Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-14
TO THE EDITOR OF TIE ENQUIRER.
g. RI MI Ennis tLou aim yt nj he RI,


| TO THE EDITOR OF TIE ENQUIRER
"Lt all the ends thou aim st at, be thu Country's"
| The principles of 9S 'are the KEYS of construction
and the locks of liberty" The period has arrived
when it becomes every lover of his country to buckle
on the of principie-and forgetting partiaes
for men, look only to the maintenance Of those doc
trnes which have heretofore distinguished the Virginia
school, Never since the great civil revolution of 1901
have these principles had fair an opportunity as the
present. for becoming again the guides of our Federal
Government. Experience has demonstrated that they
the only principles by which 4 Government, like
ours acting upon such various and confctin interests
can be administered without oppression If we mean TO
preserve the Unon they the only barriers of South
rights against the blind zeal of religious tanatcsm
now united with political faction address myself the
States Right Wings of Va They claim to belong that
gallant and incorporating party which has resisted
unauthorized power every shape has vet assumed
which has watched with jealous and unseeping vigil
lance every encroachment upon the Constitution; and
which has more than once rolled the tide Of unlimited
construction back upon its advocates.They have
tended that the Constitution is compact between So
rereign SatrS-and the Government il creates, Go
yernment of limited and specified powers; that pow
ers should be implied but those without which the de-
egoted powers would be nueaory; that all powers
clearly delegated reserved to the States and hence
that the doctrine of Unmted means carry out speci
fed ends, against the letter and spirit of the Cons
tuto and palpably tending absorb the reserved in
the OF delegated powers. In accordance with
power to incorporate Bank. They have denied the
power lay protective Tariff fostering by govern
mental bounty interest at the expense of others
They have denied to Congress the power to make In
terna improvements encroaching upon the local
jurisdiction of the States and tending towards conso
daon This is brief outline of the principles which
hace formed the distinguishing features of the State
Rights or Republican party, and which have drawn
line of eternal separation between them and the Fcde.
ralists The latter have uniformly conended against
each tnr he
country, succeeded at the going of of the Government
in giving it direction conformabe to their opinions.
Though these systems OF plumber and oppression have
been compelled to yield before the force of public OPT
nion their advocates unseepng, and will every
exeron again TO impose them upon the country Upon
these great questions the contending parties
cd against each other, and the sincerity of those who
have heretofore been the ardent supporters Of strict
construction of the Constitution, will now be tested
The issue docs not involve, the eve Of patriotism the
elevation of this that to office; but those great
principles of government, whose destiny depends upon
the result Of the conflict 1t the duty of every friend
of the reserved rights of the States, to reconnore his
postion-to pause ere he renounces the faith of
his fathers to take refuge under the altar of snothers
creed Let him remember before he changes the Cross
for the Crescent, the principles which have shed lustrc
around the one, and those which have branded the
taries of the other The contest is between the prnci-
Piles Of Hamilton and those of Jefferson between
strict and unlimited construction Of the Constitution;
between National Bank regulating the exchanges and
labor of the country raising and depressing at pleasure
the price of PROPERTY and acting powerful political
engine in favor of the faction to which it is indebted
for its charter, and Republican system Of finance
whose simplicity shows it to be BEST and whose respon
sbilities prove it to be Saskatchewan Protective
Tariff enrching one interest BY unjust exactons from
others and a system of trade untrammeed by govern
mental restrictions-Between system of Internal I'm
proyements lavshng enormous sums upon favored sec
tons, and economical and restricted expenditure
These are the questions with regard TO which the
State Rights party called upon to act Shall they
be found erect, defending the principles which they
have commended were essential to freedom will they
"ratiy the base and degrading sophsm that is homo
rattle stick party and adhere to prn
cipes :" 1t is than idle to pretend that prncl-
pies can be sustained by supporting who arc known
to be their opponents-nay their avowed enemies, and
supported by the whole Federal party because they
So Mr. Van Buren, is advocating the measures
which the State Rights party deem the only means of
bringing the Government back to the path of Republi
can smplicty-against Bank, Tariff, and Internal
improvements, advocating separation of Bank and
State which will break the last link in that mighty
chain of oppression and corruption which parale gls-
aton and political artce saddled upon the country
Bv retrenchng the public expenditures six millions in
$3.50 and FIVE millions in 1870 he is acting npon the
very principles considered by the State Rights party
essential to the purity of Government Thus 1t seems
that he is ,ci them upon all the great principles OF
public policy. Will they therefore sustain man who
is opposed to them upon all In the emphatic Ian
guare of Randolph, "what are the principles without
the men nnv more than the men without the princi-
ples" We must have men to carry out principles and
it is certainly curious philosophy, that sustans prn-
ciples by ecvatng to high places men who hold them
in contempt | could soon think of choosing Ma
homedan TO promulgate the doctrines of Christianity
or attempt TO sustain Professionalism by teaching the In
fability of the Pope Can mere want of confidence
in Mr. Van Buren, ensenaerea by party HOSTILITY eH
departure from principle Can scramble for place be
SIGN of patriotism, or blind devotion to party the
evidence of honestly Will he occupy The present sta
ton in the eyes of his country who sacrifices party to
principle burns personal antPatnes us OF ne
who follows the dictates Of both, and trampes primer
pie in the dust:
MIR. Van Buren, stands pledged before the country
to administer the Government upon the Virginia doc
trines Thus far he has been true to that pledge Let
the State Rights party point to act OF his admins
tration at war with these doctrines his course mas
been marked by lofty frmness and statesnanke Pru
dence. He has assumed no responsibility, lncompat
BILE with the Constitutions no act OF MS administration
be charged with trenchng upon any Oh ,he
nate DEPARTMENTS or tending to strengthen the Execu
tive arm He has referred the question OF hnance 10
the Representatives Of the People, as the constitution
al guardians of the public purse lie has inViteo m
vesgation, that corruption might De Gs'ec.ea au Pa
| ished What more we ask! Shail we aesel' ou'
position because man whom we formerly opposed mas
come to its Defence Shall spike the guns which
have achieved the victory, and reduce ourselves :" e
dsgracefu alternatives of deserving our principles lor
ever, by placing their enemies IN powell mar y M
cessary another long and doubtful battle 70 I'm mann I'M,
tain them: Shall the flag of 9o be found floating oy te
standard of consolidation or those who have received
so many scars in its defence pull down in the hour
of victory We cooperated with the Federasts against
General Jackson but upon different Brlnc'plssh oh
Then opposed him because he struck the Bank, which
was tbe avorte link in the chain Of their polcy-We,
because we thought he had abused hi. power trust
the Snte Rights Wings of Virginia will noby sacrifice
party for principle Patriotism calls them to 40 II. 40.
li,ical integrity compels them The obnoxious
snres which they have SO consistently opPos'a ""'s