Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1833-02-25


@ Regard fer themsclycs---lhor l.bertcs--nud ho'
all things the momenious crisis, which seems mi
IDLY approaching udnonlsh ,tcn, TINT II n not''
, hour to employ tho language Of the eourfief, OF
, slumbcr in tho f.turs which hive been created b
Il III. magic of name" They will not conceal III
profound astonis hmeut and regfot--'hc painful NJ
prehensions and alarms. which have been produce
IN their minds by the late Proclamation OF ih
President of tie United S;a,es=-liaving considefe
that document with the most careful attention
they are constrained to declare that they nfe con
irmed in the ioars they at first entertained, that IT
principles, If sanctioned will prove dangerous Il
the peace, liberties and Union OF these states
Without going into n lengthy detail OF all the oe
eetions, to which they think that production liabls
they will only take notice ola few, with whisl
| their minds are most strongly impressed
| It is principle acknowledged by every Amet
lean Statesman, that all power emann,es ftom TN
people who are in fact aud of hight, the only true
and legitimate sovercigns of the land. Tho idei
then of Sovereignty in the government, the ,gt,'
falauS which tho President has pursued and Witch
has led him into So many glaring aud ridiculous
moons stcnccs ~ at irrcconcilable variance with
tins great principle, the groundwo OF our fepub-
lcan institutions II - true, under some oi The
European Governments, while tho mere ghost OF
power sthc portion of the people, tho substantial
reality has been cmbracedby some daring dospot
The Car Of Russia or tho Grand Sultan OF lur-
key, holds in his hand the sovereign poworan his
u.testtancd will, the supreme law known to his
subjects but this union Of Sovereignty with the
Government does Of itself constitute dcspotisn
Is founded in usurpation, and unsupported ny a
shadow of title. In our free aud happy form OF
government tho sovereign power dc fatto NJ well
as dc jhre, resides in the people. They have never
surrendered it--hey cannot possibly make such mn
Here then the people have retained
the ultimate dominion in I'LL things-~hore every
hing is subordinate 10 their supreme will-nDde'
tho nekoow c,lgcd and controlling influence OF this
great Fundamental truth our governments were
formed and as = necessary consequence from II,
governments aud governors are but trustees Tor
the benciit 1.-THE people They arr the mere creo.
lures of the pc pile deriving all Their Eowors tfom
them and incapable ofnctlng, except ~ the 'nanna
aud for tho purposes authorized Tie written con
stilutons both ofho lrdgin aud State governments,
arr tie charters, by which they are respectively TO
he guided which, being certain end defined iofnI
"A limitation al power. an ! cannot bo trdnscebded
without usufputlon Asa necessary consequence
from the seme ptineil'c ticao ehndefa are com
p'eo.y within the conlroI ofthc sovereign Will oi
tue people, and mny be altered nmended, on wnoly
AT any time, aud III nny inohnef' IL may
suit their convenience. Have not the people OF
Virginia richt To declare their present constiu
ton to be anti.rrpublicnn, aud unlrendly to then
libellics 7-wlo will oppose such will, or conlro
vert such doctrine 2--who is bold enough TO say
they have not a right to will Their own happiness
under any form of government, and under whit
laws they please l. our government n purchase
IA lee mp'c or an inheritance, that tho people have
40 night To interfere ~ It's operations To tins
enquiry every tue republican will respond IN the
negative, The government, standing IN relation 10
the ppopr crrpttc to hs creator 70 not III The
uncontrolled absolute, nnd perpetual enjoyment oi
.hc powers which have beou delegated. The snb
cet is one nbont which they may net, according 10
their own judgments, unrcstrnlnei except by The
Dbl cations morality imposes. -- They may utter or
abolish H. ad H6itam These principles, when
applied to the State governments, receive The I'M
l1nllled assent and warn, APPRECIATION oil every
nan. Moore prcttnds that n State government pos
sesses any sovereignty 1t was formed by the
peope--is subordinate 10 their wiil--and may be
Uttered by them nj pleasure. Why should dil.
erent doctrine be held in relation to the general
The general government ~ us
nash the government OF the people of N pnr-
icular State, aud bears the same relation TO
hem NJ their own State government The
My difference between the two is rs 10 the powers
q he exercised. The general is the eternal agent
the Slate government, the IN tIhal agent 10
he general are Goahdcd certala general powers,
specially enumerates, principally affecting our for
,len relations and the general interests OF the ma
ionic the State governments arc delegated all
lowers OF a local, municipal character But hot'
Governments cmanpied from the same source, aud
irc equally snbservieni To The sapreme VIII OF the
people The people have retained their entire soy-
,feign,v completely IN relation TO the Que MS The
l,hcr-wty then the people OF parlicnl ar state
nave ighl to alter reiorm OF abolish their Sth'e
governments have they not the sane right TO abo-
,h the federal government so far rs they ntc con-
.crucd or in other words TO seeeac IRON the
Union
Here we arc met with tho declaration 10 be found
IN the Proclamation TINT our general government Is
national mot conedcratlvc IN its chnrncterthat the
people Of each State constitute part OF an integral
whole--and that of course the government cannon
he abolish ed, or even resisted without the cone,ir-
renee OF a majority of the people Of tbs United
Saes-Upon the proper solution of this question
depends materially the right of a State to @cede.
flour general government he one great consolidated
republic, in which the major interest is 10 be the
ruling principle of action, nothing short OF the Will
of the minority can resist It's operations. " on
he contrary ii be n confcdcrated republic, exetcs-
ing certain general power conferred ny the states
la their Sovereign capacity, their right to sctede
At any time except so far they are restrained by
morality, is unquestionable now the most in'por
.ant fact connected with the history of national
or consolidated government IS tha' II was formed by
The people as one integral whole. Was the federal
constitution formed by the people oil the States as
constituting separate communicates by Inc people
ofthc U. States collectively as anass OF iniivid'
uals No such community ever existed as the
people Of the United stocs in their aggregate char
scler 1t was majority OF the people OF each State,
not majority ofthe people Of America, who de-
clared themselves independent OF Great Brohn. II
was the same majority, who formed the league
which carried us safely through the trying scene