Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-17


wrongs and assert their rights To do this they would
take advantage OF those circumstances which would least
enable the majority to prevent their designs-when for
instance, The country was invaded by foreign enemy
aud when all is directed To repel
hostiies Aud thus, this Uuon. which is the pride and
boast Of rs all, must be ultimately destroyed, or the char
acer o this Government be entirely changed, from that
Of choice, 20 that ul iorcc and d,spoi>n.
lie had said All he Intended 10 saw on the subject
OF secession, and here had originally been his design 10
SopBut he would briefly otter hts views OF the doetIne
OF Nuil,hca'on, as ended ior by South Carolina
Mr. W. said that he Thought South Carolina " on. iu
undertaking to nudity the Tariff laws of the United States
because hoie laws compound in their cbaractrr-
Tor whilst they were mainly designed Tor the protection OF
manufacturers they also incidentally intended for re
venue AMI the u States had clearly the power TO Law
duties Tor rvenuehencc much Ut hose laws AS were
necessary for revenue was doubtless con,t,uonaI aud
admitted to he so by South Carolina.
The measures adopted by South Carolina TO nulfy so
much OF the laws OF the United States were made i'm
pursuance of the Constitution, AMI still remain in the
Omon, could not be sustained hy the principles avov ed
IN the resolutions adopted 10y the Virginia Assembly in
! Us. The third OF those resolutions is follows:
" hat this Assembly doth explicitly and peremp,oriy
declare that it views the powers of the Federal Govern
mcnt, resulting from the compact which the States
are parties, as limited by the plain and intention of
me instrument constituting that compact, as no farther
vad than they are authorized by the grants
III hAt compac and that in of a deliberate palpablr
and dangerous exercise OF other powers granted by the
Si compact tie States who parties thereto have the
right aud ara in duty bound nterpose for arresn., the
pogtcss OF the evil and Tor maintaining within Their re-
/ tanning TO them" IT.
1t was no where asserted by yirgiaa that stare may
disregard law passed in pun OF the constitution
Tor that ~Ou be 10 dmit that Sta nie ht tsr,p r IN.
constitution, and still claim under the same which IN
his oplnon would be absurdy. As ded c,ion ,tou,
'ne resolutions OF 9S, he con'idcre that Tor dang rous
ana oppressive abuses OF power secession ia the last r.
SORT was the only r,hiul remedy But where am act OF
ongress was who y aud pail ably unctnsiuon i, wa,
IN his opinion law: oven an individual might dis
regard it, and oseour' he ngl. plead 5 unronsti ~
'lonaiiy the uiaand should his plea lie sustained he
would be acquitted as havin4 commit ed no offence He
/ tpl that in ln ,..,... IT.
sell great aud awful responsibility. ii hi, VII, W be COR
/ zee how much more State emit led 10 IKE unon
se he resistance OF an uncOnSt tutiona law who ac-
codiug To he principles oil Virginia. hid ia, SOVEREIGN
igbt TO judge OF tbs intracions the constitution aid
OF The mode aud measure OF redtess-am,l in case of
deliberate, dangerous, and papabe violation of The
P"c VS. I'm duly bound 10 nerpose Ter arresng the pro-
gress OF the evil within her limits" He could ina,
gns many cases IN which hc sh,uld deem il proper for
>tae TO disregard law OF the United States and vet re-
main IN the Union. For inS'aice should Compress p,ss
an act changing the Laws OF descent in this State or IN IL
oerae our slaves Which was more probable VS. there
man IL Virginia who would say tina, this qoyernmc, I
would not be justified in nulliiyng, or Otherwise di.te
garding such laws hus il would be ne, c.vd ,I,,
while Mr.. w. agreed with the geutlem from Halir,x
mal IN case Tie General Government violate the com.
pact IN one part it tn option OF the ate TO vs,
HE whole, yet he would agree that State is
my compelled 10 violate the ho'e aud sunIer the bonds
oil UNION lie commended, tNt it the act be wholly and
paipahy unconstitutional, the Sac had Iigh to disre
gard The same, aud remain in te Union For in such
case she VOattd no part OF the constitution and the
may al claim under IT, And il only in cases W here
she could relieve herself from oppres,ion si,Lo,
violating the compact that she must eceJe Gom tls
mi u, as her only OF redress because she mot
violate the constitution AMI claim under il the same
time.
