Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-11-20

new pretexs for those who wish it 10 be believed
that man cannot be governed but By rod Of iron:
that it would be a dangerous de!usion, were conf
dence in the men Of choice, to silence fears
for the safety Of rights: that confidence IS eve
nv where the parent Of despotIsn: free government
is founded in jealousy and not in confidence II is zeal
ousy and not confidence which prescribes limited Con-
stjiutions 10 bind down those whom are obliged 10
trust with power that Constitution has ACCORDING
L. fixed the limits 10 which and no further conf
dence may 90, and let the honest advocate of conf.
dence read the Alien and Sedton Acts, and say tie
Constitution has not been wise IN fixing limits to tie
Government il created, and whether We should be- wise
IN DESTROYING those limits: Let him say what the Go.
vcrnment is il i: ne not tyranny, which! the Of Our
choce have conferred the President, and the Pres.
dent m our choice has assentcd TO and accepted over
The friendly strangers, 10 whom tie mid spirit ol
country and It's laws had pledged hospitality and pro.
lection that the ot our choice have more respected
The bare suspicious of the President, Than the sold
rohts of innocence the claims Of justification, the
cred force Of truth, and the forms and substance OF M
and Justice In questions OF power, then, let no more
be heard of confidence in man. but bind hm down from
mischief by the chains of the Constitution That this
Commonwealth does therefore call on It's co-Siates r
an expression Of their sentiments on the acts concerning
aliens and for the punishment Of certain crimes herein.
before specified plainly declaring whether these ac;s
are or ire not authorised By the Federal Compact And
il doubts not that their sense viii be so announced,
10 prove their attachment una;ercd to limited govern.
mcnt whether general particular, and that the rights
and liberties of their co.Stacs, VIII be exposed 10
dancers by remaining embarked on common bottom
with their own That they viii concur with this Com.
monweal,h in considering the SAID acts were plpa.
bly, against the Constitution, to amount 10 an nndis.
unised declaration that the Compact not meant 10 br
The measure of the powers of the General Government
but that il will proceed in the exercise these States
Of all powers whatsoever: That they will view this
Selling the rights of the States and consolidating them
in the hands of the General Government, with pow.
or assumed TO bind the States, mot merely in
made Federall but in all whatsoever, By laws
made not Nth their consent, but by others agans.
their consent: That this would be 10 surrender tie
form Of government have chosen, and TO live unGe.
one deriving It's powers from lis own WILL and not from
orr authority ard that the States recurring 10 Their
natural right in cases made Federal, vii! concur N
decla,nr the Sc acts void and OF force, and VIII each
unite with this Commonwealth in requesting their r..
peal at the next session Of Congress.
EDMNUD BULLOCK, 5. n
JOHN CAMPBELL, 5. 5. +. 4
Passed the House Of Representatives, Nov 10th, l19
.keSt,
THOMAS TODD, c. H. H.
IN SENATE, Nov. 18th, l79S, unanimously concur
red in.
Ktcst,
B. THURSTON, Cik Sen
Approved November 10th, I.9S.
JAMES GARRARD, q. h
By the Governor:
HARRY TOULMIN,
Secretary Of Stte