Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-08

,.&'' ' ,,.e Whenever the President shall feel the
- :" r. senatorial opposon-it the Senators IN oppo'
'" b, have the hrmness 10 continue refractory tu
sue" II numovrd and unawed by his p"wer-eSpeciay,
~ should BE- nearly balance OF parties IN The body
m m., few changes may reverse the malority-ti'r
~ ' will be placed under the strongest temptations
sH>" cnurse the State Legislatures, in order I"
l. hrrass himself of the opposition. Suitable, nay,
tSsusihe pretcxts will never Ut wanting, to justify
even their iEcricrencr There will be no Difficulty,
u much III times OF violent party excite
a a"' -, .,.L,c, some prominent measure, involving
"'".. If constitutional right, and 10 frame an IN
t''S>. r-au it TO the refractory Senator, which
tvorn he cannot consccnliously obey, and
.,srrloc will not obey; ana 10 require hn' never
G",s 70 obey or resi- gu And to obtain The nstruc-
I""' ,r surely expect to see all the mighty lntlu.
:'"' - Presidential power and patronage, brought 10
ts IN, State legislatures, and upon the elections
:t' t q, IruIe and demoralizc the peopte-to tam
- ",h corrupt and seduce, the State Assemblies,
f S,,,o-s in Congress It may be deemed most i'm
wA's' 80 ,nos, feasible, to remove. Fit instruments
l"',s lar the work will always abound, and volun-
a"" ,I. seryicc-the venal panders OF power, the
t;' ;h ri. parustes and sycophants jealous to
i. lavor-,ae vain aSprantS AFTER pohtca import
CHA" Irn and no,ore,y-a will crowd into the Pre-
anc'' , and vie with each other in doing his bid
s1F .u smaklng OF the probable, natural, inepita-
,t-rc,s .: political causes put into action. do not
:"T ,a therefore al, not lnslnuatng, that the &c.
'F'"' rLv intends to open the field tor these abu
l'e'I s speak with freedom; but not without
Ii''4'. .s,ec 1t is the Arm conviction of my mind,
s"'. s-s meyer was and cannot be, process in
liza. ~ hotter calculated than that which |
YEA" ,sd u,on 10 take an active part in estab-
'% -, MACE the Federal Executive under the strong
-, ,sn,,iiun TO employ It's influence, power and pat
~ n N, pu,c!ase OF subservent Senators; and to
- ~, Stat. Assemblies under temptation 10 provide
commodity for market; 10 destroy the purity " the
'' ,,on which all depends at last to destroy the
r,r of the State Assemblies, and TO prustrae their
nd NIL
, that will soon be, all purposes OF useful service,
Icb !, was intended 10 answer IN the system OF the
tl-,l Government, absolutely annlhllated An's If
49, S,c,rine shall in practice be confined to Virgins
Is sr.a,s ii may be and, Judging from present up Iear-
ss ,robablr will be, then these abonnallons Will ue
;o.d 10 her aiunc her people alone wall he eX posed to
~ nocess decentralization; her Assembly TO the arts OF
corruption and seductoni and her anc''it dign,y and
-ne glory will only be remembered TO point Tic launt-
,,s Of sco:n 4, her fallen condition
N,uy there are, know many rood and mink .ng men,
..cr,r N Virginia, who diitr with me on his sub
49,. vi1 approve the doctrine have Seen centrovert
,, in principle and hope the most beneficial results
from, H. in p.acl.ce; who are as n IN the convctiuE
" is NECESSARY 10 the maintenance OF the State
r,Tu;cs as am in the belief that its probable and in.
.I unavoidable effect will be, to impair, degrade and
,s.ate them, and whose minds are, therefore, predis
,,ed TO condemn my opinions, and my conduct, on
his occasion. 10 not presume To cctisure them; and
must patiently abide the censurc they will pronounce
., ne IT, with the sentiments entertain concerning
t toc,riue aud the percous consrque aces that
s.v TO tlovr from it, should consent u become
lye instrument establishing it, by setting an example
@: conforming with it, could not ask the forgiveness
o. country, ant should haruy nope or mercy IRON
Heaven.
