Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-12

'quaHy ciear conscience, recite as containing the ARTICLES
OF their creed.
The fault, sir, Is not in the principles; they ate as fixed
aud inmutable a. Truth i'seii; but IN the tsTIns ia which
they are anuounced; terms so vague and indefinite as to
make them utterly unmt uniug, aud permit me to cay, 10
reud'r them iusIguihcant. II not contemplate. Whsn
these princi lea " ERE set forth in the resolutions of '9S, and
tor a hing time afterwards, they were regarded rs the
tue test oil republic nisu; but noe, they have become so
diluted and mixed up with federal Ingredients, as to be-
swallowed wi IA avidi y by politicians WHO sucked in iene-
r''sm WIN their inot"ers milk, and whoJ formerly "would
as liel have put arsenic in their mouths"
The e resolutions, as universally understood at the time
OF heir adoption, AMI as cSpounded in the report of 80,
conain IN my opinion the true conservative principles OF
the Constitution aud OF the Union they accurately
draw The lie of separation between the potrers OF the
federal government, and The rights OF the states; and fur
u sh the only means hy which the blessings Of the Union
can long be preserved. lie then is the truest friend OF
he Union, Who most vigilantly watches over and cci~"d'
hose principles.
Ii there ever was a time calling on Virginia to re-as-
sert, IN Pfdta, unequirocdi, aud erp1tch terms, the pohti.
cal doctrines which sho was tic ilrst to announce To the
world, aud which ] trust she Will the last to surrender
that time is the prcsent,-whcn those doctrines are in
danger on tn" one hand, OF being so construed aud inter
preted as TO mean noth'ng--and on the other, OF being
p'>lieG into the absurd and mischievous heresy OF Multi
icatIon. Having, as trust, satisfied the committee that
the crisis at which we have arrived requires q distinct and
explicit re-assertion of our political principles, aud that
the report from the House OF ID legaies contains no such
assertion, proceed 10 give n very brief analysis oil the
substitute | have had the honor 10 submit.
You are aware, sir, that 1 adopt, as forming a part oil
the paper OTTER, the preamble aud three first resolutions
OF the Housc-that is, all the meliatorial poi ton of that
document, about which | shall say nothing, as | take it
"l SI"nteu IL VIII meet WIN the unanimous appreciation
of this body.
The first additional resolution I offer. being the fourth
IN the series, enJoins a strict and literal construction of the
constitution, in ascertaining the powers delegated 10 The
federal Government, and those reserved TO the States /;
and inculcates the doctrine sanciifcd 10y the memorable
declaration Of good old George Clinton in giving the cast.
ing vote against the renewal of the charter of the Bank of
the United States, contained in the words of The resolution,
marked as a quotation, which words MIR. Jefferson said,
ought to DC engraved in letters Of g0ld on the columns OF
The capitol. Sir, il this republican, This self.denying doc
time could be impressed upon the hearts of our statesmen
could disIodge, or even rcpress the ambitious aspirations
winch too often shape the conduct of poor imperfect man,
our happy political nstitutions-the happicst the world has
ever sern-would be immortal.
The fifth resolution announces almost i'm the yery words
OF the Constitution, the doctrine, now almost a truism,
that the Federal Governments one of limited and defined
powers-and that the powers and the rights not conferred
on Tat government, are reserved to the States and to the
people, respectively, 1t next cniorces a strict observance
on the part, both OF the Federal and State Governments,
OF the wise and salutary distribution Of power be.
tween them, as the best means of preserving the order and
harmony OF our political system, and of perpetuaiing
the blessings for which it was Instituted.
Sir, the government under which we live is one of the
most complex the world has ever seen. Ii is not-God
iorhidit ever should be-a simple, national, consoIda-
fed government-were this its character, it would soon,
by an inevitable tendency, degenerate into monarchy aud
he,potiSm-but is a system OF nicely calculated checks and
halhnceS-a complicated machinery which can work well
only while its various parts are kept in proper order.
each regularly performing the functions assigned TO il.
