Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1833-02-25


ease under such circumstances, drive any 9th
States, particularly the smaller ones, into this heed
less aud inconsdera,e measure and 10y one net q
fasi ness ptecipitaie this s,upendous fabric of Wis
uou an patriotism 10 irrctrieyablc destruction
ne step oncC taken, cannot he rotfaced. Til,
calamity will be inevitable What, then, woul,
! result Wars divisions, anarchy and ultimate
desPotlsm-pcrhaps many monarchica despo-
F., tisias as there are States. The fate of ancient
Greece should a'lmonsh us--liistofy records the
alnentahie failure of her Amphycilonc Council
" Aei'e"h 'easue~-Tbe latter, having strong fed
eral government, was inadequate 10 protect aud
defend itself against the anarchy which faction
produced IN some Of the subordinate governments
{ All modern leagues have shared the same fate II
cannot be believed that our iathors intcnded Ia
place The existence Of The general soyernm,ht upon
SO fragile tenure
On the o'hot hand there 8 great security aeanst
the asarPations Of the federal government No act
of usurpttlou can be effected but Ivy the consent
OF our representatives, Who periodically return 10
the srent body OF Tic people and who ARE RESPONSE
bic for their acts. lfan act OF usufpation be conn
united, The representative system applies a oofree-
tive III The change Of representatives. In the Ian
suage of Mr. Jefferson. Reason Is left free TO com.
bal Error ~ 1t has never yet ftedof success Ar
act OF usutpat,oh on the part Of the federal gov
erhment, too, is not 50 fatal IN lis consequences. II
mhy be rctraced and corrected The State Gov
ernnlehs and the people are the watehnieh on the
towers OF the great citadel Of liberty They will
never faii ocry out when 1t Is in danger. IL may
not be corrected IN one, two or three years but yet
correction is sure the act is unconstitutional
for the people will ultimately do rehl We have
numerous examples of the efficacy Of public opn
ION III controlling, resisting and correcting the uslir
patlons and abuses of the federal .evthmcnt. The
Alien and Sedition laws were repcalcd-lhe
threatened Missouri restriction was prevented
the power appropriation tor internal improve.
ments, beyond the measure ofna,ional offsets, has
been arrosted-and the protective system is fast
Welding IFS oppressive and partial principle
When we have such decisive examples before u
of the efficacy of public opinion in arlostne usuf
patton on the part OF tie federal government, II
seems To me, that, 50 far from having good reason
to fear that the rowe,s of government will fall into
the hands Of the federal head, there IS strong ira
son To nar opposite result and that the unarchl
cal principles OF Modification and Secession viii
cnd III The total overthrow of both the federal aud
state institutions, and, with them nf liberty itself
Like examples are 50 numerous NJ they ought |
not to be lost upon tho present generation Small
Republics, III all us.s have been pleeipituted INTO
rum hg HE reckless aspirations OF ambitious and |
designing men, enlis,lng the feelings and pfcludi
ces ofthc people, III favor Of then Sewsl think,
therefore, that the danger is grra'er to liberty from
the possession ofthis power by the States. which |
might iiom many causes be arbitrarily AMI capri |
ciouSy exercised, than II can he from denying rs !
existence.
But II is argued. that If this principle be not
true the federal Government is consolid,ted en-
pre, which would degenerate into monarchy. That
this would be the result of constellation, IN as
proper sense, is cert any true ioran enlargement
.ft t,l,
der IA larger uuber ofoflcors necessary, and there
by extend the patronage of the Executive lever
by which corrupt President might overlurn unr
republican institutions, and rear upon thclr runs a
pure monarchy. But because the States may MT |
have this power, DOS 1t necessarily follow that
ours consolidated government Surely not /
Constellation consists IN the concentration of all T
the powecs of government into the Sums hands /
the unlue enlargement OF powers not III llr periec |
ton OF the powers possessed The want OF this |
power III ,hc States docs not add any new pnwerto |
the federal government, and cannot be consOllda- |
ton, unless have grossly msapprehendcd the I'M
port of the term. The only way 10 prevent consol |
iiution is to limit the federal government to the
ercsc of its clearly granted powers aud prevent lis
exercise Of any others. These are the principles
of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, The
Stn;cs cannot do this by going out Of the Union, for
then they woulG have no concern with II; but 10
do tins the action OF the Stat, mus, be compatible
with the constitution unless the expressions of the
federal goycrnmcn, drive to the ultima fo.io-then
it becomes question Of llercn, character.
Ru, here may he asked what are lie rights Of
the States if they have not the right OF arbitrary
secession | answer, over the reserved powers OF
the States the federal government has authority
whate ver-if ii invadss Msse, by 3eitbcr0fc 1at
pnble and dangerous usnrpauons, the State may,
and ought to rcpel the act ior IN this matter re-
a,ne to her own distinctive powers, he S'0te IS
Il comtieie g0rcrAmeit exercising complete S0rtf-
eisutU +; and having no superior to which TO APP
peal she must herself be the Judge of the remedy
which she will apply. In questions affecting the
citizens of one State, in common with the citizens
of other States the appeal must be 10 the judiciary
for it has the power to arrest an unconstitutional
act. So likewise those questions Of doubtful
construction, affecting State interests. Ana IN case
OF oppression, beyond proper degree OF ioibear
ancc, lpertinaciously pursued, the remedy is re-
yisionce bv force It is the inherent, inalienable
privilege of all people, in every country, and III
every ellne to throw of tyranny aud oppression,
and erect upon their ruin u government conGemal
to liberty and hap 'inoss. This rish' belongs to
minorities as well as majoritco. The people are the
sources ofpower They can regulate it OF destroy
il. as may best suit the purposes of good govern
men, and answer its legitimate ends. This is the
redress to which the American people resortod
and successfully to resist British oppression and
throw OFF her yoke.
This right of secession seems rather to be "a
grant right. 1t is sometimes constitutional then
reservcd-lhen sovcregn-lnd is asserted with so
many shackles and endorsements as to make IT
| equivalent to no right All say that the Union
must be preserved that its value is beyond caleo-
laton, &c &c And secession is called dTsentc,
the ultima ratio" which is " to be resorted TO
only in cases of extremity, when all o'her meas
| , Vot Cor this warrant now