Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-05
N,gyUN D.RY, J9.4RCW ;, 1885,

such cases, by which heavy penalties are inflicted IN
those who may be thus employed. And should the GU
Of other States be engaged in the same business
with the view Of affecting the interests of Virginia. they
he taken up and tried in their courts, on ti"s
great principles of common law, and III international
law, w:lc declares that citizen OF State shall DO
any thing affecting the hts Of the citizens OF another
State Thrse principles of universal appiical'on'
and of binding force in all civilized countries, and ac
amply sufficient enable the courts Of the Northern
SIules to lnct adequate punishment on those VINO are
engaged in the circulation OF sedllious publlcnliohs
with the view of disturbing the peace md domestic
relations of the South. An opinion expressed
SOME years since, by Judge Tatcher, of Boston, ~ MS
charge to the grand jury that the author or printer Of
publications tending disturb the peace of the South,
liable to prosecution in court, and TO suffer adequate
punishment for the offence The same upni"n has been
expressed by other respectable individuals al The North
But should these general principles OF law be regarded
inadequatcor should The Northern States, unaware
of the mischief likely to flow from the maclmnaiI"ns OF
their citizens fail TO sustain the Courts in their rIecu-
lion then We should have perfect right-uay, sir we
have right at all times, if III our estimation The exl'
gcnces of the require it, to call for the enactment
Of such laws, The adoption of such measures is may
eirctualy suppress the meddcspnc interference the
part of the citizens of other States with own domrs-
tic affairs And if these States, in defiance of the obli-
cations imposed them by the universal practice oil ci-
vzcd nations, in disregard Of the sacred relations
existing between the cu-Sates OF this cunrdrracy. re-
fuse to comply with our just deGnands-givc counte-
Of authority, the wicked and mischevous proceedings of
their citizens, from that moment the whole aspect Il" the
will be materially changed What at first was tie
unauthorized act OF few citizens, has nov been sanc-
toned and adopted by sovereign State as her own
She has taken upon herself the responsibility Of protect
ing and securing from punishment, Those who are at
tempting to invade the rights and to disturb the tran
quiIlity of other States What at first the mere
crime misdeneanor of Individuals punishable by law,
now assumes the more solemn and imposing form of
STATE nti,I n o
obligations Of the Constitution, and the ri ht guaranteed
by that Constitution to each State OF conducting lis own
domestic relations without molesatlon or disturbance OH
the part Of others To give countenance To her citizens,
in their interference with the internal affairs OF another
State, regard the highest crime that Can be c"n'
mcd by any member OF this conrderacy and, after tx.
hauslng every peaceabe and constitutional mode al -
dress, should not hesitate in the last resort to rec"irnd
such measures alone be justified by the laws OF
necessity preservation But sir, until the conduct
OF the citizens shalt be recognised by their government
measures OF extremity against Stale founded on The
unauthorized action Of lis citizens, cannot be Justified IN
the eye of nations You make State responsible
for the msdcrds Of Individuals unless she protect them
in their wckedness And how you to ascertain that
fact; Will you give to the vague runors Of the hour
to the unofficial declaration Of public mrn-or the un.
founded assertions OF newspaper editors: Surely not
You would first demand in proper way, the punish
ent or deliverance of the offenders, and the adoption vi
such will efrcually put an end To future
Vaccinations against your peace and tranquility and IN
case OF failure the part OF Slate 10 comply with
your Just demands, you may then take such steps
your own Judgment shall dictate, safety require.
i'll have givrna correct exposition this su5ect-ave
made it manifest that the obligations of the Constitution
mud the rights of the States cannot be affected ny the in.
divdua unauthorized Of cilizen-tlIat these fun.
durnrn,al laws only be violated by the States and
the Federal Government, whose operations arc restrict
ed and limited by the provisions OF the Constitution
them sir the proposition contained in the resolution
before you untrue. Being untrue, let it be re- ecicd
The practical operation of unsound principle must
always be dangerous, however honest may be the
victon Of its truth. sincere aud prrnacious udlIe-
renee TO doctrines untrue in themselves, has been
the chief ioncnlor Of civil brns-the prime causc OF
the moral aud political revolutions recorded in history
the fruitful Of troubles since The toun-
dalton OF the Governncnt-and IN the present case, would
he the active agent in bringing country fatal aud dis
asirous consequences Since the resolution Declares that
an interference with the domestic slavery Of the South by
the citizens ofany State violation vi the Constitution
in the same manner, and in the degree inter
ference by the State ITSELF or the General Government,
of course it must follow necessary conclusion, that
the measures of relelin the Imnst he the
those udopt in the oer-Thc injury done being the
same the remedy must be the Now, sir, doc
trine has recently gained currency III the South, and Is
advocated by many gentlemen who Sustain this rrsuIi-
ton which declares, that each Stalc is to be- the sole
iudGe of the nactoDs Of the Constitution and of The
mode and mcasure Of redress No anlccrdent steps
requircd-no consultation with other Slars-but each
one regarding the obligations of the Constitution as vo-
lated may, on her responsibility adopt such
sures as she may think best calculated To protect her III
vuded rights. We have memorable example Ut tile
practical operation Of this doctrine The Tariff laws
were regarded by South Carolina unconstitutional
and us invasive Of the rights of the Stars-and holding
the DOCTRINE that the mode and of redress
in her own bands she undertook make those laws null
and void within her territory. Were the Federal tIn.
ycrnmeu, to pass act prohibiting the transportation of
slaves from one Stale ~ another, should regard it
resort to Notifications Or if we thought proper, the
more ercluul remedy Of Srcrssiom-Or should the Ge
neral Government IN any nanncr Interfere with Tie ret'
ton ut muster and SLAVE should MT hesitate 10 adopt
the strongest ofrcdrcss. Should State In any
manner Interfere with these domestic relations, would
nully her acts il could. erct her unworthy
member from the Union-nr scccde Ourselves But the
spirit III this resolution requires that you should proceed
in the same against Stale, when aIyol the c
zers thereof shall Interfere with The domestic institutions
of The South This conclusion cannot be avoided by
declaring; that you will first call upon the State Tor
dress because the moment that Is dune 1t ~ no longer
the act of individual but OF STATE Bya culnpllance
with your demands, rejection OF them, the Stale
makes herself responsible for the conduct ui those under
her protection The latter clause, therefore, Of the
LUTON the citizens Of other StatcS FAUST be either
superuous, II must convey The id"a that citizen IN
his individual capacity violate the obligations o the
Constitution and invade the rights oi The Slars-can
commit all act which, though dlscountenanccd by the
government, would involve Ills State in such difficulties
as might lead to dissolution of The Union to civil
war But what sir, regarded interference on the
part ofle cilizrn The succeeding resolution 10 that now
under consideration declares in substance, that the
lnlu Ut societies under the denomination OF abnlli"n-
lists is al interference the part Ut those who constitute
tic societies. aud violation OF 'po!tlcal obligations.
So long, therefore single society Of That descrplio
shall exist in tic Northern Slaes- matters not no"
few worthless its members may below ins gnlfcunt
or powrrrss their cfiorls-though they meet with
nd cOutp uult u rem
TO all who know tlerIl-yet sir, long association
Of such nrn can be found the Constitution is regarded by
this resolution as violated and the rights OF the States
invaded. And either of the slave.Loldng States re-
gardng the subject in this light would be justified in
adopting measures of extremity against that State in
be- she