Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-08-13
FUH IT = = ~ =
LETTER THE SECOND.

SIR In tracing the political history g. the !. : :
no,hns is SO remarkable the steady ana rape IN
crease Of the movers Of the Federal Government and
the corresponding depression and dcgrada'inh % Wv
State authorities Yet, in every particular ahrc."@
the balance Of power between them, the constituent
remains precisely what II was 'ha'uia,e9 a'''' wy
sdop,on of those few declaraiory amendments whic"
wore nearly coeva with the Constitution ltseii, ano
which were mainly intended 10 suaf9 The righ's 81 me
States. | shall not stop I" enaH'' rave particulars
The general fact is one o whca a! are aware VINO
are old enough 10 remember ti'ns a. la'y "rie' on
forty ago, anc no are eai'"'~ y
things as thew are now.
To those who believe that under great central 10
vernment welding all the powers 81 vast c"ns"''da'
ted Empire and legsaIing suPfemvy overrv"ry F.hl
and every interest the hts and interests ~ maAi!-
Ties cannot Be safe from lie rapaceus tyranny Of na-
orities il hardly necessary 70 say hat ls change IS
i;,r the worse Some indeed Ike Alexander Haunt
ton NAV look with cumplac'ncy /" the establishment
Of an independent power ~ tAe Government, para
noun, 10 the VIII Of the majority, sustaining ITSELF by
is own strength and controlling ske the capTices and
the sober and deliberate wall II the t"ople Such may
antcipae in the end tie best 'esnsis from TINS pro-
gressye charge. Asye,, there ae.noi many sues; bot
he must b. poorly qualified ia n"c4sand tie working
Of Governments who has no, learned, both from rea.
son and experience that SUCH change mus; even!nas
n unve Of the necessity :or great and
independent power the Executive head Of the nation
use the word nation here lis prcPe! sense, !cr III that
state of things the Union would have ceased 70 exist
President NAV successfully exercise the Executive
powers Of the tatoR, the s,ron.e. hand OF 4 hng
will be necessary sway the scsp;re Of 4 mighty en-
pirs Ii known, that some oil the mos; PTomi-
men, members Of the Federal Convention, al first, con
ccived tie plan OF Nati0adt Government; with Su
preme Legislature OF underlined powers su7moum,ed
BY supreme Executive, armed with negative on tile
laws OF the States, and authority 10 appoint their Go
yernors 1t is also known tina, they found II necessary
10 renGnish this magn iccnt bat dangerous scheme,
being convinced that the People would acqu-sce
in IT, In doing this, the word national vas every where
stricken ont OF the draug OF the Constitution and the
Executive and Legislature then for tn frs. time
designated by iie Of ifesidcm: and Congress
names appropriate 10 the fcdrrate character Of t.le
srument Hence il has teen truly SAID, that the word
national an unconstitutional word, ami is frequent
use al this day Is but o. many proofs Of the ten
dencv OF the Government 10 degenerate INTO that great
consolidated naked monarchy which lie advocates Of
strong Government al first desired, but dared mol re-
commend 10 the People.
The causes q; this alarming p.ocliyity are numerous
and steady in ;eir operation The counter influences
are few, and rarely called into action To discover
these and 10 their efficiency is the duty Of
every who desires, in good faith, 70 support the
Constitution !, was, and Is !; WAS understood al The
time wien the oath 10 support Il was prescribed Thus
only give effect 10 the compact actually made
BY the People Of the States, and prevent II from beng
gradually changed into something 10 which they never
gave their assent
Among the Conservative features Of the Cuns,itu.
ton there few perhaps of greater efficiency than
those provisions which make possible for the ESecu
tive authority 10 fall INTO the hands Of one not actually
selected for the Office BY majority Of the People, and
vino, If the matter were again referred 10 thcm might
not be the man OF their choice.
A candid review Of our past history will show that
the most prevailing Of the increase Of Federal,
and especially Of Executive power, has been The per-
sonal popu ari,y OF the President II is not in his
choice to prevent this Mr.. Jefferson INTO power
with the ayowed and honest purpose Of correcting Fr.
deral abuses, and breaking down Federal Gsurpalons
HI did So and the confidence Of the people the Fe-
deral Government, which had been shaken hy the eS.
travagancies Of his predecessor restored. They
learned to look on that Government OF!
much good and e:l; and tie public jealousy being
cectually aaved, he found II hard h carry out his
principles against The eagerness Of the peop'e 10
manifest their confidence in him. The purchase Of.
Louisiana instance in which he could not re-
sst the temptation 10 4 ricasure splend.d, and 80
popular, though lis cons,i,Iltonal:,y than
doubted by his friends, I'D perhaps by himself
Mr.. Madison had beer, tor years, the champion Of
State Ri-a'S: and his moderate and unamblt;ous tenn
per was dS'nclin"d TO the exercise Of power. The
same mel,, hc said Of Mr. Monroe ;..t ye; he ag
grand zn;..n, Of the Federal Government al .anced
w.,il sucl ,dlly during their administrations and
.he Constitution IN the sea: 80 mad received
many practical interpretations in favor o! ne iadrh
mite power and supremacy Of the President and Con.
gress that Mr.. John Quincy Adams las accession,
did not scruplc II Law aside all aud declare
ali s sssn, ~e sa
Rights men had uniformly protested.
Well ]. was, that ths avowal came from not
cogni7ed ~ The People the legitimate exponent Of
their will In him, who had been advanced 10 the
Presidency against the votes of majority, and b,
means n calculated 10 soo,he the public mind. this
was denounced treason against The Constitution.
and i"r .,a first time IN twenty years, rhen Were
to address themselves earnestly 10 the study Of that IN.
lpt',r M,ffs and had hoo
leaders Of the State Rights Party and under their ad
ministra,ion the principles and naXms Of that party
had been taken for grancd-and FORGOTTEN. They were
now revived MADISON Resolutions and Report we're in
every body hands, and the obscure oraccs OF John
Taylo of Caroline, studied with painful diligence
The made by the cenralzing party Of the powers
they welded, showed at the time, the practical
value Of these principles and maxms. They became the
watchwords of opros''on and the election Of General
jackson hailed rs the Triumph of the State Rights
Party, and the reestabl!shment Of the Constitution on
It's true basis.
Whether Andrew jackson was State Rights man
or no. do no; undertake % decide. Certain It's tina,
the severest blow ever aim"d at the dignity and au-
,hority of the States, was struck by him. Compare,
pray you, SIR, the Inaugural Address Of Nr Adams
his messages and his with the Proclamation
and remember the acgulescence in the latte. OF the
very who had been loudes; in their denunciations
of the former. Compare The unanimous concurrence
of the State Rights party in your proposal 10 repeal
the 25,h section Of the judiciary act, with the almost
unanimous support, By the adir;Guois, of the
Force Bill. speak here % that clause Of the latter
which authorizes Fede al District Cont 10 remove
By certcrari, any criminal case from a State Court
TO Federal Court, to be tired therc-a process which
at once degrades the State Courts the same relation
10 Federal Tribunals, which the Courts Baron iii Eng
land bear to the Courts Of the King. And why was
this submitted to- Was il made necessary by any
emergency: M, Sir. The clauses Of the same BILL
which were called for by the emergency, TEN
porary They were enacted for the occasion, and
have expired by their limitation The clause of
which nov speak is permanent nal fastened in |
place. The chain that binds the States to
the oostool of Federal power What becomes of their
sovereignty, when their right punish, by their
authority, those who offend against their laws, sur