Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-08-23

law NoU, they 10 be flying from these courts ID
those very Legisatures against whose jurisdiction they
have sOiemny entered their protests. Noo the Fe
deralsts OF Massachusetts. r. Island and Connecticut are
flying to their State Assemblies for redrebu marx the
language. held by these men in l799," &c.
"The Legislatures OF Delaware, Connecticut. New
Hampshire and Vermont and the federal Senate Of New
York acted In the same spirit The courts ofhe u States
were every thing The State Legislatures were usurpers
II! hey out presumed TO breathe opinion the
sm.unonah,y OF law OF Congress. The Assembly Of
virginia did nothing than express such opinion.
but had that body gone as the Legislature of Masa-
Sediton laws null and void. and 'snot legally bind.
ing OH the citizens or Virgnafdncy from fact
can only conceive the lengths, to which the Assemblies
the Eastern States would have pushed their
Noang less than the thunders Of would have
been hurled against the people Of VirginaBut if such
scosh haze been tho lang held out at that time bv
te people OF Massachusetts, what should be the
which they ought now to take TO themselves!
" the Legislature Of Massachusetts, be satisfied with
hakeu declaration OF the constituonaty OF these
laws why not pursue the pointed out by the Re-
port OF Virginia in 1902 Why instruct their Senator'S
anu obtain union OF the States, TO obtain repeal
EEMoArgo aws' Why not attempt to amend the Federal
Constitution and deprive Congress of the power Of en-
acting any Embargo law But This will suit
tho friends OF oder-They for resistance Why do
they trust too TO the virtue oil no. they
are too good Federal Republicans for that"
This is strong language; but stronger
tone employed by some of the Republican party of
that day? What says Mr.. Giles, i'm the Senate of
the U. States, on the 24tl, November, 1908?
a'iude to the inexecuon Of the Embargo Laws The
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mlr Lloyd even points
out the mode OF resistance. He tells us they may be
resisted, first by town meetings. then by petitions then
oy legislative resolutions, and, finally, by Instructions
"But, Mr. President, believe this government does
possess power sufficient to enforce the embargo laws
The checks OF this government exclusively upon its
deliberations, not upon its powers OF execution So far
from that the Constitution has expressly provided that
proper for executing its specified powers There is
Limitation whatever, the for executing the ge
neral WILL when fairly and deliberately
Again, the fundamental principle Of our government s
that the majority shall govern The people of Massacbu
sets know too well the fatal of resisting
Mr. Macon, and Governor Troup used strong
language oil the same complexion. The Legisa-
ture of >. Carolina pissed a resolution declaring
"ts full appreciation of the hitherto pur-
sued, particularly in the continuation of the embar-
go and non-lntercourse acts and pledge their best sup
port in carrying them into execution" And even Mr.
John Randolph who was most vehement in oppos-
ing first the commercial restrictions, and afterwards
the tcar, which was waged for vindicang the vo-
lated rights OF his country, holds the following strong
language in our public councils, on 3Oth November
1908:
while deprecate the existence of tho Embargo,
trust there exists. and that there will always exist dis
position TO enforce the laws Of the General MT
Will be among the first, resist contrary doc
trne Ii the laws cannot be enforced, what purpose
arc conederaed people? and WHY have we
national government! will not believe that the ct
zens OF any portion OF this country, will rise in
to the laws OF the Land, until the fact has actually occur
red aud in this point Of view regret introduction OF
the report and resolutions they lead to suggestions
different nure. When the case does occur would ap.
ply the proper remedy. would have recourse Sir 10
the knife and the cautery.'
DAYS OF THE HARTFORD CONVENTION
From the same, an October, 1914.
when did we act like them Was it in '9s and so
Is II at hts moment! We draw comparisons from
these two for these very obvious that
IN 80 and 80 zoe were then they nou the OPP.
.foslion-ad I'd that at this moment, our situation is
much Ike theirs, that is, invaded our o,cn
militia are called out, money is applied by our
say at neither Of these eras, has Virginia acted as i'll
the wrechcd Junso who rule the desDies OF Massachu.
sets.
l. In '9S and 99-in those dark DAVIS as we conceived
them 10 be, PIginid was in the Minori,y-In other
words the People and her Legislature were in opposition
to tho measures OF the Administration They believed
that The Constitution was deeply violated that troops
raising and money expended without any necessity and
that war was wantony provoking with the Republic OF
France Did she do then as Massachusetts is doing now
Far from IT, Our Legislature contented themselves with
reasoning against the Alien and Sedon Laws and ex
pressing their sentiments the state OF the nation in
terms oil respect But they went further No threats
escaped their lips. There talk of (H) Conven-
ton no whisper OF resistance TO the OF government
they beel the law OF the land, and they bowed before
It, The Federal tax gatherer uninterrupted OH his
way And is worthy Of remark that resistance, though
not less awess then than this might still have
been more harmless; for had enemy our coasts
no General threatening invasion with 2O,O 900 troops no
declared enemy whose hopes and whose efforts could he
invigoraed by show OF resistance. But neither
sisted, nor threatened We trusted to the of Truth
We said she great, and would prevail. And she did
prevall-Why do not the Juno of Massachusetts, then
do as we did Why de they not trust TO the peace
in weapons OF reason aud ren'onsirance IL surely
be. because they despair OF the goodness of their
and 1t Is therefore they address themselves passions
Their mcnaces, however, will prove unavaling They
VIII but expose them to contempt"
"This ilusrous Union, which has been cemenied by
the blood OF our foreiahers the pride OF America and the
wonder OF The world, must be tamey sacrificed the
heated brains or the aspiring hearts of few maconens
"Countrymen OF the East! call upon you to keep a
viglant upon those wretched men, who would plunge
us into civil and able disgrace Whatever be
the temporary cslanities which may assn
upon the altar of country, TO SAVE THE UNION"
The reader may wish TO see what Mr.. Jefferson
thought in those critical times We all know what
he has said i'm 90 and also in 1895 upon what he
sometimes calls SECESSION" and sometimes "separa-
ton"-and yet let what he says in February
had passed-upon "raising the standard of separa-
ton" in Massachusetts:
"But they have hoped in their Hartford Conven-
ton. Their fears OF Republican France being done
away they are directed TO Republican America and they
are playing the game for Reorganization here which
they played ia your country The Marats, the Dantons
and Robespierres Of Massachusetts in the pay
under the same orders, and making The efforts
archse that their prototypes in France did there. do
not say that all who met at Hartford under the
motives oil money: those OF France. Some Of
them Outs and wish 10 be Ips; some the mere dupe.
Of the agiaors, Of their party PASSIONS while the
Marass alone in the real but they have very
different materials TO work The yeomaDry OF the
United States not the cdndiNe Of Paris. We might
safely give them leave TO through the United States
recruiting their ranks aud satisfied they could not
raise one single regiment gambling merchants aud silk
stocking clerks expected) tohO ood support them in any
effort TO separate from The Union. The cement IF This
Union is IN The heart blO0d of epery American do
IN ohoIot