Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-15

-, seIs nm as reason that, IN ner
or wne'. a.. acts complained of are unconstiiu
lads"''J In the judgment Of other States, tney
rona'' II :, nothing to them that she Offers
are not :" ar some apology for her conduct u
some 'ta ,,b;ch they do no, admit, IL Is NOT I"
bs one I'D that any State will violate her du'y
be sAp,, .ane plausible pretexl. That would De
"''n'us d.6,uce of the opinion oi minSinu.-
to' A," :, no a pretext which lies IN her own
Dl' = :, no no more than an opinion winch
ofea" ~. has formed. no" can other states
Se fsd With ,hisi How can they ALLOW her
S .'I,s If her own Obligations! Or, u she
10 :J,s If he- OBI ga,ions, may they not Judge
y" ,b,,r rights also? May not the '~en'f- "s
'.,sr,sin an opinion as well as the 'wen'!-iou' VI.
,nJ + II be their right, 10 their own oph'on' as
.'...sd in the common council, 10 ehio'ee u'e
,,,inar her. how ia she to say that her r,Sn'
lar ooinon are to be every thinS' anu 'ne't
~, and their opinion nothing:
". President, il we are to receive the con-
-; ,s the text. and then to lay down, IN
;. ,,,,,o. the contradictory commentaries which
H"'I nsan ana which may be made by different
g - tbs whole page would be Polyg'ot IN
lI 1, would speak With as many tongues as
=, bnuders OF Babel, aud in dialects as much
'.aG.,d. aud mutual, a uninteilis'6e. ne very
;S-,,ocs now before US presents a prachca' u.
'..,,;.n The law of the last session Is declared
'.n.,,,n,;unal 10 South Carolina, and obedi-
Il - refused. In other States ut Is admit
''S,o rho strictly constitutional. You walk over
". E,,;,. of us authority, therefore. when You
u" 49,. sta,s line. On one side it is law: on
,,,,, side, nallts; and vet II Is passed by
common government, having the same authon'
,y,n all tie States.
Snrh are the inevitable results Of this doctrine.
p.,;,r,nr uIth the original error, that the con
.,,lnron Of the United States u nothing out il
.,,o,,ct between suyeceIsn State; asserting, IN
IN. newt step. that each State has right To De
i, own snle Judge u! the extent OF ITS own oe'is
,,,io,.. and consequently 0i the constitutional
;yoI laws Of Congress; md IN the next, 'hat IT.
nav opposg whatever Itsce> H. to declare oncon'
.,,iu,ionaI. and tai IT decades Tor i'Seit on the
mode and measure Ut relress, The argument ar
,,,s, At once, at the ccacuslon that abit a Safe
dissent, from, i, NAV paitif,; what 1t opposes,
II nav oppose BY iurcv; Nhat II decides Tor f.eif
il NAV execute by lis own Pnmer; and that, IN
short, il is itself, supreme over the legislation Oh
Congress, and supreme over the decisions ut the
pdrional iudcature; supreme over the c"nsh-
tuition Of the country, supreme over The supreme
law o! the land
However II seeks To protect Itself against these
dam differences. by saving that an uncon>uiu-
nrral lau i,uo Law, aud hat II OIL, nPposes such
laws a. are unconstitutional, Yet this dnes MOI,
IN the slishtes, degree. vary the result; aud. IN
opposition to reason aud argument. in opposition
To pra, tee and experience, /" opposition to the
judgment uf others, having an equal right to
lndge. It SAYS, only. "Sucb is my opinion, ani
~, opuion shall be- my law, aud will support
il by NV own strong hand denounee the law |;
ldrClare It unconstitutional; that Is enough; il
shalt no, bp executed. Men in arms are ready
10 res,.t It's execution Al attempt to enforce it
shall cover the land with blood, Eisewherere, it
NAV be binding; but mere, it's tamp.ed under
foot"
This sir, Is pracu al nullihcati, n.-
And now, s,r, against all these theories and
opinions, | maintain
l. That the Consultation Of the United States
IS no. league, coDfyderacy,or compact, between
The people Of the several States in their sovereign
capacities; bat Government proper. founded
"u the adurtlon Of the people, aud creating d..
rect relations between Itself aud indi, iiuaI,.
That no State authority has puuer % dis.
solve these relations; that nothing can dlssol We
them but revolution; aud that. consequently,
there can be no such thing as secession without
reso.u'lnn.
), That there is a supreme law. consisting of
TIE constitution of the Unied States, acts Of
Congress passed in Pursuance Ut II. and treaties,
and tha, 10 cases not capable of assuming the
CHARACTER of SUIT IN law or eqnitv, Congress
must judge OF. aud finally interpret, this supreme
law. 10 oi,eu as II has occasion to pass &C Is Of ,e
sr'auou; aud. in cases capable of assuming. the
character OF suit. the Supreme Court Of the
IH0ed States /, the final Interpreter.
T. hat an attempt Dy a Stae TO abrosate, an.
na'' " nn'Illy an act of Congress. or to arrest
W operation within her hunts, on the ground
Wa'' 10 her oplnlun, such Law is unconstitu.
"o"a' Is direct usurpa,ion on the Just powers
VIC "eheral Go'ernment, aud on the equal
'-'s"t oher States, pain violation uf the Gun.
u'u'lon' and proceeding essentially reyolu.
'aa'y IN It's Character aud tendency.
whether the constitution be compact between
Saes !" 'helr sovereign capacities, is question
'n must be mainly argued from what IS con
.S"'u IN the instrument itself. We all ,prpe
~ al Instrument which has been. in same
1A', clothed with power We all sdyoM tia, i
P'aM WIN authority. The fret oups,,on tho,