Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-10-08
POLITICAL.
PUBLIC MEETING Is DINwIDDIE COUNTY.

70 order motion If A. J. Vaughan Esq, DR. ii.
=. Worshan was called to the Chair, and Thos. Jones
"as appointed Secretary
lie committee appointed at the last meeting, to
n.a report and resolutions, expressive Of The sense
VI TUG profle OF this county, the important subjects
no" hs''at;ng The country" submitted ulrough their
Chairman, H. A. Garland Esq the following
~ committee appointed, by portion Of the citizens
Of DInwidde, "to draft Report and Resolutions,
prrssve ol the sense of the people of this county, on
The important subjects now agitatnr the country, beg
leave 10 NAL . the following
REPORT.
The political affairs ii The Republic in the opinion
81 TINS committee, have fallen into n derapurd cond
ton. Never, since tie days Of the Revolution has the
country been placed in dangerous and critical no.
s''i"n al no period have tir people had more cause
:or unras'aess, and alarm, for the peace and
tranquility Of the country, and the just MAINTENANCE
Ut Their rights with nations abroad By tie mos, de
grading and extraordinary means, party has come
INTO power who sci at nnuaht the limitations nj /. WIT
Ten Constitutions; who by of their Banking sys
tenn are drawn INTO intimate md dependent conner.
ton with the money power Of England; and who, By
their acts of legislation, have imposed
The people alike yfamncal, oppressive, and uEcon
slilutional Having stripped Oft the DISCUSSES by which
they deuGed the people in the recent election, they
now stand confessed. the Old Federal party Of the
Adams dynasty-A party that has ever regarded The
Federal Constitution instituted by, and resting on,
The vii Of mere numerical majority without regard
To the States; as Government, which, III the words Of
Gen Harrison, "breath Of the majority has made and
unmakr.
The consolidating and destructive tendency Of these
doctrines was and condemned by fathers more
than forty years ago. And those who practsed them
were utterly overwhelmed and doomed never 10 rise
AGAIN under their and with the open Proics
Of their ndious principles.
II was by the fl,al error Of Republicans alone, that
they have resainrd strength ard obtained their pre-
sent temporary triumph. However painful il may he
IN lrn ailnul rr,at 4 n
duty to country requires that we shall speak
the truth and clare our conviction, that 10 I'll cr-
ror Of MIR. Madison mainly 10 attribute the az
ccn,ancy of Federalism nj the present time I was
not change Of opinion, but the want OF Executive
.rmnc:s Ia resist The pressing solicitations 81 others,
that induced HIM 10 give way Al critical moment =
Ia Justification Of himself Tor having si4nrd the
bin Incorporating tie late Bank Of The United States,
when he had opposed Bank on the ground Of us
umcnnstiiulianaIty, Ar. Madison alleged tla.a 'powcr
repeatedly exercised by Congress, and acqucsced IN
by The people, should BE- taken as constitutional 4
rule Of interpretation completely Federal in IL
consequences cannot he devised Those who have
sworn defend the Constitution not to follow Their
own console ninus convictions ~ the interpretation
thereof but the precedent and decisions of their prcde
crssors N Office, without regard 10 the circumstances Of
coercion or necessity under which they were madr:-
The repeated of power and the acqnlcscrncc
nv The people, val make any Iaw Of Congress cnns,itu
tionai. II matters not how fragrant violation II may
he the beginning, let only br repeated and the PEG.
pie not rise in rebellion and viii then become const
tuiinmal
There is no power in the Constitution 10 create
Bank Corporation 10 exercise Us functions over the
Union-on the contrary, history tells rs that such
power was expressly withheld But Congress has only
10 point the preceGrns Of such an institution csia.
bished hy their prce cessors and acquesccd IN by the
people render similar act OF Incorporation on ther
part constitutional and proper.
