Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-14

has the delusive adjunct OF pedceabewe have seen the
effects produced by that remedy South Carolina The
People of Virginia have found out its true character at
last and now all instructed 10 denounce and abuse
Notification, and we do abuse it, hope the people will
instruct us TO denounce this right Of pedcedJe secession
would give tins remedy much more appropriate
one that would define its character much more accurate
y-l would call it the potcer OF Jorcible secession
Mr. Chairman, let declare in plain decided terms
that will not nulf on account of the opera
ton OF the present Tariff laws OF the General
that IL b Carolina ,cW ,cW not 20 with her in any of
her measures-that we will not justify any State in any
such measures, for such cause-ha in weighing the
evils Of the present Tariff Laws against the blessings of
the Union, we consider those evils mere dust in the
balance This will do to save the eiIusion of
olood and TO preserve the Unon than all the
stronces petitions, aud ambassadors send her
south carolina desires to know what will do, in
the present crisis OF her affairs, and she has right
to know. Candour, justice her and 10 ourselves re-
quires that we should speak openly, and decidedly
on this subject II she believes that Virginia may in
duced 10 side with her. she viii 20 on not she will re-
ceue Has not the course Of South Carolina shcwn
cinslVey, that she has from the beginning, looked Vir-
gnia for moral il not for physical support She took UP
in the beginning, what she called Virgiuias prncples
ana In an her proceedings since, she has kept steady eve
upon virginia. 1t is 10 be regretted that Virginia i'm
unes past, has given her much do
nigh time that South aroiua undeceived Since the
report OF The Committee OF 81 of this House. has reach
ed Columbia Che seat Of Government of South Carroll.
n the telescope, paper printed there after
ing upon that report asks these questions: will Virginia
go with u.s. if the Tariff be repealed by the first OF
june VIII she order her Militia assistance if the
President uses his mercenaresi In short il we pause
VIII she guarantee defensive Cooperation! Let us
answer these questions decidedly in the negative and
leave South Carolina no longer in doubt upon this subject
am Tor supporting the Onion PARTY in South Carolina
That party is composed of gallant talented and as
patriotic men, the nuIlifers: is strong minority it
is on the right sde and ii be sustained by the moral
force OF the other States in this Union, that prty wi o.
t.in the ascendancy, the Ordinance will be repealed and
all the desperate measures OF the nullters will be aban
doned Thus will be effected pesceaby by the people of
south Carolina themselves, that which all ardent
ly desire.
The Union party, deserve the sympathy and support of
the friends OF the Union every where. The measures
adopted by the majority in South Carolina towards that
party, the arbitrary and oppressive that have
ever been adopted by any dominant party i'm this conn.
Try, towards minority. The freedom of action on this
suhec has not only been assaed but the liberty OF op
ion also. r
Mr. Chairman, admire the character of the Southern
people, III the general much any man does I adj
mTe Their galanry their generosity, their fascinating
cai quanues' But canno, approve their politics: the
spirit OF liberty in them, is rather ultra it runs into a.
subordination; they have aversion TO governnen of
any sort.
The nuitiers in of enthusiastic excite
meht, amounting TO species OF fnacsm it reminds
of what has been very truly said by Edmund Burke
that theories In politics. dangerous as dopmas in re
ligon The nuliiers in South Carolina are absolutely
deranged by the theory oil notification When their pas
sons shall have passed away they will look back upon
'ueI measures WIN as strong feeling OF dsapprobaion
and regret, as we look upon them now.
The gentleman from Halifax, contends that all the
states IN ' Union are absolutely sovereign, that the
sovereignty oil State nation is in its nature indivsblc
Mr. Chairman, strictly and technically speaking there
but one sovereign in the Universe and he the author
OF all things The term sovereign when applied TO ma
ton, convey the idea, Of the power or right which ma
ton has Of regulating own affairs i'm her own wav
independently OF the control of any other nation If is
power right be subject to the control in any measure
OF any other nation the sovereignty is so far limited
This power OF right in the several States is limited i'm ma
ny very important particulars The several States
not declare make treaties, coin money emit hills nj
credit regulate commerce, impair the obligation CON
tracts &c; all Of which important SOVEREIGN mowers
in every nation The States have transferred their poy
err or right of action in all these particulars to another
and higher power the General Government which acts
Of Tho
States, have in the Constitution OF the United Stats
granted these powers 10 the General Government and
have also declared that Government to be superior 70 m
States, by saying in the Constitutions tat that Consu.
ton and acts of Congress, and treaties made in pursuance
thereof shall be the Supreme law Of the land any law or
constitution oil any State TO the contrary Notwithstanding
Hence the several States are limited soverepns II %
Tue a ey are sun sovereign in the regulation their
own affairs with the restriction that they DO nothing i'm
conflict with the powers conferred the General Govern
ment.
But the gentleman says that sovereignty is ndvisibe
he might well say, that power is indivsble Can
nation part with the whole her sovereignty? Undoubt
eddy Scotland was once sovereign nation, but she
granted The whole OF her sovereignty the Kingdom Of
Great Britain. And is it possible, that nation cannot
delegate part oil her Sovereignty Has any sovereign
power been granted by the States the General Govern
menH 1t cannot be denied that there has But the gen
eman says, that sovereignty indivblr then all soye
reignty has been granted. Some sovereignty has been
granted by the States TO the General Governments bu
sovereignty is indivisbe then oil their sovereignty has
been granted Some sovereignty has been granted by the
States the General Governments but soy
vsble then all their sovereignty has been granted This
is the legitimate conclusion Of the gentleman's argument
The gentleman, carried the cence of COMPARING little
things to great things, very far indeed lie drew an analo.
gy from the relation OF South Carolina 10 the General
Government, and the Supreme Being his subordinate
agents IN the universe must say, the analogy was
most remote and nappoIte one. lie said, the Supreme
Being carried on his measures through agents and would
be pretended that c could revoke their agency al
any time? SO The General Government was the agent of
South Carolina and she could revoke the agency at any
time. The gentleman should have recoleced that the
Supreme Being conferred his powers upon Su6Ordiuafs
agents, that he the sole OF tic power of his
agents. and that he controls all things The Supreme Be
ing has parted with portion Of his sovereignty
Not with South Carolina; she conferred her poyycrs
on Superior She the sole source of the powers
vested in the General Government, but merely a small
part OF tIe source OF power All tie States combined
the source Of power The powers were conferred
by the States jointly, upon the General Governments for
The mutual bene OF all tie States; and they can only be
revoked by The joint action Of the States Then how is
The sovereignty which has been granted 10 the Genera
Government by tie States, be resumed by ono OF the
states without the Of the other States? Only hy
revolution How can Sc0aud resume her sovereignty,
against the consent Of Great Britain by revolution only
The gentleman from Di6widde contends that we aft
owe primary allegiance to the State of which we are
citizens and that allegiance TO the General Govern
meni ~ Secoud0yY SUbOTdiHdiC that contend for
the converse OF his proposition contend that our allie
glance 10 the General Government, il primary supcro
aud that 10 tie State secondary subordinate And why
so Because the constitution of the u. States, which was
the act OF the people OF each STATE in their .oycrcign
pacity declares that the constitution Of the " States acts
OF Congress, and treaties made IN pursuance thereof shall
be the supreme law Of the land any law, constitution
OF any State 20 the contrary notwithstanding. Arc iUc not
all support that constitution n the OH article
Of the constitution it s declared tha tine Senator. and
Rpprcseutsttvpe Congress the rpcmbctq