Beautiful and Symmetrical as is this form of govern
ment, devised Tor us by the skill and wisdom of our ances-
tors, yet like every thing human il carries in lis bosom the
seeds of decay; aud much less than the lapse of half ccp-
Aiy SluCe Us CTeduOn, WOUlu sduSIV the careful ObSpr-
vcro OF passing events, that the most prolific source of dan
ger is the jealousy that must forever exist, and the strug-
gle that must forever be carried on between the State and
Federal authorites-the double set of functionaries. who
together, form "a whole government" Can we then. too
earnestly inculcaie a correct understanding of the charac-
ter OF our political institutions, or the necessity oT constant
j ly tracing deeper anddceper the line Of separation be.
tween the powers of the general and local branches of
the government.
forth in the third resolution of '9S, and the report of 90
that " me constitution is a compact, TO which the States
are par,es' IN their highest sovereign capacity"-and then
proceeds TO protest against the contrary doctrine-that the
i euer"I constitution is the result of the will of the pconle
81 "e onHeu States, IN their aggregate capacity. This
H., | understand, and 1 grieve to admit it, is promulgated in
The late ProcIamation Of the President of the United States
MT Ch"irman,-having for the last nine years Jealous.
! " sustained The pretensions OF General J,ckeon for H.
most honorable Office in the world, and having Given a -
dial support TO the leading measures of his admini.tr tim
always excepting the systematic appointment of partizan
editors OF newspapers TO high, responsible and lucrative
public offices, a practice against which | deemed il NV
duty TO protest, on the hastings, in one of the most tIno
rou@h gong jackson counties in the district I have the
honor to rePresent) | am at a loss for words to express the
aStoniShment and modification with which [ beheId such
doctrines emanaing from such a quarter.
virginia, ever true TO the filth She Processes bas boor
among The most steady and Jealous supporters Of our prc
sent chei magstrate-not because his political nrinci.
pies were eractIy her own, but because thew annroacbod
them much more nearly than did those of his corrrneIi,ors
and because she had confidence in his honesty. Grmnoss
ana patriotism. For one, have no hesitation in saving
That until this ll-tated Proclamation made its apnearancn9
General Jackson's administration of the government tako,
II all in all, had far exceeded the most sanguine homes nj
"s NJ Nlehds. ~ hdd done, md was doing. more than
eohId be effected, under existing circumstances. nv onv
other man living, TO bring back the government 70 ,Se
true republican tack from which it has been qr,duaIIy
wandering ever since the days Of Mr.. Jefferson.
with all becoming respect for the high functionarv
whose opinions L am about TO examine. and with an Iii
ing confluence in his integrity and patriotism, I shall sneak
OF those opinions with perfect candor; but with the roc
dom, that becomes an independent man, and a r,ibC,I
public agent, resolved to do his duty, whatever may he
The personal consequences to himself. Sir, il is due. NOT
only TO the momentous crisis in our public affairs but alec
to our own consistency and character, that we sbouII
make a iu!l and unreserved declaration of our sentiments
and an explicit re-asseTton Of our PRINCIPLES.
heretofore, AZ you know Mr.. Chairman, we have hoo,
charged with coming forward, on all OCCASION. in so,son
and out OF season, to defend our principles. whenever uc
believed them to be assailed by our political onnonents
we should be equally prompt in their defence when At.
hcked ny our friends, lest we bring upon ourselves the inn.
putatlon against which our conduct heretofore has shielded
u.s. oI preferring men to principles, and Of clamorinr abon,
me Id'ter' only to promote the personal and selfish views
OF the former. """s
FREE governments, resting as they do, on the will Of the
people, are not subject, like inOnarchies and despo,isrn 10
sudden and virulent convulsions and revoIntions b, w, ="
saPPed by htHe and Title. The work Of underninino ooes
secretly aud gradually on, till the foundation being dcs,1ov.
ed, me ediiIce comes topping down before the danperjs
perceived, or the alarm given. All history abound. win
monitory lessons on This subject. Caesar, Cromwell and
Napoleon, marched step by siep, TO the high pinnacle oi
power. TO which they attained. II cannnot he neco.s,ry
mT. Chairman, fer me 10 disclaim any inieaion Of imnnI
ing N onr venerable Chief Magistrate, the unbalanced
amhi'I1n by which these renowned usiirpers were actu.
a'ed. His advanced age, his childish condition. the man
memorable evidences he has given of devotion IN HE conn'
ny : gooi' would make such imputation no less ridiculous
'ldh UNJUST am laying down general propositions
which are true. whoever N a no ~ H. - e