Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-21

he n
States is abolished and gone and the Government of the
w. States is an unlimited and unchecked Jespolsn-om
which pray God to deliver us fear the Republicans
will not do it, though at heart disposed and tho
lists, 1t seems, would not if they could
Feb. 1888 REPUBLICAN OF 9s
! ,, , FOR THE ENQUIRER
TIE PRESIDENTS PRoCLAMA ION-tNo VI
IL my reading OF the Proclamation be correct the re-
publican supporters OF il do not deserve the denuncaon
as " mtrdJederGlsts," which General Brod,ar has
thought proper to illuminate against them in the Yirgni,
legislature The Injustice of that philippine equaled on
by The address OF the Orator in making and the weak
ness OF his atenuated reasoning Until the advocates Of
.h"t Proclamation can see the commission which appoints
'hat gentleman p" the oracle of Repubicanisrn" thew
must be permitted TO plead to his jurisdiction The
"eNultaton' OF III. G. Otis and the blue-Iisbf and
Hartford Convention Federaists' is better evidence oil
tne true intent and meaning of the Proclamation than
Zen BIS prescription of the Union Party in Virginia is
OF his orthodoxy. e "
The great question be decided, nv the ,eo,Ia .,
Ametca' Union or no Union! Yes we are to de-
cue whether or not, the shield of our liner
are 10 DC rashiy destroyed, either by unhallowed am
oon or the impatient and retted spirit of single STATE
Upon this question every entitled 10 his ounion
uoeS not The party questions of other times; and
protest against the alleged identity of prncipe
me republican advocates of the Proclamation and the
Hartford Convention men, or the Aonocrafs of still
er peod In our history The Unionists of Virginia and
eseWhere WIN never surrender the flag OF our Union 10
any mpraccabe abstraction of doctrine no matter boY
beaut'Iulin theory. We making new experiment in
government; aud it ought neither to be nor
PePhtey aOandoned on account of the occurrence of
dhcuty not expressly provided for Tile foundation Of
mat experiment is placed upon truth and the great gh,s
OF man IL were absurd to suppose that time and NO
would not occasionally, develope difficulties and at The
same me suggest the proper mode of perpetuating the
unity and motion of novel a machine '
The friends of the Union care az little for ,vba, ~,
Wdish or any other high Priest of Federalism NAV
say as they do for the prescription of any constituted
nigh Priest" OF Democracy We rally around union
and liberty, as pSepdrG6ly connected We disavo,v H.
doctrines OF implication construction; and sI those
which tend TO consolidate power in the hands of the C.
ua. "overnmen beyond the clear grants of the Cons
he a.,H,
the States or OF the people of the States as parties 10 M
compact But among these rights do not recognize
any mat are iactous and or the exercise nj
WINCH oy one State, will destroy the liberty happiness
We appeal the candour of Cen Brodnax to saw wbe
ner or not these are the principles oil all the blue hight
Torres OF the late war; OF the members of that cele
ptate" HdtyoFd Conrenton which plotted the dismem-
oermeht OF the Union, at the very time when foreign
enemy was in our lsnd"? IT, perhaps were better for Tie
NuiherS 10 compare some OF their principles with
the acts and doings of those with whom they attempt TO
class other people But this is no time for crimina,on
ana re-crninaon Let us look TO country aud make
some sacrlhce 10 save II from impending ruin!
am sorry that cannot award to Gen. B. g polish and
research, the accompaniment of force logic. have
no time to review his long speech. He has however,
used one argument in common with ehers TO which Inn
proper weight has been given. That will notice.
The proposition is, that it is impossible to preserve
coh'ederaied republican government by Jorce"-and the
reason gwen Is, that republic is government of choice
originating IN public opinion, and resting the affections
oil the people Hence he concludes, that State may dis
regard the Constitution sccede at pleasure Now il
Is laid down by writer's national law that, oil govern.
mems, no matter what be their forn rest on the
or implied '0lH " the people, who compose the society or
nd'oh And II this be true, the force OF the argument
is not in the distinction between republic and other 90
yernmens. But, he proceeds to quote argument from
Rhwle, and uses il with less fairness than that writer
his Is the language OF Gen. b:
"Againthe Constitution requires Congress TO "guaran-
tee TO each State republican form of government" &c
and is admitted by all commentators that any State
should prefer regal or imperial form of government
that she could not from the time of adoption remain
longer in the Union under this Constitution The quota
tons read from Rawe placed This in clear point view
Suppose then, State becomes dissatisfied with the Ore
publican form OF government" and elects King You
cannot by force compel her to choose different form of
experimentation that would be contradiction of terms
and she goes Of the Union And vet that which is
20 easily effected indirectly you deny to Slate the right
TO exercise directly, by respectful, and formal declara-
nor can it be upheld by force. As long as the people
from common interest, common feeling prefer IT, heu
will retain It, but no longer and you cannot compel them
to continue it longer than they prefer il and If go, could
! do II, you ought not 10 do it,"
Here is the discovery Of very peaceful and still more
novel mode Of seeding or breaking up the JJnionibe
presence among OF glering crOton or dade1,! II
the spirit of the revolution be not entirely extinct how
long would such thing be tolerated. indie pendent OF con-
sttutiona prohibitions! Our safety would not could
moi permit any State TO choose Of these yicererents
OF God TO rule it, But, since we "cannot by fore,
compel her TO choose different form of gOvernmenior
That would be contradiction Of terms and so she goes
oH of The Union P What logical conclusion H.
force is little helped by the Generals misquotaion o.
the Constitution. He says, the Constitution reo,ire
Congress 10 guarantee TO each State republican form
Of government" &c. Now, the pledge Is rather more
formal and solemn; and is in these words "THE NrTFr
STATES shall guarantee to every State in this Union
republican form OF government and shall protect each
them against invasion; and application Of the Legsa
ture or tie Executive (when the Legislature cannot bs
convened) against domestic violence" The duty ther
belongs TO the u. States and not Congress But In,
general government holding and exercising the sove
reign delegated TO it, would have redeem thi
pledge, If occasion required H. But this guarantee
solemn, unqualified pledge the part of each State
that she will neither establish any but republican form
Of government, nor permit any other State TO do sol
Is IL not clear them that however contradictory the term
may be, the United States have the pow err and are in do
~ bound, to compel state by force have republican
lofn OF go' eminent, no matter how strong her chOic
may be in favor Of monarchy What, then, becomes o
the yorie prOpOsttiOn that t impossible to preserve
conlederaed republican government by fOTceT Thu
Constitution points 10 force both against State and agdns
foreign invasion All these plumbers in argumeat and
Iavagant pretensions, flow from the false idea, that tn
states are fully and completely and unquaieily
Iegn, "as much before they entered into the Union
ne republic founded in public opinion and tho
WeeHons ana eh0tce Of the people; bot not actiou
fragment OF Ihe people, bare majority Of any State
but6en brodnax has putbs syllogsn in a form, whlc
oegs the concession Of the disputed proposition; which pre-
sumes me State TO be in the possession OF light deDe
, 10 hsr by the Constitution Thus: "Supposs, them
State becomes dissatisfied with che republican form