Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-21
Virginia legislature.

Virginia Legislature.
FEDERAL RELATIONS-(C onti,,ued.J
Speech or MIR. MOORE, Of R6ck6ridge, delivered in
Committee Of The Whole The state Of the Relations
6ettCeeH the United States and South Carolina, on
Thursday, the 10Th Janudry.-LContnued
The gentleman from Halifax (hir. Bruce) had assert.
at pleasure. This remark he (Mr. NJ understood as
having reference to the powers given by sovoregns to
ambassadors IL appeared however, much TO
regard ambassadors as the mere agentsas the hand by
which the sovereign acts-as the mouth by which lac
speaks-than possessing any portion of sovereignty
This the light in which ambassadors were always re-
garded. The rule OF construction by which settled
that State entering into treaty TO DO consider
ed as granting away any OF it, sovereignty unless the
grant Is made in express words quoted by the gem
eman from HaaX as applicable TO the compact entered
into by the several States by which the United
vernment was formed This rule, however, was not APP
phcablc TO the The rule, laid down by the gen
leman, was perfectly correct and easily understood 1t
had been elaboracIy discussed by historians and all
others, who had investigated the claim set by Edw
the ls TO the Kingdom of Scotland; and universal
ly admitted that this claim, which rested merely on the
agreement the Kings Scotland TO do homage
for laads which he held in England unjust and ni-
quous, because it evident that il had been the
intention OF the King the people OF Scotland, invest
the klng oil England with portion OF the sovereignty
OF Scotland. But could doubt but that the King
OF Scotland would have lost great portion of his
reign power, the people OF Scotland had sanctioned the
agreement entered into between Ballot and Edward and
that whether the word sovereignty had been used in the
agreement or nOt-because it would have been evident
that it the object OF the parties TO invest the Kings
England with sovereign power Scotland And il is
perfectly understood this tme that the whole
reignty Scotland is now vested in the government OF
Great Britain, notwithstanding the people of Scotland
Joy as much liberty and independence they did
Had Scotland retained its Parliament and only vest
cd portion of the powers of government in the PArla.
ment of Great Britain, then both the Parliament of
land and the Parliament OF Great Britain would have bee
sovereign limited extent the State Governments and
the Government OF the United States are.
cesary distinction betwee the source sovereignty and
sovereignty ITSELF led the erroneous conclusion that
the people OF the United States, acting as whole could
pl
and establish different form Of Government i'm its stead
He (Nlr. b. asked, if the people of the United States
could Q the thing physically practcable) assemble
IN aneu Hail. or any other place, and supersede the
present Government of the United States and the Govern
ment OF the several States, by establishing Govern
ment Tor the whole people OF the u States? To this ques-
ton, he (Mr NJ was prepared to without hea.
ton in the affirmative. Not only the whole people of
the u. States, but the entire population of forth America
might unite, and abolish all the existing Government,
among them, and create Government for the whole
continent The people OF Europe have the power and
night, II they choose, TO Overum all the Governments
among them, and TO establish single Government for
themselves. The people of the old thirteen States had
right to have sent delegates to Philadelphia to form a
new Government, TO be substituted in place of the old
Articles of Confederation and of the State Governments:
and even now, the people OF the United States whole
have right either by themselves their agents. adopt
new form OF Government, and 10 abolish the General
Government, and all the State Governments The laws
of impose restrictions the right of the peo-
pie, to alter, REFORM abolish their form OF Govern
ment, and establish another in its stead at pleasure
But, at the time it is undeniably certain that ma.
oYerturn the existing State Governments or the Const-
tuition of the United States except by the consent of all
the States; without being gully of breach OF faith and
oil dsregardng strong moral obligation, by which they
are bound to adhere to the contracts into which they have
entered.
From the consideration of the question as TO hatthe peo
pie have right TO do, tic gentleman from Halifax very
properly proceeded enquire what the people actually
did de- at the time the Constitution of the United States
was formed and this is the real question which we are
TO consider And with view ascertain what they had
done, he IN the first place enquired if the States
OF this Union were sovereign before the adoption of the
Federal Constitution! 10 this question he (Alr NJ would
answer undoubtedly they They were lrce in
dependent and sovereign States the moment they will
ed it to be Virginia became ereign State i'm I776
and not at the time France England acknowledged her
to be The South American Republics have never be
acknowledged by Spain he mother country sovereign
yet they sovereign, and will remain so, if Spain
should admit it, 1t is mere work Of
ton, TO attempt TO prove that the several States of this
Union sovereign before the adoption of the Federal
Constitution Tho dc OF their having been has never
been disputed unless the language of the Presidents Pro.
camaiiOn Is made TO deny it, by forced and unfair con.
structon. The statement eOutair,cd i'm the Proclamation
that these States united together as nation and
acted nation throug hout the revolutionary war is
strictly true and IS by no means inconsistent with the
fact, that each State sovereign in itself The
gentleman to whom he (Mr. Ny was replying had mex
asked it the old confederation which existed up TO the
time when the Constitution was adopted was soye.
reign To this question nc (NIr NJ would answ err that
1t so TO extent. Tie power 10 punish treason
tor an offence agans! itself is power which but
sovereign State exercise. VI cannot be doubted but
that Benedict Arnold would have been hanged as traitor
il he had fallen into the hands Of the Americans not az
traitor the State Of ConnecGe but as traitor IN the
United Sate' for offence committed ont Of the limits
OF his State. The gentleman from Ualifix Ghen ask.
ed II the several States n this Union are not now sove.
reign and independent? To this inerroeatory he (NIr
NJ would answer no they not now sovereign and
independent States in the broad sense and the extent
implied ~ ihe ineTogaiOry. To certain extent and 10
limited extent only they sovereign. Each State by
means OF s Legislature, may regulate m internal concerns
as II thinks proper and IL the General Government were
to attempt 10 interfere in those further ap il
authorized TO do by the Constitution OF the United States
II would be manifest act Of usurpation For example
the General Government would have more right TO in.
tcriere with slave property Than any foreign govern.
ment would have aud any such attempt " made might
and ought 10 be yessfed the ground that the General
Government would be attempting 10 usurp a sOueyeigu
p0Ccr vested IN H. but which vested bV the peo
pie BOO fhc S'1e Governments II has often been said but
not hdR .ad, iImt TIE General Government is govern
ment Of limited pow"r-, aud The Stale Governments 20
vernucns Of unlimited p0~rrl. ntrulh both government
sro government OF limited powers The state Govern
mcLl' afc icd, first, by the powers which the people
reserve 90 sevcs--scc0njly by the powers which