The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-24
MIR. UPsHUR,s LETTER.
(APPENDIx Continued
RICHMOND, February 10, 1872.

SIR Yours of the 9th instant received this orn-
ing and take the first moment have to spare 10 give
you reply. In your short letter, you request me 10
say whal opportunities you have had of knowing my
opinion. in regard 10 the value of our Union. anu
what you under stand them 10 be-
For several years practised in one of the circu'
courts OF this State, in which you presided My at
tendance on that court was regular and sometimes
attended another Of your courts in the same circuit
This brought me often with you and under clrcum-
stances that produced free and unrestrained express
sions of respective political opinions. la Charles
CITY, especially where we more frequently met, and
where too, we had usually more OF political discus
sion, the hospitality OF an esumable man brought To-
getheI, under his roof yourself and many members
of the bar, al each term of the court. and others
differed with you essentially the subject Of null
cation. We proiessed what seemed 10 us 10 be the
pure State Right doctrines nculcated and maintain
ed by Mr.. Madison's report and resolutions adopted
by the Virginia Legislature, at It's session of 1899 and
1900. You avowed that you, too, appro, ed Of that
report and of those resolutions and, from the argu-
ment contained in the one and the doctrines affirmed
in the other deduced the right oil State nulty
act Of Congress. These differences produced Discus
sion and CONTROVERSY with This happened some
times when alone, when but few present al
other times II took place IN tile presence of nanv PEI
sons AMI j., u tavern. Your views were strongly
| urged and with great animation. The doctrine OF
notification have heard denounced in your presence
dlsorganzng, unsafe, revolutionary, absurd, and
destructive Of the Union. Its opponents insisted to
you that deceptive, and calcula ed to mlslead
the People To these various objections TO nullifca
ton, your uniform and unchanging reply when given
in my presence was that II the prin-
eipe of our Government that its practical applica-
ton would be 10 preserve and not 10 destroy the
Union II would restrain hasty legislation the part
| OF Congress But above all ii cnecual
shield 10 he rights OF the People and the sovereignty
of the States, and protected the People of the States
from the aggression and unconstitutional action of the
General Government without resort to revolutions
~ measures, which must end in dlsunion and civil
war You uniformly discaimed, whenever / was
present al, participated in these discussions any
wish or design TO impair the Union. That a
measure you declared, Of the last resort and about
which all ought long aud deeply to reAec, before
| adopted and should only be resorted TO when the
| oppressive course of the General Government became
it, fixed policy, and could no longer be endured
| You protested u place high value the Union,
and that It's continuance Was calculated TO promote
the happiness and prosperity OF the People, If tie
Constitution was administered in its true spirit and
according to the fair Interpretation placed Quit by its
trainers But at the same Time, you avowed that you
placed higher value on the liberty and rights OF the
! People and that when, by long and continued Sc
res of acts the General Government had manifested
settled purpose TO break down the barriers OF the
Constitution, aud take to itself all power, and, in its
exercise to Cypress one part OF the country by the
enactment OF unequal and unjust laws, 10 build up
and enrich another part OF the same: then II the
duty OF every patriot 10 resist such measures first by
all lawful means and if these proved unayailng then
! by dsunion.
Such is the general outline of my rec Election Of
| your opinions often expressed these topics. /
submit At TO you, without any opportunity of correct
ing what have written, under The disadvantage OF
| several Interruptions.
| | am your obedient servant,
ROBERT G. SCOTT.
| To the Hon. ABEL p UrsHuR
Secretary of the Navy