Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-10-16
Political MISCELLANY.
MIR. LOWELLS' LETTER.
From the loston Patriot
RoxBURY, Sept. 29th, 1884.

II From the Boston Patriot.
RoxBURY, Sept. 29th, 1884.
i Mr.. Hule:-There is an historical fact,
which was drawn into question about four
years since, respecting the authorship of the
resolutions of the State Of Massachusetts, in
reply to, and denying the doctrines of the
Virginia Resolutions Of 1899, avowcdly writ,
ten by Mr. Madison and the Kentucky Reso-
lutlons, of the same period, since declared to
be the production of Mr.. jefferson. 1t was
/ the first case, under our present Constitution,
in which, the nght Qfhe State to anmd an act
Of the National Legisiaiup was assumed
When this question acquired a ne,c iLterest
on the revival Of the principles of Virginia
and Kentucky, by South Carolina some wri-
ter attributed the authorship of the Massa-
chusetts Resolutions, on this important topic,
to the Hon. Mr.. Dane. did not wish to rob
him Of the merit, Gf there was any merit,) of
writing these resolutions | was siIeh Some
writer in the Salem Gazette, without my pri-
witty, or any suggestion from me, (knoming Me
huth,) intimated, that ! was the author of
these resolutions. Finding, that Mr. Danes
friends felt hurt at my silence in not disclaim-
ing the authorship of them, | transmitted to
MIR. Dane himself, through Il friend, as the
only reply, the original draft, which had care
fully preserved in my oaon handwriting. 1t
was not unnatural that young man of 90
years of age, should have felt some Just pride
i'll the preference and confidence of Il Com
mtee of both houses, himself a member of
the lower house, and the youngest mcmbcr)
entrusting him with the draft of Il reply on a
momentous question of Constitutional right,
then for the first time ag7toied, and upon
which, names of such high authority, as Mad
ison and Jefferson, were employed to defend,
and maintain opposite opinions. From this
cause, the original draft was by me carefully
preserved, and the copy, by the official clerk,
was alone returned to the two branches. Such
is the .tact.
\ ! am aware, that it is fact of lUie puJHc
Importance, but when my own opinions on
this great political question, and on the scpa-
ration of the States are drawn into ISSUE
thought it nut an act Of justice to myself,
and to those who feel some interest in my
character, as personal and political friends, to
state the simple fact, at a time, when it is
snscG ptblc ofperfect proot 1t seemed to me
| faircr, and more honorable to do it no,c, while
! the venerable, land by me lightly venerated
4, man, to whom the reduction of these resolu-
| tions has been ascribcd, is still living. |
claim no merit ,chateUer for hating expressed
these opinions. They were plain, self evi-
dent truths, and there was, on my part, no
exhibition Of talent in the presentation of
them, though the principles are irretragable
and unanswerabe.
/ JOHN LOWELL.
4 P.S. To prove that my opinions on this
subject, and on that or n separation Of the
States, have continued to be the same, under
aH circumstances, as they were in 1899,
take the liberty to state the following facts,
which are susceptible Of perfect proof.
II In 1911, a time of high excitement, when
the Government had seized an immense a
mount of property of the citizens of Boston,
on the ground of violation of the Non-lnter-
course act, and when Gov. Gerry, in his de-
nunciation of the "Boston assemblage" sug-
gested, that Great Britain was formenting a
dissolution ofHe Union, Indignantly denied
and repeled with scorn, the suggestion, that
the Fcderalists entertained such purpose
in the series of papers, signed" "a Boston Re-
bel, " title, selected as an ironical rdicule of
the denunciations of Gov. Gerry. Again in
1914, in time of still higher excitement, just
before the assembling of the Hartford Con
: vention, and after the selection of the mem
bers of that Convention, in letter, still ex-
tant addressed to q confidential friend ir
Congress, l expressed my solemn conviction
that one of the ,corst euils ,chich could befa
our country, ,oould be a separation Of The
States? AS the peace followed, within &C
days after this declaration, and we have since
enjoyed, till now, state of quiet and sccuri.
, ty, need not say that my opinions have nev-
er changed. ] could not at this day aver
: that think there is not an epii ,oorse than DIS
union. think the usmpation of the E1ecu
the po,oer, and the entire prostration of the
Constitution, infinitely worse. But opposed as
| was to the measures of the Administration
which annihilated the commerce of the East
ern States, still thought that all those euil
combined, were not to be compared to those
which would result from the separation Of h'
, States? Civil Wharf.-The degradation of the
National character-its loss of power abroad
and its weakness at home, were to my mind
inseparable effects Of disunton