Isee with no little surprize, that it is declared in the
rable to the resolutions OF the General Assembly,
winch YOU haze transmitted to me, that " the Assembly
,r their duty agAin In rcaSScTt in half OF them
srrs and the people Of Virginia, the right of the con-
nj rho tvn
= oJcg or reSgu from which infer that the General
Assembly supposes, that this doctrn. has been as
seized more than before only say, that if
;. peculiar doctrine asserted before, do not
when, where, on what occasion, 1t was assert
r. II certainly not asserted nor was IT intended 10
asserted in the preamble and resolutions, adopted by
c General Assembly in February, 1912, the subject
{, the right OF instruction. That paper was the work OF
hands, without assistance from any other person
%Ia.erer, and drawn up, las bat too we'll remember,
with haste which, III my own apprehension at the time,
materially impaired its value; yet upon recent and care
III OF it, do not find myself nclIred TO retract
q, to modify any essential point the pro! osoIs there
asserted aud maintained and therefore am willing.
and even derous that my present opinions and conduct
sIaIe tested BIZ them was then youn statesman,
Iut not very Young Ean and it had beel fixed in my
&nd by reflection. and by the lessons OF history, as
udinent in ethics and in politics, that proposition
be stated in either however just and true, when pro-
erly understood and applied that may not, II abused,
sappied, pushed to eXTcrS result IN nee or FOLLY
Sensible that the right u! Instruction. and the corrc!ave
iuy OF obedience, might be abused to the purpose OF
commanding violations Of the Constitution. and even
ats Of moral turpudeso abused, under the influence
OF excitement and passion, TO which the constituent b.
ty, well as the representatives, like all other men,
ugt sometimes be SUBJECT took the utm ost pains TO
guard the doctrine against such abuses. Let how
accomplished the OBJECT, The very claim which I'M
drrStanL The General Assembly now to assert TO power
ITSELF and to obedience trun u,e-absoute power
Ho1 al er
= an objection to the reasoning Of the preamble, and
q answered rs follows:
But /, has been said, that State Government may
instruct rs Senators to violate the Constitution OF the U.
s-:es-ilt State, in actual nsurrection against the
General Government may instruct its Senators to pro-
"r Tie cause o! rebellion: and IS asked, rhstteT TIE
'TGtor 0ad be 6ound by such instruction. to cGate the
institution nc hdd SrOrn IL preScrre and overthrow the
'.Se!ni~nt he had sworn to defend: 1t may be an
>"r'et, IN the first place. that the particular IN
>:acuon, which forms the subject of present con-
s.."'anon could by no possibility, involve breach
III sAe Constitution of the United States. 1t might,
""u IN the opinion of this Assembly would, have
''rH unconstitutional 10 charter the Bank Of the United
'"fS anew; but surely, it could not possibly be
~rNed unconstitutional not to charter it. AS 10 the rest,
'"'u determining the point which has been taken tor
e-'a that State in open rebellion against the General
government, would still be entitled to its representation
" nc senate, which, to say the least exremey doubt
III 1T s admitted without difficulty that # It Stnte in
"S senator TO gicc cote plainly uAeoaStttuttonat,
q ra'Se ute standard Of rcjclOn, Tie Senator IS
" 1Em' 10 o1ey S"ch instruction. Eccry case, such
q - ID" Supposed, stund upon its peculiar
'"SI4n:s: ii supposes all bounds Of right transcend
il al legitimate rule prostrated and the proprety Of
u ""'o" 'u> te determined by the nature Of The MUS
! "e tAe"t g hc mischicf md The prudence Of resist
" bat 1t Is argument against the exercise OF a
"'u' ?'wcr that it may be made the preext Tor the
%su'pN"n Of an unlawful power. The right of in
n"SuoN F'gh'tuy exercised, with 10 evil Intention TO
" PiGicous object, cannot be affected by the adms-
'' TIA; Il State Government, or the General Co
y I.nnSE become corrupt aud ambitious, and usurp ty-
Ir power it may Of right. and ought to be resisted.
l E admission is cheeriny made. Tie General assent
,,;. "s'Hn is ineapnbs ogDrning the ezpoded doc.
a", n"'restsancc.' And upon this reasoning III
S S"''e, the two resolutions of genera! nature with
ai paper concludes, assert" That it is the in
S 'ishi of the State Legislatures to Instruct their
. IN Congress- on all points, eithe! constitutional
fNc, meneYer the mauniiude Of the occasion shall