The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-12-11

subject for reysu and correction at time of great
tranquility, while those specified in the precedn
I, resolutions call for immediate redress.
c 8. Resolved, That the preceding resolutions b
transmitted to the Senators and Representatives i
: Congress from this Commonwealth, who are here
by enjoined TO present the to their respec,y
Houses, and TO their best endeavors to procur
r ut The next session of Congress, repeal of tn
e aforesaid unconstitutional and obnoxious acts
t o. RcsolreR, lastly, That the Governor Of hi
f Commonwealth be, and is hereby authorized an
, requested to communicate the preceding resolution
to the Legislatures of the several States; to assur
them that this Commonwealth considers Union 70
, specified National purposes, and particularly 70
those specified in their late Federal Compact, to b
friendly TO the peace happiness, and prosperity o
all the States; that faithful to that Compact, nc
cordins to the plain intent and meaning in which
was understood and accedcd to by the several par
ties is sincerely anxious for its preservation: tina
it does not believe that 10 take from the States al
the powers of sclfgovcrument, and transfer then
to general and consolidated government, without
regard to the special delegations and reservation,
solemnly agreed to in that Compact, is not for the
peace, happiness or prosperity Of these States: And
that therefore, this Commonwealth is determined
rs ii doubt not its co-States are, tamcly to submit
to undelcgatod and consequently unlimited powers
in no man or body Of men on earth: that If the acts
before specified should stand, these conclusions
would flow from them; that the General Govern
ment may place any act they think proper on the
list Of crimes, and punish it themselves, whether
enumerated or not enumerated by the Constitution
as cognizablc by them; that they may transfer its
cognzancc TO the President or any other person,
who may himself be the accuscr, counsel, Judge
and jury, whose suspicious may be the evidence,
his order the sentence his officer the eIecutioner.
and his breast the sole record of the transaction
that very numerous and valuable description of
the inhabitants Of these States, being by this pre-
ccdent reduced as outlaws to the absolute donn-
ion OF one man and the barrier Of the Constitution
thus swept away from US all, no rampant now re-
mains against the passions and The power of ma
Jory Of Congress, TO protect from like cxporta-
ton or other more grievous punishment the minor
l'y Of the same body, the legislature Judges Gov
errors and Councillors Of the States, nor their 9th
cr pcaceabc inhabitants who may venture to re-
claim the Constitutional rights and liberties of the
States and people, or who for other causes, good
or bad, may be obnoxious TO the views or marked
by the suspicious Of the President, or be though,
dangerous TO his or their elections, or other inter-
es's public or PERSONAL that the fricndcss alien has
indeed been selected The safest subject of first
experiment; but the citizen will soon follow, or
rather has already followed; for, already has Sc
dition Act marked him as its prey; that these and
successive acts OF The same character unless arrest
I'd on the threshold, may tend to drive these States
into revolution and blood, and will furnish new
nalumnics against Republican Governments, and
news prctcxts for those who wish il to be- believed
hat man cannot be governed hn, by rod nr IRON
hat It would he dangerous dcluson were a con-
idcncc in the men of our choice, to silence our
ears for the safety Of our rights: that confidence is
very where the paren, Of despo,ism free govern
ncnt is founded in jealousy and not in confidence:
I is jealousy and not confidence which prcscribes
limited Constitutions 10 bind down those whom we
re obliged 10 trust with power: that our Const- I
niion has accordingly fixed the limits to which and
o further our confidence may 60, and let the hon
st advocate Of confidence read the Alien and Sc
ition Acts, and say If the Constitution has not {
cen wise in fixing limits to the Government il 1
reacd, and whether we should be wise in Destroy
g those limits Let him say wha, the Govern G
zen, is If il be not a tyranny, which the men of d
ur choice have conferred OIL The President, and I
lc President Of our choice has asson,cd TO and ac
opted over the friendly strangers, to whom the
hid spirit Of our country and its laws had pledged il
nspliall'y and protection: that the men Of our Il
loicc hive moro respected the bare suspicious of II
&c President, than the solid rights of innocence o
o claims Of Justification, he yncred force of TRUTH Il
ID the forms and substance Of law and Justice "
questions OF power, then, let no more be heard u
confidence in man, but bind him down from mis- CT
cf, by the chains of the Constitution. That this "
does therefore call on its co-Sta,cs q
r an expression of their sentiments on the acts
ncerning aliens, and for the punishment Of GER u.
in crimes hereinbelorc specified, plainly declaring pr
neither these acts are not authorized by the Of
'dcral Compact And it doubts not tina, their a,
nsc will be TO announced, as to prove their al in
rhmcnt unatcred TO limited government, whether ii
neral or particular, and that the rights and Iber 10
s of their coStatcs, will be exposed To no dam co
RS by remaining embarked on common bottom ca
IN their own: That they will concur with this dc
in considering the said acts were b,
pa'pahIy against the Constitution, as to amount Tn
an undisguised declaration, that the Compac, !. 10
meant to be The measure Of the powers of the lea
neral Government, but that i, will proceed in oc
exercise over these States Of all powers what ha
yer: That they will view this as Selling the be-
his Of the States and consolidating them in tbe KIN
IDS Of the General Government, with n power re-,
umcd to bind the States, (not merely in cases cid
do Tcdcral,) but in all cases whatsoever. by drr