Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-16
VOLUME XXNFV.-.No. Is.

$1,000 'S lu't OJ ItElIFcit0n.. ~
would say TO The Senator that he had wholly mistaken
the character Of the mover of the amendment. He
co ud assure the Senator that he would rever resort
TO indirecton TO defeat any measure. The Senator
would always find him ready and willing To meet any
proposition that might he prese nted dircciy. He feared
no other responsibility than that which he was 10 meet
in his Stale, IN the discharge Of his public duties and
even there he had no Hesitation in bviir wing tha, in this
instance he was representing the wishes OF an over.
~hetming majority Of the People. The Senator had OBJ.
Iect"d 10 the amendment on the ground that it was a col.
lection OF incre distractions. Sir, cnn The Senator bs
serious: What are his whole resolutions trl nbstrac.
ions! Have there been any petitions or memorials &c.
ierred on the subjects embraced in the resolutions -
Were the resolutions reported by q committee: Was it
intended by the mover To cngTalt any legislative enact.
ment upon Them? No, Sir they are The mere abstract
husi"ns of the mind Of the gentleman himself; and vet
The Senator objects 10 tie amendment because it eS.
presses abstract opinions. Sir, il the Senator gives US
one sided distractions, can he object 10 be met by alb
siractions on the other side If distractions are 10 he
resolved here, let US have the @lIvle nf them lei y, NOS
affirm q part of creed. and not the whole.
MIR. s. said he was opposed TO the whole matter; he
could sec no good That cou!d possibly grow ort Of theee
resolutions, and they may do much harm. lie was viii.
ling TO leave the Constitution and lis exposition with the
People, it was plain enough for him, and he would say 10
the mover OF these resolutions that If that instrument
did not give the necessary security 10 The domestic in.
stitUlions OF the States; no resolves of this body as 10
The extent OF the powers conferred by II could do "
The comments of the senate on the powers conferred
could neither enlarge nor ahrid. =" those powers. He had
felt oPpused from the outset To these resolutions, on the
ground, in the first place. that they were mere a5strac-
TONS; aud, in the second place, that they denied, as he
believed, the fundamental principles and acknowledged
political truths Of this Government. The Senator from
South Carolina, in answer 10 srme remarks of the Sena-
tor from Ohio, (Mr. Morris had stated that he did not
intend to abridye the freedom -! speech or Of the press
by the resolutions, and that Senator, 4 few minutes ago,
stated that he admitted the truth Of the principles con-
,aired in the amendment he EAlr. 8 had offered; if he
was mistaken in the admissions Of the Senator, lie would
correct him.
[Nr. Calhoun said he had neither denied nor admit.
Then, said Mr.. s., it is important that the Senate
should either deny or admit them. The Senator says
that the amendment is intended TO overthrow his reso.
lutious BY indirecti0n. Does not she Senator see that he
ndmits away his whole case, that his argument proves
too much /: For if the amendment be lrIc, and if the
principles contained in il are orthodox, and Il, as The Sc.
nalnr admits, they are an,agonisltcal 10 his resolutions,
il follows of cnr!sr that the resolutions cannot be cor.
rect in principle. II The two. TIE amendment and the
resolutions, cannot sand together which must fall p
The Senator Justly claims fr himself The homer of be-
ing Tie author of tic resolutions he (Ml. 5 laid no
claim 10 so distinguished sn honor in relation TO the
amendment. 1t was true he had thrown II together and
presented i, to the Senate, but it cmana,cd from greater
and wiser heads than his. The first part OF the amend
mept was copied from The Declaration Di independence.
Is it possible, al this day, that the memorable and glori'
Gus declaration of those departed statesmen and heroes,
which stimulated the people olthe infant colonies 10 deeds
Of glory and rrnown, and which has been thought wo:-
thy 10 form a part Of the Constitution o! The several state5,
is to be set aside by the Senate Of the U s., TO give place
1" the newlungIed doctrines Of the Senator from 5. Ca
rcIina: The next provision Of the amendment was CO.
pied from the first section of the amendment to the Con-
s,i,ution of the u. S. The principles contained in 1t
were considered so important t;iat 1t was thought neces'
sary to incorporate 1t IN the Constitution by an amend
nent. as il was omitted in the original. Are these prln.
cipies also 10 he set aside. denied, repndinled, nbrogateo,
and condemned BY this Senate, because, forsoolh, they
are antngOnistIcai 10 the resolutions ct the Senator from
South Carolina. These, with The next provision IN the
amendment which was copied from MIR. Jefferson 8 IN
aucural address. are altogether worthy OF The hIgh
source from which they einauated they are just sucn
principles as frcclnen must cherish. They recognise,
The doctrines for which the patriots and sHges OF
The Revolution %con,endsd in that glorious struggle.
