Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-04-19

without gaining the favor Of the other to prevent which
In the summer oil 1881 he thought proper make through
The newspapers, formal exposition Of his views the
doctrines which had gun to excite interest
out the Union, and had for several years. sgsed and
tacted his State.
This paper written with great temper and exhibit
ed his usual ingenuity He therein declares that he en-
trey comedies with the doctrines set forth in the Virginia
Resolutions aud Mr. Madison's Report according hcb
IN case OF unjust aud papabe inf actions OF the
by the Federal Government the several States have the
right ITO lntepose Tor arresing the progress OF the evil
He further maintains that tie States have the right Of
Judging Tor themselves when such nacons have been
committed as well OF the mode and iedes
that 1t essential TO the preserve ion OF civil liberty that
the interests OF the minority should be from the
majority, and that this is the chief OF Constitutions
that such guard against the abuses of power by ma
Joy the more necessary in consequence OF the diss
miar geographical interests of the different members of
the Union that the only way in which these different
and often conflicting interests be protected is by Civ
ing TO each co-State the right TO Judge OF its powers and
TO exercise negative veto the OF the others
whenever believes that they have gone youd the orbit
prescribed 10 them He there is no other way
OF preventing the separate States from becoming conso
hdated governments: that when State thus exercises lis
veto, the question should be referred the whole of the
States, the original parties TO the CONSTITUTIONS and they
have provided that three iourhs Of the STATES may amend
the Contiuon he thinks that by analogy the same ma.
Jonty should be necessary settle disputed nterpreta-
ion; so that where there less than that majority the
multiplying party should prevail lie endeavored to She
that the power OF settling these the
States and the General Government could be safely depo.
si,e nowhere else, and he concluded for the sake of
the tam, which the Southern States believed TO be op.
pressve and unconstitutional grounds which he fairly
stated aud which, whether well i'll founded was likely
TO lead TO the most serious and dangerous dscontens
Whatever may he thought of the doctrines maintained
III the address, its spirit and manner were
pie The author throughout, manifested the de-
terence Tor those who entertained opinions different from
his, which seemingly nothing but the anxious solicit
tue Tor the cause Of civil liberty and good government
would have overcome He yielded 10 none, he said, Sin
deep aud sincere attachment poltca
and the Union OF these States" He even discaiined any
unkind feeling towards the manufacturing interest to
which he had been always "decdedly friendly and the
advancement of mechanical and chemical improvements
in the arts he regarded with feelings little short of en-
husasm The liberal and subdued tone OF these senti.
ments had the effect of soteng his opponents through.
out the Union, and of giving fresh excitement to his par
uzans IN Carolina; water, which extnguisles weak
lame, makes strong burn the iercer. The greater
the moderation and the humility Of their champion who
was so strong too in the justice OF his cause the more
odous aud unrelenng appeared their tor this
hyperboca language had become so familiar az TO
be taken Tor the expression OF sober reality the sue
ceeding session OF the State Legislature they accordingly
LOOK tire hrst step towards carrying the right OF Nuca
ton into execution.
BY way of giving more solemny TO the act and making
square better with their theoretical views they deter
mined that the act OF notification should proceed from the
people, III their sovereign characte that for this pur
pose there should be Convention or primary assembly
oil the people. utby the Constitution OF South Carolina
such Convention could be called only by the
oil TWO thirds OF both Houses OF the Legislature and they
iound on making the attempt that the Union party was as
ye 100 strong Tor them TO obtain this majority and thus
the measure, Tor this session, failed
In the succeeding summer the Governor of South Ca
rona who was OF course OF the stronger party wrote
to Mr. Calhoun, TO ask further exposition of his vie WIS
on the subject of Notifications in compliance with which
request Mr. Calhoun gave supplementary dsquisition
on constitutional law, which Gov. Hamilton was not so
selfish as 10 keep to himse but with the permission of
ue au'ho communicated TO the public through the
papers.
In this paper the right of State to nulRfy law Of
Congress, which it deems unconstitutional is
and deduced more at length from the history of the
VIII az We
ry few dispute, that the General Government was form
ed by the people OF several distinct States, not by
the people OF nation community he insists that
There no direct and immediate between the
individual citizens OF State and the General Govern
inehI mat as the several States gave the authority,
they may declare the extent of that authority; and that
such declaration is binding their respective citizens
a' therefore the General Government can never have
e 10 coerce stale He insists and labors 10 shew
mat Nulhcaon would be pacific and safe remedy and
ha mere could be no direct collision between the two go
Vernments unless the restraints imposed by the Cons
uon were totally disregarded. He examines with view
toits retaliation, the opinion that Modification would be yir
tuay secession oil the State; he points the difference
between hem in their character and effects: hut insists
mat whoever admits the right OF Secession necessarily ed
ms the right OF Modification: He dwes ON "the beau
tliu contrlyance OF the Constitution" by which three
J0trthS OF the States may amend and according TO h)
construe the Constitution without which provision Ne
unannity would have been necessary the power of The
separate States would have been great To obviate
the objection arising from the maxim "tha majority
ought 10 govern, lie distinguishes between majority Of
the whole community which he calls "an absolute mn
JWHy anu majority OF each separate interest which he
calls concurrent djOTitieS, and that ii is Indispensable
TO civil liberty that the concurrent maoes should
van over The absolue for the right Of control i'm the
latter Is to create despoisn.
ms peryerSien oil labor and ingenuity was not intended
as you may suppose 10 eughen convince so staunch
nulliler as the Governor but furnish their parzans
throughout the State with OF logic TO reute the
advesares IN the Legislature and before the peoples and
above all TO produce general impression founded on the
authority OF the Vice President that while NuIIfca,ion
would be an cHeciua remedy Tor the grievances of the
SCUM, u would be pedcedbLe and safe, since contrary
oeie would at that time, have certainly prevented its
adoption The paper produced its intended effect The
Legislature met in October and the requisite tyyothirds
III Uoh houses, decided OH calling Convention for the
sole aud avowed purpose Of determining whether the
State should annul the tariff laws or not
When it is recoeced that the very same individual,
who had chosen the members of the Legislature were also
to choose the members of the Convention and that hare
majority oil The latter sufficient for decision, while
'W0-hrdS oil The Legislature known to be in favor
oil Nuihcation, the call of Convention for the purpose
oil obtaining fuller and ider expression of the public
sentiment Oh this single poiut could be regarded nothing
more Than solemn farce. 1t ascertain, whether
the representatives. OF half of the people this month
agreed with the representatives of wo.ihrds Of the same
people IN The month afterwards and nothing could be more
supremacy ridiculous than the weight and importance
when was attached to the unmeanng soemniy of calling
we same SET oil men TO say under name, hat they
had SAID beore as II who had preferred whiskey TO
wafer in one tavern would prefer it in another-or
bully would not swagger and buster as much In a new
suit OF clothes, he had done in his old ones II un.
necessary to add, that the Convention which ia
November was the echo of the Legislature. They passed
an Ordinance by which all the Tariff laws were declared
10 be null aud void in the State of South Carolina: thew
gave authority TO the Legislature pass laws prevent
their execution They required all persons holding offices
trngf nd all