Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-11-20
lT.,iINOSD. Va, FRIDAY, NOV. 20, lsfC
The States Rights Eoctrincs

RICHMOND, Va, FRIDAY, NOV. 20, lefo
The States Rights Eoctrincs
Of The fTgtn'a School
Our Bill Of Rights urges recurrence TO ,unaa.
mental Principles as essential 10 me prosperity o. m
Republic But when that duty more strongly re-
pded 10 u.s. than when party Is about TO come
into the Administration, which embraces the most DIS
tinrushed men of the Federal Party and whose mea-
suTes likely to be moulded by their lahtud'nous
Construction At such Moment II becomes the duly
of the Republican Party throw themselves back upon
their original principles it becomes Virginia especl-
ay, who has been saved from the general defeat 10
come boldly forward, she dd IN w 10 re-asser the
same principles which she established them and again 10
become the lar- bearer Of the consecraed standard
Under the full Of the crisis which is at hand, and
Of the duties which il devolves upon the Republican
! Party, we shall publish the great documents which
contain the articles of their political Creed We beg
the Peoplc of Virginia to read them again and again. 10
study them carefully and nwardly digest them. They
constitute the standard by which every Republican will
be able to judge Of the measures OF the coming Adm-
nisraton. The following was the Preface, which IN
February, ls26 we attached to pamphlet Copy OF
1.-The Resolutions of Virginia and Kentucky, pcnned by
Madison and Jefferson, and of Madlsons subsequent
| Report"
| "Thc administration Of Mr.. John Adams was dark
day for the Republic. Then, Alien and Sedition acts
were let loose upon the purity Of the Constitution
itself was violated by the madness of party and those
Rights which had been respectively reserved TO The
States and the People, exposed 10 the most fear
u jeopardy by the usurpaohs oil the feaeral uoVerh
! mcnt.
\ nBut the friends of the Constitution did 'des
pair of the Republic Though the liberty Of Speech
and Of the Press invaded though the power and
patronage of the Government were excred to mimi
date seduce the people the Republicans did not
abandon the cause of their Country. Their resistance
continued with the crisis The form of il only was
varied While Mr.. Jefferson remained in the Senate
Of the United States, and Mr.. Gallatin in The louse
of Representatives of their most able and active
To- Il 81. H.
+ of the General Government, and retreated TO the
State Legislatures i'll which great cades OF the pub
lie Liberty they proposed re assert the true prime Piles
j, Of the Government. The Republicans succeeded
and the Constitution assaved.
D "Among the most memorable productions Of those
tunes were The Resolutions and Reports, which were
adopted by the Legislatures of Kentucky and virginia
These were pcnned by jefferson and Madison. To MIR
Madison is due, the honor of having drafted the Nlr
ginia Resolutions of the list December l79s; and that
: mastery Findcation Of tIem, which was adopted by
the Legislature of Virginn during the session of 80
1900 paper, which IS amlllarly known by the name
of ".adison Report, and which deserves to last a:
u long as the Constitution tself.
"The Resolutions Of kentucky submitted to
the Legislature Of that Safe by Mr. John Breckenridge
and adopted by them the 10Th November, 1875
They had the honor Of being penned BY the Author
the Declaration Of American Independence
" "3oth these esteemed Productions are scarce, ant
, out of print They are frequently asked for. They
y are again wanting to re.estabs the land marks Of Tho
Constitutions and 10 stay that food Of encroachmen
= which threatens TO sweep country. The flights o
the States and Of the People again assaed IN ar
: alarming Doctrines are preached IN ingf
, places which directly Ut war with the principles o
q Government The Ceniripctal power is assuming
= and fearful energy. Under the authority OF grea
" names, great errors are maintained. Is u not time
then, for the friends Of Truth rally together, and e
. re-assert her principles: Where can we ma lhes'
u principles clearly stated, the arguments IN t
: defence more powerfully developed than IN the Gee
y bratcd Productions which the Publisher Of this Pan
G phet now lays before his readers:
= VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS
g Of I13S pronouacing tic 4iiep and Scditon Lars
be unconstitutional, md defining tie rights Of IN
!, States Drown by Nr. Nadisoa and presented an
n enforced By .ioha Iay'cr Of Caroline
If Rescired, That the General Assembly Of Virginia
doth unequivocay express firm resolution to MAINTAIN
and defend the Constitution of the United States, an,
the Constitution OF THIS Stale against every aggression
either foreign or domestic; and that they will supper
the Government of the United States in all measure
warranted by the former.
n That this Assembly most solemnly declares warn
!, attachment the union Of the States, TO maintain
v which IL pledges its powers and, that for this end
their duty watch ard oppose every iniracto
l. Of those principles which constitute the only basis c
il that Union because faithful observance OF them, ca
alone secure lis existence and the public happiness.
& That this Assembly doth explicitly and pcrcmptor'i
t. declare, That it views the powers OF the Federal Or
j venment, resulting from the compact, 10 which III
States are parties Limited by the plain and in
tenton of the instrument constituting that compact,
II farther valid than they authorized b. the grant
d enumerated in that compact and that in Of dc
iberate papabe, and dangerous exercise Of other pow
ers granted BY the SAID compact, the States, vii
are parties thereto, have the right, and are in dut
bound, TO ntepose, for arrestng the progress OF In
evil, and for maintaining within their respective limits
the authorities, shs and liberties appertaning to then
That the General Assembly doth also express its dee
il regret that spirit has in snndry instances been ma
infested by the Federal Government to enlarge ITS pow
ers by forced constructions OF the constitutional CHAR
- ter which defines them; and that indications have a!
= peared of nesgn TO cxpound certain general phrase
i (Which, having been copied from the very Unite
grant of powers in the former articles OF confederate
n the less Liable TO be msconstrued to destro
i the meaning and effect, Of the particular enumerato
). which necessarily explains, and limits the genera
phrases and to consolidate the States by degree:
into sovereignty, the obvious tendency and new
table result of which would be- 10 transform the prcsen
Republican system of the United States INTO Al aoso
= lutte, or at best, mixed monarchy.
, That the General Assembly doth particularly Protes
\ against the pal pahe, and alarming attractions OF tn
> Constitution, n The two late Of the sAlcn
Sedtion acts passed at the last session Of Congress
!. the first Of which exercises power no where dele
: gated to The Federal Government and which ~ INIT
= ing Legislative and judicial powers to those Of
tive, su5verts the general principles Of free Govern
mcn, as well as the particular organization and posi-
i've provisions of the Federal Constitution; and III,
not delegated BY the Constitution, but the contrary
expressly and positively forbidden by Of the amend
menis thereto; power which, than any other
ought to produce universal alarm, because il Is cveet
against the right of freely examining public charac
tiers and measures and of free communication among
the people thereon, which has been justly deemed
the only efectual guardian of every other right
That this State having BY its Convention, which
ratified the Federal Constitution, expressly declared
that Among o:her essential rights, 'he liberty of con
science and the press cannot ne cancelled abridged
restrained, modified by any authority of the IT, s,
and from its extreme anxiety to guard these rights
from every possible attack Of sophsry and ambition
having with other States, recommended an amendment
for that purpose, which amendment was, in due time
annexed 10 the Constitution il would mark rcproach
ful inconsistency, and criminal dcgcncrncy, il in
difference were shown, to the most palpabc vio
aon Of one Of the rights, thus declared and secured
and 10 the establishment of precedent which may be
fatal to the other.
That the good people of this Commonwealth, hav.