Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-24


eh' must nave been strictly aud undenaby Federal II
II was national the States not the parties and do
not retain the right TO withdawor whatever the people
have done, the people only can undo That which was
surrendered to the nation by people cannot DO retrc
ed by the states Tor they the parties any
uona measure We will now examine the strict wording
OF the foundation of our government The following are
the words: GIVE THE PEOPLE, of the United States
do ordan and establish this Constitution for the United
states OF America The expression, " we the people,
plainly evinces what the President OF the Convention said
.neir OBJECT was 10 form consolidation Of the Union and
hm national government. The phrase, the peo-
PIE, shows that the people, and not the Sates are the
Paues TO this compact; and such the people only
dissolve the Union Patrick Henry plainly toresaw the
consequences, and, know the of the Con.
Nehuo warned the people OF this State permit this
phrase TO be Inserted Hear his words:t .sSr am
hrmiy convncedn my mind, that those worthy carac-
ers who composed part of the late Federal
were impressed with sincere persuasion of the neces
sy OF forming great consolidated government instead
.! confederation The fate of this question aud Of Ame-
" RIGA may depend this have they who formed this
new constitution said, "WE THE STATESw II
they had said so, this would be a confederation;
but as they have not, it is clearly consolidated GO
vernment The question turns, sir, on that poor lit
tie thing the expression, We the People, instead
" OF we the states Of America. States are the cha.
raceristics and soul OF confederation If the States
DC not the agents of this compact, il must be zone
great consolidated national governnen mt OF the people of
All the STATES. AT the time, Mr. M adison calls
the government national and the States ast Subodnae
oovernments.f Governor Randolph aud the OF the
members oil the Virginia Convention in their speeches
upon the propriey OF raying the Constitution called
the Government nationally Alexander Hamilton de-
government, he wv
10 suppress any insubodinaion, though sanctioned
and clothed with the authority of a State Government
hese names are gwen not being authority themselves
advocating, as do "prncpia, nominees but merely
to prove that the construction placed by me upon the
phrase, owe the people, admitted 10 be the correct
construction the adoption of the Constitution And that
me government was declared, by the State legislatures
by the Congress by the President and several members
OF the and by almost all the great orators OF
thM Time, 10 De national government. And, being a
national, instead OF strict federal government the States
cannot possess the right secede for to have this right
the government should have been wholly federal and not
nauonal IN any oil its features The great Apostle of Lii
oery himself tells S"to look upon the preservation of
the general government in its whole constitutional vi
gour as the of at home and safety
abroad; absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the
majority, the vital principle of Republics from which
mere no appeal but to force, the vital principle and
" Immediate parent of despoism." Such were the ayow-
ed opinions oil these patriots the different ero, which
Ill the umes OF oppression of SO and go were
IspS Me- neesy out when fortune again favored US in
MT Jefferson expressed the last opinion in his inau-
gura address to Congress, and Mr. Madison in hi, letter
10 ingeso almost wholly retraced the opinions express
ed In the report OF 49, Ii State possesses the right 10 Sc
cede the government is weaker and more poweess than
when we existed united under the confederation: and we
WIN see me nexpcable absurdity OF Convention of the
most enlightened patriots that assembled called toge
heT Tor The sole purpose of forming firm national Cavern
ment for the preservation OF the Union and framing
constitution in which each State retains the power dis
oVng the Ohion whenever such State may think il
conducive to her policy and interest. Really such sun
peSuon Is an lmputaion upon the good that illus
Having examined the arguments drawn from the (oun
dauon oil our government will adduce one more from
the Inconvenience of the remedy Allowing thai State
has the right secode for paIpabe and deliberate viola
uohs oil the Constitution and usurpatons of powers not
granted 10 Congress- you must also admit the State to be
ooh party and judge in its own cause. Though this
is contrary to all established maxms yet they saw s in
herent IN sovereignty TO judge in all cases whether the
ohPae' ahu league oil Union has been violated Esab
Sh TINS docune and at one blow, you destroy the nation
al government aud in effect, dissolve the Union; for TO
expect that the States would long remain united under
such circumstances could enter into the dreams of
esta Iish
an emporium in impeo" where the acts pased nv on
were to be the supreme law of the land eav
ing win the oher the power Of declaring whether such
laws were constitutional, and seeding II thew were so
true that the national government may palpaby and
dehOeratey violate the Constitution; for 10 suppose the re
verse would De TO expect that passion, prejudice and in
terest did not influence the Judgment and peryert the
reason OIL man iwoHd be TO expect that national ru
iers were infallible. But can we hope that our State
legislators will be less influenced by the same motives
Gan we nave any surety safeguard that the States will
not declare any act passed by Congress as unconsion
Az was mere ever law enacted by Congress which
was not declared unconstitutional by one of the States
me o'ate governments will be equally liable declare
an act oil Congress paPapy unconstitutional which not
So as mat Congress will usurp powers See then what
dependent situation will be i'm if war was declared
oy Congress- any State may declare that she will secede
d"u form oresn alances-another, influenced by her ex-
ample, may be induced to withdraw from the Union n
escape the expences and dangers of the war imma-
'eal whether The declaration of was constitutional
or no-totay indifferent whether il had be an sanction
ed ny me Executive and Judiciary. The State is to be
sole judge in her own cause; we are not IN ssnot a.,
sue Is influenced by any other motives than devoted ma
losm and desire TO nterpose her reserved
10 arrest the progress OF usurpation-she declares the law
and leaves the other States TO
reWac the declaration, carry alone Ii no arq
eht 10 say mat because the States possess this right that
uey are NOT Obliged to exercise it-hat they should not
use 'he sovereignty to check excep thew
are papaoie and deliberate. They can declare ann aI
20 De So and the motives must remain within their own
Deas lor here Is no appeal when they nterposc their
reserved sovereignty Ii they possess this right thew NAV
at any ume and there is surety that thew
WIN not-However caprcous the motives, however unus
unable the grounds OF secession, for any frivolous excuse
state not possessing the hundredh part of the inhabi-
'anis OF the Union may dissolve il and ieoparze the
safety ofthe whole. This would he admitting too wide AN
opening Tor foreign intrigue and foreign gold II one
state possesses this right, all of the others have il eouav
suppose them that New York exercised this right, From
knowledge oil her geographical position it will be seen
nat sac extends rom the Atlantic the Lakes and sepa-
rates the northern from the southern portion of the Union
secession oy her, would directly involve as consequence
ne to!a destruction OF the Unon and the erection of Sc
veral independent governments
Suppose, again, that Louisiana were IN secedo, II iu
be recoected that in 1903 the United States purchased
her rom France for fifteen millions of dollars She was
admitted INTO the Union with all the rights privleqes and
muniies OF the other States and equally with them DOS
esses una ght OF secession. She may then If
nea rghiiu renedy secede from the Union at aDy time
form foreign alliances, raise Notifications upon the Missis
sPpi' ana IN case Of with her allies might prevent
'ne passage oil the whole produce through that
channel To prevent the possibility ofsuch an
she was purchased aud added the Union az State in
order toidenuty her interests with our own Allow her 10
secede, ana the very ends for which the purchase was
made, are utterly defeated. Again; the absrdtv of
ts remedy orces itself upon u.s. that the United States
should have purchased Louisiana for particular nur
pose, and by anDexng her to the Union gave ne
In heia G,.Iu