Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-23

Virginia Legislature.
FEDERAL RELATIONs-(Cout;uue

shSfhiN legislature.
FEDERAL RELATIONS-(Continue
SPEECH OF Mr.. MOORE, Of Rock5ridge, deIirered in
Committee ofMe Whole on the state If he Relation,
oefceen the United States and South Carolina, on
Thursday, the 10h JdnudTy.--[Concluded.
The gentleman from Petersburg admits that there can
be no such thing right of State pcaccably 10 scccde
from the Union. without the consent of the other States
And that the right iociby TO sscede only DO exer-
eed WIN proprcty in cases OF oppression The
right oil secesSoa understood by the gentleman from
Petersburg, Ear he (Alr NJ could Judge differed i'm
nothing from The right OF resisting opPre 'son which is
auml'ted on all hands every people possess. IL was in
truth nothing else but what is generally (no very
accurately perhapS thu right OF rebellion, which ans
nothing more nor less, than that when people rebel
against expressions which have become inoerahe to
be borne, there is moral guilt endeavourng throw
of the yoke by force. The gentleman admits that the
night oil iorcble secession concndcd by him. is of
no value whatever, except that il being right which
can sny DO exercised by sovereign State it will secure
the citizens OF such State from being punished as traitors
oy me General Government If this be the only advan
tsge TO result from the establishment Of the right of scces
SON. may well he doubted il il is contc ndng for
because IL seems now TO he we'll established by the pac
ice OF civilized nations, and opinions of the most
approved authors that no people who have taken up arms
LOT me purpose oil establishing Independent
or themselves, ought TO he subjected 10 the penalties OF
treason Ii bad been said by several of those who advo
cntcd the right OF State sccede at pleasure with, the
greatest zeal, that all the other rights which State is adj
ntcd 10 possess, such the right remembrance the
night to ask for an amendment OF the Constitutions Sc &C.
are oil no value, unless the right Of secession was adj
United so Tar, ia his opinion this assumption from be-
ing true that the rights really possessed by the States (e
pudeny exercised TO prevent any thing like oppression
being attempted by the General Government ,ipon anv
Pornon oil the people, so long there any to
he found among the inhabitants of the United States
whenever Government is created, there must EXIT
high degree OF confidence between the parties TO the
compact by which itis framed, in The virtue integrity
and honor OF each other. The several States of this
Union reposed high degree OF confidence in the people
oil their sister States, at the time the Federal Govern
ment was adopted. This confidence was greatly strength
ened by universal belief, that interests of all the
ses were nearly similar and made the Union essential
TO The happiness OF each Whatsoever that confidence
destroyed or that identity of interest exist the
Government must fall. II, any me majority of the
people OF these United States shall become corrupt
that majority may be found in Congress so base as 10
pass law IN violation of the provisions of the Consiu-
ton; in violation OF their oaths to support that
suuton-and in violation of the principles OF Justice for
the purpose OF beneng themselves and their consiu-
ents' by expressing the minority then the days of the
EePuohc "hi have been numbered. And the ighi OF
Secession will be utterly worthless, il il were ac-
knowledged in the Constitution itself Those who are
prepared to pervert the Constitution from true mean.
ingwho are ready TO Disregard The obligations of their
own oaths, aud 30 an act OF manifest injustice from in
terescd motives will be prompt to force, TO
compel obedience 10 laws passed in violation of an &C
knowlodged rigt, rs they would be il such right
iSted The right OF Secession, then, ii il all
mied never can 10y any possibility be of the least value
Ii was due to the gentleman from Dnwddc General
Bodhax) 10 say, that in the remarks which ne (Afr Ny
had made the first time he addressed the committee in
relation to the manner in which the Ordinar South
Carolina and The Presidents Proclamation had been
brought before us, he had not intended mpute any i'm
proper conduct either that gentleman or to The Cover
nor OF tlhs commonwealth. lie had alluded the
cnmstances attending the submission OF the Ordinance
the General Assembly, for other purpose but TO warn
the House OF the Interpretation which would probably he
put on its acts, by the people OF South Carolina by the
President OF the United States by the people OF Vr
g!na. IL was evident from the language held by
the Press in South Carolina that he has not been tns
Ken as TO The construction the people OF that State would
put upon the proceedings OF this Assembly. He ad.
mted lie had been under an impression that there had
been some concert between the Governor Of the Com
inonwealth, and some of those who were appointed
on the Committee OF Twenty one, about bringing the
subject before this Assembly, but he was satisfied from
what the gentleman had said that he mistaken i'm that
opinion. Even If the Governor hal consulted with the
members who were appointed the committee, he had
supposed, he should not have considered his having
3d. as at all improper; Tor il certainly his privilege il
not his duty, TO consult the representatives of the people
subject OF so much importance IL was due TO the
Governor to'say that although his opinions relation TO
the controversy between the General Government and S.
Carona, were exactly in opposition to his own, still bo
admired bin Tor te independence and integrity of chsrac-
TER whch ne mad displayed on all occasions The gentle
man from Dnwdde had referred the Ordinance of Vr.
glna adopting The Federal Constitution containing pc.
suye reservation OF the right of State seceds bare
reading OF that dnanee would be sufficient TO satisfy
any one that the gentleman totally mistaken. The
idea Of States having right TO secede Al pleasure had
never entered into the brain of any man living at the time
that Ordinance was adopted IL the Idle fancy of some
dsenpered Imagination OF after times. The gentleman
from Dinwidlie not being able 10 answer the argument
winch he (Mr NJ had based upon the ptiOn that
the states siood IN the relation to the General Gov
ernment that individuals stand to their State Governments
attempted weaken its force, by denying the assumption
nse to be correct Aud this he did, by attempting to
Pon out where there any n that assumption
but merely by asking, IL State could Be tried Tor
c'inc, or be caprally punished The gentleman mgh
Just - wei have pretended that corporation could not be
created with power 10 and be sued 10 use common
sfdI ana perform oter ars which individual may do,
because. j1rsOyh corporation cannot commit crime Or
suffer cOrporcA punishment He (Mr M lgit himself
fully susiinAl 10 Tie view he hal tsken Of that SDhict
hy What ssai2 by Yarel, Burlenarquc aud other yfior
upon tie laws oi pious YiucI calls State moral
per'an anil tys that the lw Of Bt0is il nothing more
than the iiw d nNc, dpp.d 10 malone. And that ma.
nom OF Svcrgn $tcs, 10 be considered many
free prr-on yng foSrhcriu State Of nature. lie was
really sorry io see he gentleman from Dnwidiic driven
10 such -ii to sustain ht cau-e. That gentleman
lies upon hs oath d acgsuce prescribed by our act o