The equality of man, the freedom OF the press
aud Of speech, The right 10 assemble together n .
pcacrabie manner 10 consist on their comn,on good, ana
10 petition the Government far redress Of grievances,
loleratinr error Of opinion, but leaving reason free TO
combat iI-"error OF opinion may be tolerated, while rea.
son is left free 10 combat it," Yes, Sir, error OF opinion
is moi in this country, 10 be met or put down by the reSo'
lutions and opinions Of this body alone, unleos our ncls
arc seconded by public opinion. These very resoiI'
iirns may be, aud he honestly believe they were, fUnno'
ell in error of opinion; but even they may ae to'erat-
ed, while reason is left fec 10 combat them. Fir, these
declarations of The sage OF Monticello should have a rest
ing place, and sIonld be nourished IN The hearts oil mis-
c"untrymen. Yes, Sir, combat error OF opinion by reason,
not by gag Laws, not by ,nobs, notb by inquisilionsi not by
establishing ccnspTsiirs over the press, not by aoTiogihg
the Gtecd"m of speech. but r reason, l2'dIng the parlles
responsible for the abuse vi all these privileges, or Ia
tier rights, TO The party aygrrved; ana theh ire fuse'
lion y,j,at ore and what are not errors Of oyinion, must
b.. left 10 the final arbI,rrs-ihe People, where they
,nnst lie left in every country where liberty d"ei's' Inc
last, clause OF his amendment was the celebrated SAYING,
he belle we'd it was a toast on n public occasion, OF TX.
President Jackspn, The Union, it must be preserved
Re (Alr. s had called lfNs n political truth IN lie
amendment. Was he mistaken III The character he had
given il; He believed not. lie was satisfied TINT It
I..-l t-,L. ,t - ,ua1 n IrnIh thnt
met the hearty appreciation Of every sane mind in The
nation; aud while lhr Senator from ). Carolina Is pressing
his resolutions Gin almost every "ne OF which n reference
IS made, in some shape or other, to the possibility o.
weakening or destroying the Vnion IS J: not pro-
per, nav, more, is il not demanded, OF this body TO reat-
irm that most riaL political truth, "ihe Union must be
preserved Z" Yes, Sir. if we resolve any 'abstractions,
now can we do less than to point onr countryhen 10
these truths, and to say to them, IN Inc name OF our
country, Liberty und Union arc one and t"scp0raOie, "oU
aud torcrer. Why do Senators object to ITS adoption:
Why no, let the whole 60 10 the Fecplc together: Are
u-uiIemer afraid 10 trust tbem? lf our opinions on
these abstract questions are worth any lhing 10 tne REQ.
ole. let US give them the whole Of this matter. lie, Tor
one, was not afraid 10 trust them. II Trey decide erro.
neously, either Tor or ogains. US, let ~ De remembered
TINT :'errur of opinion may be tolerated., whist reason
left free to combat it," Ii it shalfbe cnntended by the
Senator that lie has been misunderstood, that he does not
admit that the principles Of the amendment are opposed
10 The doctrines Of the resolutions, and cohtehos thas
,h.y can both stand together, then the amendment IS
verfec,ly harmless, and should form a part OF the resoiu.
lions He was, however, grossly mistaken, or these re-
solutions were not exactly what they seemed 10 1c.
The Senator from Delaware (Mr. Bayard had IN par.
torn The mask from the first one he had clearly SHOWN
that it embodied The principles OF nnil'nca'ioh d $ they
p r,ders,ood IN .he State from which the mover came.
Il 1Mr. S. entirely concurred in that opinion. But
that was not the only principle involved IN the IesG.u u.
tons 10 which he objected. In his mind 1t was e'eas
that they strike al tie freedom Of speech ana o. !.
Dress. and the right of The People toassernole peaceaoiy
% p| consult nj Of Their common COED, and to petition their
c Government for redress Of grievances. II viii be seen
by Senators that they deny The rIgh. OF the states 10
.intermeddI-" wi,t>the domes'c ins,a.nH"ns o., n 1Iaet
:" :, 20 berr used. mean, Docs il merely mean that the
p p Of the free States have no right TO go into tho
81, yphoIding States and excite an instruction: or diner
"n' O ,,;iS that h,u,e:1;c institution, III so, II