Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1837-10-03

sumed in the above quotation lsa correct
one, the States are no longer free, sove-
reign, and independent communities.
The term State is not applicable to any
association Of people who are not posses
sed of sovereignty. If the States have
lost that essential attribute olAa free peo-
pie, the right 10 determine wfAt govern
ment will best securethe blessings OF lib
erty to themselves and their posterity, IT'D
is time for politicians TO quit calling them
kovereign. Again, if this position be cor
rect, the once sovereign S0tes OF North
America. have individually, by one volun-
tary, th6ughtless, and irremediable act,
| (the ratification Of the Federal Constitu-
| tion) denied to themselves and the count
less millions who arc TO succeed them, that
best boon Of heaven, the privilege to
choose under what Government they
would live, without mourning the penalty
of dying as rebels, should they fail IN an
effort to regain, by force, their lost rights,
The picture here drawn of the humilla-
ting condition of the States is undenlably
correct, if the new doctrine OF Mr.. Madl-
son and General Jackson is true. How
ridiculous then for those who adopt this
doctrine to talk Of the sovereignty OF the
States; and what a perfect farce for the
Constitution of Ohio, in all the solsmnlty
of a fundamental law, to declare that the
people shave at all times a complete pow
err to alter, reform, or abolish their gov
eminent whenever they may deem It me-
cessary!n But the fact is that the States
are vet free, sovereign, and independent:
And it is an every day occurrence to hear
politicians of all parties indirectly assert
: it.
wish the reader to bear in mind that,
+ in the above quotation, Mr.. Madison as
serts that ''the Constitution was rathed
f by the States in their highest sovereign
/ capacity" This is an admission that the
States were at that time sovereign. AND
\ Mr.. Madison, to make out his case, should
:. have proven that the States delegated
4 their sovereignty in the Constitution, OF
t that they have by some overt act forfeited
r it agreeably to its provision; for prerog
!. alive so essential can never be taken Iron
: them by implication or by "precedents.
J. If then the States are still sovereign,
/ State can secede from the Union withou
ii being questioned as to her right; and to
" the best of all reasons, that sovereignt.
s. has no human superior. That the phys
ID ical force of her former co-States NIGH
If be able TO reduce her into submission an
y vassaIage, is no argumen: against he
is rights, or in favor of their interference
d. unless we adopt the doctrine that 'mlgh
IL gives right"
ID After taking view of our institutions
o. the letter continues, "The Constitution
,e not relying on any of the preceding mod
r. fications for its safe and successful opera
as ton. has expressly declared on the on
is hand. LIST, That the Constitution and law
an made in pursuance thereof, and all trei
an ties made under the authority OF the |
States. shall be the law of the land. 2nt
a. That the Judges Of every State shall 3
a. bound thereby, any thing in the constlt'
he ton and laws of any State to the contrar
he Notwithstanding. Sd. That the Judlcl'
if power of the United States shall extend
"a all cases of law and equity arising undt
nv this Constitution, the laws OF the Unlte
h. States and treaties made under their al
10. thorty.'' Those laws and treaties n
made in pursuance thereof, we have II
de authority of Judges Marshall, Tllghma
nix and others, for declaring void and OF
for force. "On the other hand, says the lie
M ter, "as a security of the rights and po'
ers of the States against an undue prepo
derance of the powers granted to the IRE
eral Government, the Constitution has
lied on-1st, The responsibility oil I
VI Senators and Representatives IN the L
m. oislatures of the United States, to the l
en- gislature and the people of the Stat
ex- Cd, The responsibility Of the President
oh the people Of the United States; and
vo- The liability Of the executive and ludlc.
ed. functionaries Of the United States to l
itu- parchment by the Representatives OF
ror- States in one branch Of the Leglslatu
Jar. and trial by the Senators IN the 9th
branch; the functionarics, Legislative,
mis- dicial and executive, being at the sal
ave time in their appointment and respon
low bility independent Of the authority OF
be United States"
From the above quotation it is cl'
,lu- that the only "intorposition" to secure
nth reserved rights of the States, is the el
rtu- tive franchise and impeachment. ~
be this agree with the Virginia and n
mes uckv Resolutions2 Tsit the State int
,tIv position in any sense of the term9
such thing. It's merely the action o
,sti- majority Of the people. And if that !
ntes iority, by their Representatives IN Z
and gress, usurp the rights of the mlnorl
mile unless that minority can, by some unhe'
or of means, outvote the majority, the re
ollv edy is of no avail. In fact, this is
I its and cannot be the "interposition" me
mot BY Virginia and kentucky in 1893, !
nee. is. why, let me ask, did not Mr.. Madl