Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-02

| present.
The time is almost al hand when the President
VIII probably give us i'm his Inaugural Speech, the
articles of his Political Crecd.-We trust that all
these misconceptions will then he cleared up.
AS to what Dr. Cooke says of the doctrine of Sc
cesslon, we suspect we should differ with him. We
certainly differ with the Proclamation But we shall
reserve this question for subsequent paper-when
laying Mr.. Iazewelrs last number before our read
ers, shall take the opportunity of noticing some
of the errors into which Hampden has fallen on tho
same subject:-
TO THE EDITORS or THE ENQUIRER.
An editorial article IN your paper of Tuesday, extracted
from "he Globe, stating that ''the annexed resolution
offered by Dr. Cooke, OF the Senate Of Virginia shows
tina, the opposition to the Proclamation in the Legislature
has grown out OF total misconccption of its meaning
renders necessary for justice myself and to
those to whom am responsible for my public conduct,
promptly TO meet an allegation, which, ifunnotced, might
which dctatedit
My vindicaion from this charge of ga to.a though no
doubtunnten 'iona perverson OF the Presidents Procia
nation shall consist simply OF the ground
OF The opinion expressed in the resolution above
to- and feel assured that candid public will sustain me-
not In the correctness at least in the fairness homes
/ ~ OF that opinion.
The writer in the Globe states that the construction of
which he complains il founded single passage in tho
Proclamation, and seems to take it for granted there
Is another IMPRESSION used, argument urged mr. nos;
ton assumed that afford the slightest ground for the
opinion expressed in the Resolution. The passage TO which,
he refers is in these words: The people Of the United
States formed the Constitution, acting through the State
Legislatures In making the compact, and discuss
s provisions and acting in separate when
struc,ion, show it to be government in which people
OF all the States, collectively, represented.'
Now, this passage, taken by ITSELF well calculated
from us ambiguity to create serious doubt. as to the repub
can orthodoxy OF the doctrines it nculcates 1t is true 10
admits, that The people OF the United States formed the
Constitution acting through the State Legislatures and
Conventions, but it is doubtful whether it does not re-
cognize them only as furnishing ready and conueni-
en- mdchinery Tor ascertainng the will of the people
nity tor the admission is qualified b,Ia reservation
which again to insnua e. that the Consi,u,;on il
4 of
although Tor greater submitted to the
people of the several States respectively take i, for
y granted the expression 'ihe ued cannot refer TO
the features principles contained in the Constitution
but must aude to certain tood phrases occurring
the instrument The expression to which refer is, ''but
the terms used in its construction What terms
o alluded TO- Are they the casaisiic words of the pro-
amblc, We the People of the United States :" II this
he acknowledged, the argument is at am end; for this
is the very doctrine long contended for by the ede-
OF McCuoch The State Mary land so ably and
satisfactorily by Judge Roane ESSAYS signed
1t Hampden, extracts from which published in your
paper OF the 24h, and against which the Republican par
e ty hd'ever protested as squirting at consolidation.
We have lately held Convention in Virginia, and
adopted new Constitution; and might literally be said
n in the words of the passage am examining that "tho
people OF Virginia formed the Constitution acting through
public meetings held in the different counties Giles towns
IT and borOughs ,che they discussed the expcdency of
calling Convention and instructed the Legislature 10 pass
law facilitating such cal-and acting on the hustings
at their several houses election precincts when
they ratified the Constitutions all this is strictly
and literally true And yet such would re cog
OF political power, separate and distinct that lodg
in the whole mass OF the people of the State would
declare the constitution to be form of government
by and Tor the people of Virginia, single community
But the opinion expressed in the resolution not pre-
hcaed upon this passage alone but had reference
riou' other expressions in the Proclamation, and TO
the general purpor and tenor of the arguments against
p. The right OF a State to secede: and | will take this
occasion to say that the arguments urged against this
= right and the broGd propositions laid down to sus-
tain them, were, in my estimation, infinitely more OBJ
= jecionabe than the simple denial OF the right itself
which no one erdcuy dcfne-as to which there
arc 80 many different shades OF opinion-and in rola-
non 10 which differ not uery widely the ProcIana
ton.
n shall content my'elrwilh bare enumeration of soma
cal examination OF them further than absolutely neces
sary IN order to show, that they bear construction
J. have pat upon them
e lonnh IN the following sentences of the ProcIamaon-
The unity Of on" political character (as has been shewn
I0r another prPoe) commenced with its very existence
or ,pe regal government we had no separate ehGrGe
re teronr opposition To ITS expressions begn as UNITED
IN COLONIES We urjed under the confederation
y &C How' II all this were historically true il prov cd
r any thing, would prove only lat we are non, ono
n"iion ProPe or community, but that had been such
from me planning OF The colonies on this continent But
: Is 1t tfue Had Virginia no separate political charac
ter from Massachusetts, under the regal government?
- INA She not hold her rights and powers by distinct
charter Had she independent government and
, separate code OF laws Of her own? Was she at all
> more intimately connected with or dependant ON No1b
carolina or Maryland-I mean far her independent
u political existence concerned-ihan she was with
o Canada or British India, all, tic time, owing COM
-
Or opposition TO the expressions of The mother country
did not begin as United Coonies-ior the colonies (bc-
ing perfectly independent of each otc) threw of their
acgiance separately, and different peros-each es,a-
hlishng II bad done government for itself
independent not only the parent State of The neigh
. bolrhE colonies. North Carolina, Virginia and Mas
sdchusett' threw off their aleg glance to Great Britain,
almost year before the general Declaration of indie
pedcnce was made by all the revolving colonies acting
i together; and the battle Of Lexington was fought about
Tie same ime and without the slightest concert with the
- other colonies.
There are other expressions which TO me 10 qivo
character OF consolidation the government such
lst, we are ONE PEOPLE in The choice of Presiden,
ana wee Pesldent"-2d, they Ohe members of Con.
gressD are all representatives of The United States not
personalities OF the particular State from which they
come -3i, the constitution of the Un:ed States then
forms government, not league and tchefheT IL be
formed ny compGot bettceen the States or in ann Other
manner ats character is the same" must here he per
mi'ed to say, that when The Legislature of Virginia in
W, adopted their 81 rcsoluon' that this General A.
scmbly doth explicitly and perempioly declare that il
views the powers OF the Federal Government az re smiling
from The compact TO ,chich The States are Dayties &c
they certainly did not simply state an historical
r. TACT, but soemnIy assert right behalf of the States
as The true parties TO the compact VIII CHI could not have
been sustained had the gOvcrn, bee adopted for and
by all the people OF America, nation or commun-
y-t1t Is, ihc right to Judge Of nlacons of the com
pact either ny the other parties 10 it, by the Federal
Government, the common agent Of all. So also when
they declare in the Report OF 80 that the ConstnIon
was submitted TO and ratified by TIC Staes-meaninq
thereby the people composing those political societies.
az their highest sovereign capacty they certainly did