Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-26

strict construction Of powers how far of agents
oil the people have the right TO depart from their legi,i.
mate sphere oil action TO Interfere with control the ac
tons oil other agents appointed by the masters.
Viewing the United States then rs a governments and
not as league compact between independent nations
followed that no part of the people could Withdraw
from the government without the consent OF the other
parts IL could be done with proprey by por-
ton OF the government OF the United States than bv the
individuals Of State, who should claim TO remain ON their
estates absolved from their obligations as citizens Of the
State
The government Of the u. States as formed he ,,c
adoption OF the Federal Constitution, was in lis nat,a
partly iedera'ive, and partly national The Senate was
icdcraIivc feature the House of Representatives. was
purely national in its characterand the Executive when
elected by the Colleges OF Electors, compred both The
iederative and national characier-each State having
vote according TO its combined reprcse ntaon i'm boil,
branches of Congress II one part of the govern
men, was national although all the other parts were fe-
derai which was by means the face, il would be- MS a.
consequence, impossible TO sustain the right of one pos
ton to Withdraw from the without the consent of
the other parts The doctrine of pcaccabe secession
was one and Mr. G. found himse If i'm h,striou,
company, when he declared himself unable to compre
bend it-for Mr. Madison had declared himself il, tho
same dilemma, letter read few DAYS since 10 Tho
House, by the gentleman from Aibemarie, (Mr. Ran
dolph)
IT, said Mr. c. the old confederation was intended ,
It's own words declare, To be bond OF perpetual union
and IL that bond being found not sufficiently strong is
was intended TO draw the tie still Closer and as was af
nneu To make amoe perfect union, by the present Con-
sliulonhow must the trainers OF that instrument have
'led Of accomplishing their object if this Union mus.
be dissolved at The mere will aud pleasure of one of The
parties!-llow must they have been mistaken in the
character OF the constitutions it, instead OF atng by tia
permanent government, they merely framed power of
attorney for the several States, which each have a,pht
to revoke whenever they may think proper!
Mr. C. said it was only with the arguments of Tho
friends OF the report that those who opposed had TO con-
endthey bad also encounter appeals TO ancient and
almost forgotten preudces The desperation OF cause
oil those who advocated these novel and absurd
had induced them 10 make of every Dissertation Of
weapon to sustain their views He had heard il declared
both here and beyond the House. that the old marty, nes
were now drawn-tlat this was a contest Fcde
ralists aud Republicans. He admonished gentlemen 10
repel this attempt TO influence them by false appIica-
non OF Oh party names TO the divisions which now exist
ed and which had no relation The state OF things when
those names were properly applied the parties of the
country This was not question OF Federalism and Re-
pubiicansni-but question OF Union or no Union He
would ask whether the individuals with whom he was
acting were Federalists? Was the author of AqricoI,
who had been hashy rebuked by the gentleman from,
Albemarle, (hir Gimer) and who was high priest in.
the Church Of State Rghts-was he a Federslist, W.
the Editor OF the Richmond Enquirer who in 1874 do
clared that secession treason and nothing less tban
reason-was he Federasli u true the gentleman
had now changed his position IL reasonable in the
North even TO think Of secession. In the South al The
present day. IL is an indsputable right Nor was the En-
qnrer the only journal that had turned sunmerset in
these changing and marvellous times. Even the Wing
IN one short, short moon had forgotten its former AMI
moS'es III the intense interest excited in it's Editor bv
TINS holy caise-and stands forth the apooqis Of Tho
mutations OF the Enquirer. Surely the millennium mus.
be at hand since the lion and lamb have lain down toye
Their e0
Were State Rights, Mr.. c. asked as understood in Viz
gina and other OF the Southern States with all their all
surdies, the and only tests Of Republican;s,
IL such was the understanding now was not so al the
period when parties first divided by the distinctions
OF Federal and Republican Ever the Presidency
OF Mr. Jefferson the General Government had been i'm bo
hands OF the Republican pary-and yet but few of the
States had ever subscribed the Virginia dog mas of State
Rights Was Pennsylvania, who subscribed 10 tbose
docnes-a Federal State? The real question which d;
ved those parties since the adoption Federal Con-
suo was Inc extent OF the legislative powers of Con-
gres The extreme othe latudnous power contended for
by what was then termed the Federal party was hbi,ed
IN the Alien and Sedition laws The question now before
ms House. was not as them question of legislative pow
ers oil the General Government but as 10 its mower Of
selfpreservaton. Po'' -
So far related to himself he cared NOT straw h,
what party name he designated He had Iyavs con-
sidered himself Republican his UNDERSTANDING NJ .
em lie was anxious, however that the cause for which
ne was now conending should identified
with odious or unpopular associations The device AT nre
sent attempted was too shallow to deceive the people
hey would understand and call things by their rgbt
names They would know that this was not contes he
tween Republicans and Federalsts; hut contest between
Onontsfs and Disuni0nSts-and that the real question
which now agated is, whether each State at its own
VIII, has, or has not, right to destroy the Union
Mr. Williams rose to propose an amendment the reso-
nhon and not to discuss it, He did understand that
the report of the committee advocated the right TO sccede
without good and substantial reasons. papabe violations
OF the Constitution occurred by the resolutions of as bo
power of the State affirmed TO sustain herself and in
terpose TO check the evil He moved amend by insert
ing, before the word bre the words ebeynfS noino
o'e ana dangerous They the words OF the Sd
resolution of '9S.
Mr. Campbell explained the effect of the amendment
ny The insertion OF these words the resolution still aver
req the right oil the State to Judge when these
had occurred and being by The words of the resolution
made sole Judge, IL obvious that inse ron o
not change ITS substantive meaning, however they might
operate as they evidently Intended 10 embarras and
confuse it-and give an appearance of cause in case n
stare shou assume TO itself the right secede For the
oae Deng the sole Judge and responsible TO 10 other ti-
buha she had only to declare that in her Judgment p
papabe, deliberate and dangerous violation of the Cons,
FUTON li.d occurred, and might therefore secede II
state had the right thus 10 Judge whenever she consider
ed that an inacton had taken place she might withdraw,
and consequently she might do so at any time IL was
IDLE Tor gentlemen thus TO attempt evasion of the cues.
ion-ior even with their amendments they would az
last be compelled to vote upon il.
Mr. brodnax said lie gratifed that the objects og
he TWO parties were fairly stated II would be re-
membered that throughout the whole debate no one had
denied the right OF State, claimed in the resolutions oC
49, to neyPosc, when deliberate, dan gerous and nal
Pd6Ie violation Of the constitution occurred Although Il
mad been stated that the doctrine of secession was nov
one an Old document hal been read the other day which
alhrmed that State had the right to Withdraw to
seceue me word was not the same-but the distinction
would be dhcult to fix. The principle was deduciblo
IRON ihe 81 resolution Of 9S which the passage aud-
ing 10 " seeded State in the 18th resolution meaning
state which had seeded for the causes stated in baad
resolution Of u.s. was founded. IL only alluded 10 Sc
cession for such causes Why then was il opposed, Re-
cause in these golden times when all are repubIicsns
gentlemen were willing rise in their places and strike
out the principles OF the resolutions of gS The question
rested there--and he willing to let il rest on IN,
ground on which had rested since gS n he amend
meht OF the gentleman from Henrico adopted il will
pIace me right ~ sfGfu quo where il is now. Mr. b.
snOuId therefore vote Tor the amendments but he would
advise all the friends Of State Rights TO vote against the
amended resolution because il repeated unnece ssariIv
'he declaration OF the report IL seemed evident that