Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-08-08

From the Richmond Wig.
TO THOMAS RITCHlE- ESQ w

TO THOMAS RTTCIlE, ESQ.-NO.
am no" 10 prove To you, sir, that NuIIif-
cation Is The only mode in which the usurna-
lions oil the Federal Government may be re-
sisted oy the States, IN accordance with the
principles Of our resolutions Of l79s. Daring
rs you may consider this enterprise, do not
enter upon i: with any fear, although I .p-
proach without 4 flourish Of trumpets. or any
other parade. ! am plain, practic al M an
ana desire to state my opinions i'm manner
winch other plain, practical ncn will under
stand. III such men are not the ornament, of
the country, they are at least its strength.
aud support, and the very people to whose ca
Paci'y all reasoning upon political subjects
ought To be addressed.
beg you TO bear in mind the PRINCIPLES
which have already boon stated a, Lciucible
from the resolutions Of l19s. Perhaps our
best course OF proceeding will be 10 state
thcni IN detail, and see whether notification
does or does not conform to every one Of
them.
i. The resolutions assert that there il
some mode tcithin the Constitution, by vhicb
the usurpations Of the Federal Government
may DC resisted by the States. Now. IL il
true mat nullihcation is denied to be a con-
stitutional remedy; but the nullifiers assert
that It - constitutional; and I mention the
point only to show that they do not intend 10
assert any extra-constitutional or revolution
airy remedy-and that SO far, at Ioast, they
are within the resolutions Of 1879. Whether
'heir remedy constitutional or not, supposing
Tie principles of the resolutions to DO so,
must depend on its conformity with those
principles in the subsequent proposition. We
remark, therefore, that
/ =. The remedy must be such as TO arrest
the progress Of the sriI" Now, be pleased
to bear IN mind, that nullifc alton does not
proceed upon any supposed right Of the State
10 repeal constitutional lar, but upon the
right OF State 10 declare that n. uneonstit,t-
fions! iae really is so, AID 10 refuse obedience 10
u for that reason. beg you 10 bear this DIS
tinction IN mind. IL notification proposes
any thing more or iCss than this, am no null
liner, and do not Understand the doctrine
Now, sir, Is not this right OF State Ito de-
eide on the cOnstitutionality Of an act of
Congress) distinctly asserted in the r.solu-
lions OF 1898. Nay, has not Virginia assert
ed II IN practice, both in regard To the Alien
and sedilion Laws, and ia regard to these
very Tariff Laws themselves, We all know
mat such Is the fact And was not resistance
10 SUCH unconstitutional laws distinctly con-
temPlated ia the resolutions Of 1882 / have
already shown that II was !; and ii any farther
proof Is necessary, II will bc found, in all
abundance In the address TO the people which
accompanied those resolutions. II appears.
then, that the principles upon which nulIitica-
ton proceeds, are I'm the abstract) ia strict
conformity with those Of the resolutions Of
l19S. But those principles, il is admitted.
must be limited and qualified by tho object n,
view. We are, then, to inquire whether nul-
iiiicatIon does or docs not "arrest the pro-
gress Of the evil" The evil IS the exercise
Of an uSurped power: nullifc alton declares
that the usurped power shall no longer be
obeyed. Is not this the best Of all possible
modes, IL not the only mode, in which /, can
be "arrestedl" Perhaps il is not too great
refinement TO say, that the ''arrest' here
contemplated, IS OF the llsppaiion only, and
not Of the usurPIng po,esT. Ia other words,
It Is not designed 10 put down ne Federal
government nor embarrass nor impede its le-
Ultimate operation; but simply to prevent il
from exercising power which does not be-
long To u. Hence, no resort - contemplated
IN The resolutions Of 1893 to any measures
which may submit the existence OF that Co
yernnent to the decision OF arms Its ope-
rstions TIihiR the Constitution must all 90 on
as before, whilst is operations beyond the
Constitution must be arrested" Nov this
- precisely and peculiarly the effect 81 nulli-
hcation Aud strange 10 tell, u Is on this
very ground that you and others have most
strongly sssaIled that doctrine. NOu al say.
tliai u g absurd 10 pretend that State can b.
~ the Union aud OHl Of the Union al the SAINT
tune aud that Il - mousirous In a State 20
contend fOr All the advantages Of the mon,
- 10 certain laws, while she refuses 10 submit
TO the burthens imposed by other laws. No.
thing IN nature can be more perfectly self
evident than all this II y not surprising that
= man Of General JaeksOn's MEASURE Of IN
tclieet and information should be deceived
by such a superficial view Of the subject; but
we had right 10 expect better things from
veteran IN politics, like yourself. komeInber
s,f, that law bey0ad the Constitution q no.
iate ai oil, and there Is no right any where 20
enforce a. a State which refuses % submit
TO SUCH pretended law, Is strictly viitia the
Uhion--because she Is 10 shici 0btdisHes - ne
Constitution; and Il y strange 10 say that she
. refuses 70 submit 10 thu burthens" imposed
BY any Law which r. EoT Law At All. There.
Then, you have picture Of nullshc alton. a.
secures 70 the State the right 70 remsin IN the
Union snd enjoy all the advantages which the
Constitution and laws ean afOfd-submitting
at The same time, 10 ell which that Cofstiii-
ton and laws rightfuliy saioin Whilo u ''ar.
rests the progress" of psurpcd power, By de-
s'Eoyins The Obligation u every pretended