Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-01-03

p'hCipic winch ehdnleu single member 81
the legislative Diet, by refusing his assem-
70 prevent the passage of auv law; and tbn,
TO defeat The eW Of q tchole nation, is the onIs
thing can rerol.ct equal in absurrlity 70 ~
claim Of notification and sec ession.
The advocates of state rights, as thee -
| called, say that without some srch nah, y
the states as the alleged right OF null6ea,ioa
or secession, there IS no security for iiber,.
IhatH the general government be allo,va1 (
TO construe MS own powers, il may usnrre
one alter another, "powers not granted - ur1
al the liberties Of the country are eno,l,b, 1
! (pardon the metaphor) in the vortex Of CO..
| solidation. tits assumed that the stat, co."
| ernments are and will continue 10 be H.
friends of Liberty. On what ground are tba
| state governments entitled to assume the er
clus i've guardianship of civil and poT,rsi
freedom? They are popular government.
So is the government OF The u. States +,
iunctIoparies are elected BIZ and Responsible
| 10 the People just IN the same degree as are
those of the state governments. Is it to bs
apprehehded that the people Of Virginia will
support those mes ures and princjples a.
members of the general government. which
as members Of the state governments thsr
repudiate and detestP lf they do, there !.
certainly no remedy for such perver,itv If
judgment or of will, in any political arrangs
rnent. But il is alleged that the governmen,
OF the U. States embraces a.great extent Of
territory, great variety OF climates, soils. 4
productions, interests and that wha, is deem.
ed blythe majo'ity OF the nationai legislature for
the general interest, may be inmical 10 or de.
tructive of the interest Of Virginia. Gran,
that 1t MAYS not the same principle appl.
cable TO those distant political communitie,
in state. called Counties? What interest
has the county of Berkeley for instance in
The Improvements Of James River? Let il
not be understood that am the advocate Of
any such narrow, jealous, selfish, and short
sighted. principle. | maintain that whatever
IS really for the interest Of the whole State,
is ultimately and surely for the interest Of
its parts. Are the sac red principles of civil
and political liberty better guarded and moro
secure in small political communities than in
larger Then why not allow to each of the
counties of the State Veto on all State
laws-or the right speaceably to secede.'
whenever the state government, by course
of usurpation, violence and wrong manifest,
intentions hostile 10 liberty? BY whom was
the erclusiee cmtody of civil and political
| rights, in the last resort, assigned to the
| state governments? Not by the People or by
the trainers Of the Constitution Of the United
States. They have provided other and far
different securities. Are the repositories of
power IN the state governments impeccablc
and inFsjhbiAP Are thes not ~-tcn-subject
| 10 the same weaknesses, errors and vices as
| other men? Qus custodet custodes? Who
shall guard the guardians? The PEOPLE
1t must be answered-a brave people, with
| arms liz their hands and al the resources Of
The country in their possession. Precisely the
| same remedy, then, is provided against the
no aflnn u1d ah,tca a.
| raj as IN the State governments IL the Pre-
| sident of the u States. who is entrusted with
| the sword Of justice, and charged with the
, execution of the laws. usurps powers not
gwen him, or abuses those that area truly
peaceful remedy is in the hands Of the PEo.
| PLE-four years Is the length Of his tether-
the PEOPLE assemble al the polls, and inform
his ex ceency that they have no further oc-
casion for his services. In doing this there
| IS no occasion for cannon and grape-shot, for
| muskets, hasonets, or sabres. The remedy
is entirely peaceable and perfectly effectual
In like manner; should the House OF Repre-
beniatives 10 Consress-entrusted by the
constitution with the peoples purse, start
wildly from ITS prescribed sphere, in usurpa.
ION OF ungranted powers or abuse Of those
that are committed TO tan effecfual curb 10
In the hands of the people-their course is
81" Hioi 'oi-ih t"O years, every meOiOer
who Is found 10 have managed The public
business badly or unfathfulIy, would have
| feave OF absence from Congress, to attend to
his private affairs. Has the country forgot
ten the history OF tie famous Compensation
Law Some eighteen or twenty years ago,
the members of Congress undertook to as
sign to then,sel' es, instead Of a daily pay,
sort OF hxed yearly pension or salary. One
OF the arguments for the change, remem.
Der. was, that IL fixed yearly salary was
substituted Tor daily pay. it would both
shorten the sessions and save money, by
taking away the indncement to pIotract the
session 10 five, six, or seven months. for the
sake OF the daily pay. The People howe
yer, did not see the matter exactly in the
same hight fhey took the matter into their
own hands. Every member who voted for
the Obnoxious law was either turned out, or
was glad to Ietract. The very next year it
was repealed. and there was end of the mat
ter. As the Senate OF the u. States consists
oil members appointed. two by each ,tte,
and AS the states have claimed and exerci'-
ed the right Of instructing them auihorIta-
lively, hope the sticklers for state rights do
not appTehead any danger Of abuse or usnr.
patton on the part of the Senate. Ifthey do,
can inform them for their comfort and con-
sola,on,~ that the PEOPLE have an indirect
but effective control over these grave and
reverend gentlemen also. The u. States
Senators are, it Is true, elected by he state
legislatures, but then the members Of the