Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-04-02
PRESIDENTS pRocL Ian XII nregSS "a Fl.

DtuT SuYtJ ct0S untlqu0S.'
The next Objectionable features in the Proclamation are
10 the following effect: 'sThe people Of the United states
formed this Constitution acting through the Legislatures
to. meet and discuss its provisions, and acting through sepa-
rate Conventions when they ratified those provisions
This clause has been satisfactorily explained under the
authority fthe President, where he declares that he in
tended only TO assert the resolution of the Convention, an
nexed TO the Constitution, by altering the phraseology with
out materially changing its sense. By a reference to that
resolution il will be perceived, 'that the Constitution was
TO be submitted to a Convention Of Delegates chosen in
each State by the people thereof, under the recommends
lion oil its State Legislature, Tor their assent and ratifca-
hon." There is here no discrepancy between these two
modes of ratification by the people-Both declare, that "A
was ratified by the people of the United States, acting in
separate Soaxene99s called ssa !oESs RE sa,d by its Is Legislature,
constitution was formed by The people of the ITn;,"S
STATES in their aggregate and collective cbaracter. bu, ~.
IL was ratlhed Ia separate Conventions of each Sat-
"u.eoy clearly recognising, as TO this relation, the fede-
ra'l'e charActeroi our government. Much us.Ies, 81
",our ahd IDLE defamation have been directed AGAINST MI.
''suse' tnough we must acknowledge its correctness
d iii anc liberal comparison with The Constitution.
lie then atfiuns, that "the States seyeraIIy haya 49,
famed their entire sovereignty. Ii has been sborn ~,
IA becoming parts IF a nation, not member. of a l,agme
''ey surrendered many Of their essential rights of ,ovo',
reigniy-Ihe right TO make trealies-declsre war-I.vv
taxes were all them functions of sovereign power IT,
states then, Tor all these important purposes. were mn on
ger sovereign will examine The ''ueraid oue,tiO
whether we have been consolidated into one naIio,, tor -
n,h'e purposes; and in so doing, 1 will show what the mao.
P'e Intended 10 form; and the nature Of the govrrnnon,
winch they did ratify-adhering closely 10 that cariin, n -
o construction adopted 10y Mr.. Jefferson, of "cons,ru;no, hs
constitution according TO the plain and ordinary mesninr
and those who framedit"(dJ '" II ""''
IL the opinion OF Mr.. Jefferson deserves, confederation
anus entitled to any weight, 1 will very briefly state hi,
views upon Tie character Of the government. !. Lich he
thought the people should adopt: He ssvs tha, ..,bs
"'es should ssverally preserve their sovereignty in what
ever concerns themselves alone, and "a hateyer ~
ee.' no,n Stale any foreign nation should be made .
part OF the FedeTdi sovereignty. And that n nm neac.-
aDle means should be ContIived for the Federal head 10
i"Ice cohpldnce on the part OF the States "(b) And
again, IN a letter 10 Gen. Washington. % tn n.Lo ~"
{" o"1 as TO al foreign concerns, preserve them .eve.
sora ~ W. on mGIeIy domestic to give TO our Federal head
,p''c PeacC'ole means oil enforcing its Just authority. ira
great deslderata in our Federal Constitution ."(cj Ard
nhdI,y ~ a letter TO i. Carringlon-" NV general plan
would be TO make the States one AS TO eyeIvo ,hino ron.
nected with foreign nations, and several az n, ~ everHS ~
purely domestic. '(d) How Tar these important prinrin'
P.es were actually adopted in his estimation, will be seen
py " reference TO his Z" protest and solemn deeIar,,ior
Tor The Commonwealth of Virginia" in Is25. A.
MS protest against the usurpaiions Of Congress, was drawn
i; i, ,y ~ n H oil virginia, with the expectation tina,
~ "ou'n nc adopted as their political creed, we mus, .
sumo uhai IT was carefully compiled, and contained hi,
tue principles. The following are The words used; "Tb.t
ne states entered into 4 compact which is called tho e.
s'Iluiion OF the United States, by which they ,e,esd 70
unite III a a single government as to their rei.Iion, u;,I'
-, " ouner' ana WIN ioreien nations, and as TO certain
o'ner articles particularly specified. They retained Al Inc
same Uine' each TO itself the other rights of independ,n,
government comPrehending mainly their domestic in.
terests"(D "
To know the character Of the government, Which -.
10 be framed, we should look TO The recommend.
ACT oil Congress in February 'S7, calling Convention
frame a new Constitution. The preamble says, Ina,
lhe Convention should adopt tie most probable mean NJ
in these States, a firm National Gor1rn-
''e'" ana 'he resolution says, that such provisions should
Dc maue' as shall, when agreed 10 in Congress, and con.
lrihed by HE States, render the Federal Constitution
to me Crigencies 9f government, and me IRE.
~ me Union" Here the Convention was in.
'fucIed by Congress, from which IL derived ifs powers. 10
rane "a firm National Governments" that this govern
neht when so established, was to be "adeanate 10 Ibs
.Nlgencies oil government, and the preservation of the
Jnicn."O
According 10 the provisions Of this act, the deleg,,es I'm
convention formed Tie new Constitution. and In Nuh.
nItling 1t 10 Congress for their approval, made these
inphdiic declarations, showing the difficulties undsS
'hlch tiey laboureh, and The principles by which thew
guarded they told 10 Congress, and the peopls
large, Chat IL was obviously imprscticabIe in he
eIeral Government OF these States, TO secure all right,
independent sovereignty TO each, and YET provide
Dr. the interests and safety Of all. In all our deIbersGon.
y 'his subject, we kept steadily in our view, That which
pPears 10 US The greatest interest Of every true American.
re consolidation If otT Union, in which is involved our
iehcity, safety, perhaps our national existence"
MS circular was written and approved by the unanimous
Of The General Convention and IL declares in words
70 clear to he misunderstood, that il was obviously i'm
TO secure all the rights OF indepepdenf sore.
'gHty 10 each Of the States. And il moreover distinctly
'clares IN unequivscal terms, which no hair.splitting re-.
can inisinierpret, " That we kept steadily in
ew the consolidation If our Union"
We have then before US two authentic and important
the one, a resolution adopted By Congress 10
struct inc delegates 10 Convention, the character Of the
they were 10 establish and the Other, The