Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1833-03-25
POLITICAL.
SPEECH OF MIR RIVES. Of J.

but, uHluHp tHc Lew hi'o'iNS !"
which the controversies Of the times have gwen
birth, ii seem, to be now gravely contended that
there is no such thing citizen Of the taHed
SaffS-th1t IL is only us citizens Of parftauidr
SUR aud in yutuo Of their allegiance to the Site
tnat tdc pc pie Of this country are nnlet any
oil cations Of obedience 70 the government Of the
Union.
mr.. Tyler herc said that he had not asserted
that there was ma such thing rs citizen of ,he l.
nitcd Suites. lie hal asked, who had ever
| seen a citizen OF TIE sotefnmcn Of the United
| States
Mr. Rfvrs resumed. Ny honorable friend Will
perceive that this IS but an evasion, not solution
ofthc difficulty Who, sir, has ever seen citizen
Of the eorcrame,t. OF Virginia There is no
more citizen ofthe gorcrnment of Virginia than
there is citizen ofthc government Of the United
States
The relation cfn'lcgiance, Sir, is not between
citizen and government it IS between citz N and
sovereign II Is the whole b dy of the community
| which is, with u.s. the sovereign, AMI II is TO tha,
sovereign that allegiance is due. Now, Sir have
already shown that the United States, for certain
purposes do form one great political community,
! IN which thu sovereignty OF the Union resides,
| ipst as the sovereignty ofthe respective States
sldrs IN the peoE ofnarh STATE separately eonsid
cred Iii to.thc Uailed States, tncn, IN their so
/
| tn United Stat ss. int allegiance is due. That
! there is direct relation of allegiance between the
tHited States md the citizens OF this country so
! far as the objects OF the Union are concerned, is
sl.litientv manifest not only by whot is ntrin-
sicay mplie IN the tcrA citiz"n of the United
| S'afes, which is frequently used in the constltu-
ton bat by Tho fact that the constitution provid'
! for The punishment OF Treason against the Eated
| states. Tt'ason is essentially the breach of the
! te9i due To the sovereign power against which
| il is committed. There is them a direct allegiance
due from the people of this country TO the tiiicd
States, as citizens of the Enied Suites, to the
lent of the sovereignty which, for special purposes,
resides in The Union We are ut the same time
citzens of our respective States, and such owe
arsiancc each one TO his own State to the full ex
tent ofthe sovereignty abidieg in the States seve-
rally To Zach power owe allegiance within
the limits Of their respective sovereisnles 10 mel
thor beyond
But sir, it is said that allegiance and protection
are reciprocal and that our protection in all the
most Interesting relations Of life is derived from
our respective States to them our allegiance IS OK
rIasively due 1t has been commended that we de
rive no protection from the United States, except
when VIC are on the in foreign count,i"s
beyond the limits of the States. If this we've 50,
still il would be Somei4iRg that efficiently
| protected by the strong arm Of the Union, where
the States are poWehess to protect But sir, IS II
true that receive no protection from the United
| States while remain within the limits oi The
country DO not the United States on the contra
rc protect US even agains. the arbitrary and unjust
lesslnti IN ofour own States. IN declaring, ms the
constitution declares, that no State shall pass any
bill of aJtainter, past lacto law, or law mpHr
| mo the obi cation Of contracts q Is IT not tn
| United States which through the medium OF the
! tIul lt
strat.on Of Justice in all controversies with citizens
ofothcr States or foreigners Is it not the United
States again which secures to us the privileges and
ilnnllnities of et2eris in the other States w hat
power Is it that protects III the enjoyment OF our
most ncsiimablc political rshts,-whlch guaran-
tees TO Us the blessings of a" republican form oil
! government which defends against the ex-
cesscs Of domestic violence and faction, as well
as the ealami,ies of hostile invasion 2 Is II
not this same despised United States SIR, where
ever we arc at home or abroad, on the bosom oil nc
ocean OF 10y the Tranquil freside, whnhcr dmsH
threaten us in or civil political or International
relations ia broad II is &C he Uoion IS over US
ana covers us with its ample protection. Let II not
be SAID then that We derive no protection from The
United States, which might merit some small re-
turn of allegiance. Sir, proud as am of the title
of citizen Of Virginia, grateful rs an for the IN
malitcd favor WHICH that honorcd mother has
shown To NC vet feel with the father Of his coun-
try that 4" the Just pride of patriotism IS exalted
by the more comprehensive title of citizen OF the
United Siates-hat title which gives me a share
| in the common inheritance of glory which has de-
seconded to us from our revolutionary sigcs, pari-
OTIS and herocs-thnt title which enables me 10
claim the names Of tie Ru.lcdScs, the Pncknoys
ond the Sumptcrs of South Carolina, OF the Han
cocks the Adams and the Gas of Massachusetts
o1d all the other proud names which have 'l!nstra
teal the annals Of each and all OF these Stats, a
| cpmpa5 iat ruth mn arm
have has Mn President, reviewed the fnnda-
mcnul toneis Of that pew school of Constitutional
law, winch his sptung up within the last four or
five cyenlful years Of our political history, have
| endeavorcd to show that they have no foundation
whatever in any just view oitlo constItutIon-that
they are directly at war with the contemporary
understanding and exposltlons OF It's ioundcrS' an"
| that they derive no cOuntenance whatever nom
| the principles of that genuine republican school,
| which re-estabshcd the constitution IN IT'S purify
after the temporary perversions to when III nau
| been subjected These modern doctrines, 90
| firmly believe, are in their tendency utterly sun
versive Of that happy system OF government .he
preservation of which is not only the sole secrflty
| for liberty with US bu; the last hope OF freedom
throug bout the world If in the depth OF these
convictions, shall have fallen into warmer tone
of discussion than is my habit it will be attributed,
| | trust to its true cause, and not to any want OF
proper respect or kind feeling towards the members
| one and all of this body.
| Sir we live in times when it is a solemn du'y
which every man owes his country to speak ms
pininns without DISGUISE or equlvocatlon even az
the risk of giving offence to some OF those wh"tn
would be his greatest pleasure, as well as h'SheS'
ambition. to content in all things have been al
ready admonishcd sir, that asword Is at ms mo-
mont suspended over my head, winch may neSc'"'