10 resist the usurpations Of the Federal Co
,ernment, by some means, which, al Tie same
finle that arrested the erii, should presence N,
O''ion unbyoken, must be permitted 10 think
that notification, IL il does not attain tLese
OBJECTS completely, comes much nearer 10 il
than any other proceeding which has vet been
proposed ! know, sir, that you, and hum
dreds oil others, have said that the resolu-
tions OF 1898 have been misunderstood. Per-
haPs so. IL is true their language has an.
Pesred to me, and TO others like me, To be
extremely plain-and il is our own construc-
ton OF il alone which has formed our princi.
pies. Yetit is possible that it may hide some
meaning deeper than We have been able 10
penetrate. pray you TO tell US what il is
DO not content yourself with the THEORY
only, but let Us know the precise extent of
our rights, and the precise mode in ,rLieh uItu
may be eonstifufiOraiiy asserted, according 10
The resolutions Of 1898.
IL has not escaped my attention that, ac
cording to tho1e resolutions the State inter
position which they contemplate is not au
thorized, except in cases Of deliberate, PAL
Pao'e, and dangerous exercise Of powers not
granted" IL will be obvious, however. On
intellects less clear than your own, that this
does not affect, in any degree, the principle
upon which State resistance is justified. nor
even the mode in which il may be exertcd.
IL merely points out the proper occasion for the
application OF the principle. And il will be
suihcient here TO remark, that according 20
your own theory, which IN this respect agrees
with the resolutions, each Stale d the sxeIusirs
judge for itssU, Thtther hs vrgPSiiOn Is dsli6e-
rote, PGtPabLs, and dangerous, or aOt. IL fol.
lows, OF course, that no objection 10 nuliiiica-
ton can be derived from this view Of The
subject.
have now, sir, to present to you diem
ma, connected with this part of our inquiries,
and 20 ask you IN what manner you propose
TO escape its horns,
South Carolina says that an unconstitution-
al law IS void, and so say the Virginia Reso-
lutions-South Carolina says that each State
has right TO decide for itself whether a law
Is constitutional or not, and so say the Virginia
esolutons-South Carolina, ia the exercise
OF this right, has declared that the Tariff
Laws ARE unconstitutional, and so saw the
virginia Resolutions Of ls2S and ls2y ihaye
forgotten the date and so, Mr.. Richie, SAY
Tou. How, then, can you eountenance the
President, in Subjseting the citizens Of South
Carolina TO the srord for not submitting 90 trkaf
you yoETssJ bsISrs 10 be q sheer usurpafiOn on
the part Of The FEDERAL Gorernmtni3 DO, sir,
10 pity to your oppressed spirits, answer tins
question. You will not answer IL, sir-be.
cause you eASsOT answer II without convict
ing yourself OF Inconsistency. THIs I WILL
PEoVE-ior do not mean to allow you any
refuge from this dilemma. South Carolina Il
either right in her proceedings, (principles
aud ALL or else she Is wrong If she Is
RIGHr, then there can be no pretence what
ever Tor making war upon her IL she j.
"RoNG' hoic does that feet sPpssy1 u j. sd-
United that the other States, co-parties with
her TO the Constitution, have not SAID So
Congress alone, and the President, or rather
the FfdsTai GOrsTnmenl, has said u. DO you.
SIR, acknowledge any such right ia the Fede-
raj GoTernmsntl II Il not perfectly clear.
that u such right exists, the Federal Govern !
heht ~ 90 aPpsHafe tribunal, WIN POWER To
DEeIbE, ~ THE LAsT REsORr, UroE IHE coS-
sIiTrrWsALtTT o. IT'S OwS AcTs' Of what |
avail Is the right Of state % pronounce thst
an Unconstitutional act % Congress y rsaify
%, u Congress may oserruic that decision II
not THIS, sir, che very essence Of That consoli-
dation against which the Virginia ResoIuttops.
Aadison's Report, and your own valuable la |
bors, have 80 long eOnteBdodi u u impos-
siblf, then for Won 20 tttsttfv Ts,o,.-... -
the President, except by asserting. either that
Congress may override she decision Of south
Carolina upon question touching their own
PoEers, and, BY The same rule, may override
the decision Of every other state, ADD thus
become The sole judEsI Of hs srisnf Of l1sir
''en PoNsrs5 or BY asserting that they NAV
coIisftfai0aaHy sHgorrs en- unconsffsfionai lg1s.
Can you, sir, escape this dificulty, " Itbout -
oandoning every principle for which you have
proiessed % contend for thirty years. an
exceedingly anxious 70 know IN shat rnanner