Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-07
MR.. ATKINSON,s SPEECH

IN me Senate Cf VUginid. Januaru 2Jih
MIR. Atkinson offered the following resolution as ar
amendment TO the substitute which had been proposeJ
MT McComas OF Cabell to the preamble and resolution,
from the House Of Delegates
ReSOIred, That, rejecting as we do tLe theory of the
origin and nature of our Federal Government set forth in
the said Proclamation of the President of The IT, States a,
Vay erroneous and directly contrary the view Of the
suect maintained, IN the said resolutions oil 1898 and re-
port OF lf00, We feel impelled by every consideration
whch should influence the representatives
OF people who yet tree TO protest. as ,pe nom osi
$oie"Y 49, against the right of the President or of the
federdl government to use force against the peopIe OF
Souh carolina, as against rebels and traitors to compel
their obedience TO the said acts of Congress when thew
nave been discharged from their obligation to obey them
by the Convention OF their State TO which thew
.her natural and primary allegiance inconsistent with
inc hdispuabe sovereignty OF the States and inconpa.
taDle win the principles Of Justice and humanity
insupPortot the above Resolution, Mr. Atkinson spoke
mana, Mr. Speaker II Is not my intention 10 consume the
ne OF he senate by entering into the discussion Of the
9oc"ihe 9fher OF Nullihcation Secession. But sir
,Se' ud should iail ~ my duty 10 those whom have
the honor to represent, did endeavor to get an
preston OF ne sentiments OF the Senate the important
subject to which that resolution refers Sir I should no
ecrea 10 hoc great principles for which Virginia has
ARRAYS eontended, and the maintenance of which veri
W believe, Is indssOubly connected with the preserv,
non OF our nDeriy, did not enter my most solemn pto.
TEST against The doctrines which have been promulgated
by the President OF tho United States i'm his late pToc
nation doctrines, sir which, if they had proceeded from
any other source, would have produced a co,nro,io,
throughout This whole Commonwealth such "a Las NO,
been witnessed since The enactment of the Alien and SCI
dOn Laws. ~ ~ "
call on those gentlemen Mr.. Speaker who have al.
ways been foremost in defence OF State RIGHTS no,s 70
mahes her devotion TO the good cause Those rights
nave been assailed, openly and violently assaed bv
hgh III power, and mighty in influence; in short sir the
are threatened with nothing less than total spnib alton If
ever mere was time therefore, when they needed the
suPPortot trends, that time is the present Sir we are
me Ieglma'e and chosen guardians Of State Right To
US mas Oeen committed the high trust Of ''wachng over
ana opposing every iniraclon Of those principles which
constitute the only basis Of Union Let none of ne
snok RON the performance Of duty on this great o
eason Let The voice Of the Representatives. Of Virginia
0e heard as ~ days that gone by aud the rights ol
served F' NY ''' 'O pre-
Mr. Speaker, have heard some gentle men saw that v
snouo pass no resolution, which could DO construed into
Gensue o. the President because haze not been sent
h@eJo any such purpose. The people (sav tbe,, have
Ju reelected Gen Jackson, and when they clothed as
MN our present powers II was with view that we
should ST. IN Judgment upon the man Of their choice 81,
Wns are We and Tor what have we been placed here
to remain mute and nioHonlsss until our master sbsl
wind us up, end get US in modon' No, sir, we have