lie was somewhat surprised at hearing some .,en,Ie
men ia tins debate who ~ he supposed, had always re-
garled the resolutions OF 9S as heresies- no,v
mat they looked 10 them the their political fal
This might be the case; but their adherence to those re-
solutions had been known until this time and NOW
although they pretended 10 DC disciples of that schoo,
they declared that those resolutions had a,,,vs hesr
/ And thOsn ia.
men who contended for the principles oil the Presidents
| Proclamaton
Mr. Moore here inquired what eentIeinen ia. b
from Pittsylvauid alluded TO.
Mr.: Nitcher 10 the gentleman who asks tho qucs.
Mr. Moore. say the gentleman from Pitlsylvania i.
not correct in point OF fact stating that ever considered
the resolutions Of so heresies.
Mr. MHcher There Is difference of opinion between
Wc gentleman ana myself lie has light TO entertain hi.
own; but he has not changed mine.
Mr. Witcher resumed. He could not give his support
toihe substitute OF the gentleman from Fauquier because
1t took one-Sidcd view OF the subject il appealpd I'm
South Carolina and South Carolina alone # asked her to
submit to The demands OF the President contained la his
Proclamation, whilst the armed forces the hired solicrv
OF the u States stationed upon her territory TO en-
lorce the mandate of the President at the pnnt of the
hayOnrt. lie, an honorable IMAM could mot al, ,I
parties to meet OH other than honorable grounds Ill would
say to = Carolina what he would say 10 the President and
Congress OF the United Sates,-''you have all erred-th,
General Government by its unconstitutional and
acts-Sonh carolina by assuming auatude of resistance
10 The government OF the L. States he would saw yo,
nave Oeen the Irs aggressOrepcal the obnoxious Tdril
/ laws 10 The Observation-Disclosures the threat Of wal
against sovereign member OF thi, Union;" And IN =
Carona "Repea your Ordinance and laws in pursuance
thereof: aud in spirit OF mutual compromise and not I'm
plde and ambition, meet together upon
table grounds, aud not only this Union but the eu
sion oil blood now threatened be shed by brother,
hand -
Mr.. w. said that powerful party was now ranyin.
ouhI te President to support his procdmalon Need il
he asked what was their design? 1t was TO pcrneuatc
the protective system, TO rivet ii upon through all time:
crush south Carolina, and give lesson TO the SOUTH
winch so" prevent Their ever opposing again the usur-
Pauo OF Tie General Government, obltcrite un.
"er me great seal OF the President, all the rights ever
coniendcd for by Virginia Tor the States
Now Sir, said MIR. W.. these are not inv designs Ar,
not III ldvor OF supporting the President using force (.
dIlVe South Carolina into submissions although She nav
DC wrong III the measures she has taken for thH redress o.
her gIleYdnceS-whcn she not the first aggressor He
cOuld not understand the arguments OF those gentlemen
who admitted that the States had rights, but denied then,
AT he means oil obtaining enforcing those rights If he
had rights he also had remedies lie objected TO the sp
ihe arguments and the conclusions OF the Proclamation
ne objected also TO the appeal which made the pcope
as Individual members OF national and consolidated
government instead OF appealing them through their
stale authorities, TO which they certainly owed their pri-
mary arrogance lie objected also 10 the time at which
me PROCLAMATION was issued, calculated TO iname the
people OF South Carolina, already too much excited and
h MS opinion as calculated 10 prevent the action of Con
Bress III reducing the Tariff 10 the revenue staudarby
assuring ne advocates Of the American syiem that lc
Andrew Jackson by the Influence of his great popuIav
"Ouid suppress every effort at resistance To- that odio,s
system Ii has frequently been told us not only i'm the
the President is bound execute the laws of Compress
nc uouOted whether there member the commit
zee VINO did really believe that the laws which he now
'eu "Ie Ilght TO enforce upon sovereign State were