Congress has power 10 raise revenue 70 pay The
d"hts aud support the Government Of The Union; end
for no other purpose Whatever Bat ticy have pre-
crdent whereby tie surplus revenues are distributed
anon. the they have precedent whereby IL"
revenues derived from particular source, however
needy the Treasury may be, are also distributed among
the States. Wi,h these presidents, ana the acqncsc.
rncc or the people III them, what IS I" hiEctr lie IN
position Of buT,aensomc Tor The purpose o! direct
sr,buon IN the shape Of brides and largcsses amor.
the States aud the people; History tcarhes u.s. that
those acts which should be regarded as prccedens OF
warning and avoidance, sure 10 BE- taken rs proper
examples to be followed until the na,ion advancing
step after step III career OF corruption ana degfada
tim, finally sinks into rum.
This fatal rule of Interpretation makes the Con.
stitulion, which was ordlned By the concurrent ma
or,cs OF the States, and winch can only be amended
by the concurrent ma critics OF three tomthS Of the
same plant instrument in The hands Of an acct
dental NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the seven large States having
n majority OF the population, with the constitutional
riuh Of ruling over the other nneecn, with no other
Limitation their authority than the acluescence Of
The people.
.rilen Constitution ard converts the Federal 10.
ycrnu;en into government Of unlimited powers pascd
nm parliamentary precedcn,s and common law d'c'-
SONS, Ike the Constitution oi Eas!aad, we enter our
most solemn protest
While we condemns the doctrines Of the present do
mnau, marty as anti Republican, their practices Tor the
brief space they have been IN power should also receive
The unqualified dfapprobaton OF every freeman.
rLcir first nc, was bold stretch Of Executive eutho-
INV that reached beyond the Official duties Of The Office
holder. cncroachcd IN his rights man and cz'n'
brourLt The patronage Of government INTO Greet CON
G;c with the freedom Of elections and trcnchei on lie
h;nh ST pcrrcatvc Of The States, BY presumns 10 say
what part certain classes Of TIER czens may or may
na take IN their political contests
In their eager haste 10 accomplish the dark purposes
,,Lch were Irycr avcwed in the elections before iht
ncou,. The Congress Of the u ). called al an nnu.
snail and uns.as"nuble time. In TIRE OF profound
neace with sufficient revenues 10 carry on The ordinary
uprrations of government, Congress was assembled ~
extraordinary session, at heavy Expense 10 inc p'P'
and under known circumstances that rendered lmpns
all. for some of the State 10 be represented thereby
DISTINGUISHING them and roLhing them OF lher rights Us
menIEers Of the cnnirdrracy. .
In ,c very orrantzaiion Of the House of Represen-
,,ivcs they have destroyed the rights of the n'nory
and yraun:cally abridged the freedom OF debate. bt
an aid and valued Parliamentary rule, all subjects "i
,or,ooc, are discussed in Committee OF Tie y hoIe,
before they can be reported and acted on IN the tious'
But before they can be reported 10 ths House y ',s
rulc il requires a ma jouty oi fcoh'Tds 10 concur
.crrin 50 that no can be hurried through lhe
forms Of legislation, aud hastily acted on, without INC
consent Of the minority As their vote Is necessary !"
nike !, GU, Of committee, they can bold there and dis
cuss !, in all lis bearings and consequences before ,ey
consent for it to pass into law THIS ancient, h,ghy
valued, protective rue, Indispensable for far les
a,ion has been destroyed BY the present House OF re-
prescn,at;ves a bare ori,y can control the cnfe
process of law.maaing-and the mos, vital questions
have hesn introduced and acted on, without moment
warnings with scarcely day Tor deloera'ion ahc o's'
cusson.
Herein lies tie real danger 10 cur rdcra'ive rePub.
lc-lesisla,'ye usnrpa''on Executive PaItonatr y
LINT The executive veto, mere qualified check on ne
Legislative body has never yet been exercised save ~
rf-nce of the Constitution and the protection oil 'he
RIGHTS of the States and the people, while the Federal
legislature has been steadily usufring powers not de
egated TO it, bringing Under the action OF the fe'eIa
Government, matters Of which lis trainers never m
tended il should take c"gn zance, ard engrossns ,e
chief business of legislation, unit! It has become e
only important legislative body n The county ne