The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-12-11
THE OLD LANDMARKS.
VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS


Lars 10 be unconstitutional, and defining tn
rights Of the States. Drawn by Mr.. .MadiSon
ami presented and enforced by John Taylor Q
Caroline.
In ne pginia House Of Delegates Friday, 81 1895
Resolred, That the General Assembly of Virgin
III, doth unequivocally express firm resolution tt
maintain and defend the Constitution of the United
States, and the Constitution of this State, agans
every aggression either foreign Or domestic ; ant
that they will support the Government of the United
States IN all measures warranted by the former.
That this Assembly most solemnly declares O
warm attachment to tho union of the States. &c
maintain which pledges its powers and, that fol
this end, it is their duty to watch over and oppose
every niiaction of those principles which constitute
the only basis of that Union, because faithful OBJ
scrvance of them, can alone secure its existence
and the public happiness,
That this Assembly doth explicitly and perempt-
oriy declare, That it views the powers of the Fed
eraI Government, as resulting from the compact, to
which the States parties, as limited by the plain
sense and intention of the Instrument constituting
that compact as no farther valid than they are au-
thorzed by the grants enumerated in that compact
and that in case of deliberate, palpabe, and dam
gerous exercise of other powers no, granted by the
said compact, the States, who are parties thereto,
have the right, and are in duty bound, to nterpose,
for arresting the progress of the evil and for main
tanning within their respective limits, the aulhori-
ties, rights and liberties appcrtanng to them.
That the General Assembly doth also express its
deep regret that spirit has, in sundry instances,
been manifested by the Federal Government to en-
large its powers by forced constructions of the con-
slitutonal chatter which defines them and that
indications have appeared of design to eypound
certain general phrases (Which, having beencopied
from the very limited grant of powers in the for
mcr articles of confederation were the less liable to
be misconsrucd,) so as to destroy the meaning and
effect, of the particular enumeration which neces-
sarily explains, and limits the general phrases, and
as to consolidate the States by degrees, into one
sovereignty, the obvious tendency and inevitable
result of which would be, to transform the present
Republican system of the United States into an
absolute, or at best, mixed monarchy.
That the General Assembly doth particularly
protest against the palpabe, and alarming inirac-
tons of the Constitution, III the two late cases of
the ALLEN and Sedion acts, passed at the last scs-
sion of Congress- the first of which exercises pow
er no where delegated to the Federal Government,
and which by uniting legislative and judicial pow
ers to those of executive subvers the general prn-
ciples of free Government, as well us the particular
organization and positive provisions of the Federal
Constitution and the other of which acts, exerci-
SEES in like manner, power not delegated by the
Constitution, but on the contrary, expressly and
positively forbidden by one of the amendments
thereto a power, which, more than any other,
ought to produce universal alarm, because it is lev
elcd against the right of freely examining public
and measures, and Of free communica-
ton among the people thereon, which has ever
been justly deemed, the only eilectual guardian of
every other right.
That this State having by its Convention, which
ratified the Federal Constitution, expressly dccar-
ed, that among other essential rights 'the liberty
of conscience and the press cannot be cancelled,
abridged, restrained, or modified by any authority
guard these rights from every possible attack of
sophistry and ambition, having with other States,
an amendment for that purpose,
which amendment was, in due time, annexed TO
the Constitution, it would mark reproachful in
consistency, and criminal dcgencracy, il an indlf
ference were now shown, to the most palpable yo-
lation of one of the rights thus declared and secur-
ed and to the establishment of precedent which
may be fatal to the other
That the good people of this Commonwealth
having ever felt, and continuing 10 feel the most
sincere affection for their brethren of the other
States the truest anxiety for establishing and per-
the union of all and the most scrupu-
lous fidelity TO that Constitution, which is the
pledge of mutual friendship and the instrument Of
mutual happiness the General Assembly doth
solemnly appeal to the like dispositions III the 9th
er States, in confidence that they will concur with
this Commonwealth, in declaring, as it does here
by declare, that the acts aforesaid are unconstitu-
tional and, that the necessary and proper meas
ures will be taken BY each for cooperating with
this State, in maintaining unimpaired the authori-
ties, rights, and liberties, reserved TO the States
or TO the People.
That the Governor be desired TO transmit copy
ofthe foregoing resolutions to the Executive author
iiy of each of the other States, with request that
the same may be communicated To the Legislature
thereof; and that copy be furnished to each of
the Senators and Representatives, representing this
State in the Congress Of the United States.
Attest, JOHN STEWART.
1888, Dec. 9th agreed 10 by the Senate.
II. BROOKE.
A true copy from the original, deposited in the
office of the General Assembly.
JOHN STEWART. Keeper of Rolls.
y. a.. D.. ~, frJi