Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-13
s1,.rr IyTpRPOSITIOE.

&rd.i;,i: 84,,,;ssj5
RICHMOND, THURSDAY, JAN. 10, 1872.
STATE IyTERPoslTloH.
The Richmond sShield, whose Coarse language
upon ourselves (.sO!d Fox, &c shall not protect s
political hereses from occasional criticism, drnnnnces
again the Resolutions Of llessrs Brown, LAY !y and
Holiday 1t approves Of Mr Roots resolutions ~ ill.,
Legislature Of New York, proposing CERTAIN amend
ments the Constitution, because Congress have Tie
power "ca Convention tor proposing amendments
on The application Of tie Legislatures of two.'hrd II
the several States but II limits the supervisory pow
ers of the State gslanres to the call OF lonyE
ton and the proposition OF amendments Thus u!
only (says the Shield We conceive the Legislatures
have authority to surprise the acts of the Fedora! o..
vernment-to show IN what way ITS abuses may b.
rpeI;ed by an ameRdrn,at 10 the Constitution. Tins
view is sustained only BY the provision cited above,
I'M, hv the mode and the Tor which the Senator.
and Representatives are elected If the Legislatures
Of the several States have the right 10 eSercis" ~
nergl orcrscership over the Senators BY The os,-a.
tory force of instructions upon their action, @hy has
tie term for which the Senators are elected been -
ed at SIX years: Under tbs doctrine that provision
of tie Constitution is perfectly nugaiory, and the s.
na,or is merely tenant at the will Of the Legislature
Such never was tile design of the rameEs Of the Con
81; tuition or they would not have been guilty Of
0ross dcccvtion upon those who till tie office, by giving
Ia them the assurance they should hold Il Tor SIX years
and at the same time make them sH6SfroteHt 10 Saca pO
Micians as now figure SO largely upon the floor Of the
Virginia House Of Delegates IL matters not w'th the
people If they 10 be ruled by The wiIims and capr
crs of politicians whether they those Of the Senate
Of The L. 5. or The little starvrnss Of the State Legs
lature For ourselves, If We are 70 be governed III
mon and not by Constitution .and laws IN pursuance
thereof" give MS the broad aad fiPanstrc intehds
found IL tie Congress II tic Nation, in preference %
the fifteen shilling lawyers, found IN the State Legs.
iatures" (The Hdtics are our OWN
So much for the "Sheld = hut what say the sr-
chves Of our country What said the General ~
sembly, in 1872, when Mr. Leigh brought i'r%afd us
celebrated instructions TO The Senators OF lhr "a ~
relation 10 Bank Of the United States 10 % !ur
Their back, what SAID some oil Inc ATTEST men "'"m
yirpinia has ever produced, the Mad'sons the john
Taylors, the Gicses, the Nichoases, Nc, &c, when
they declared in the memorable resolutions OF u y"
that il was not only the right but the duty OF ,he
States as the parties 10 the compact, to wach over "
usurpations Of the Federal Government, and TO nirf
pose Tor arrestng the progress OF the EVIL. bhi y
20 still further back III annalsio 90 back even
10 the foundation Of the Government what sa'd James
Madison IN tie year 1889, when the Constitution ~
before the people of the States for their adoption or "
lection Were the States then, considered IS des''
tute Of all power TO crtcise and control the acts =
their Federal rulers: Far from II and the "Shcd
shall hear The voice of Truth from one Of rs earliest
Oracles We are indebted to the Petersburg Statesman
for the following article which brings up The aprfo
pirate "reminiscences, and appeals tfnmpetton@urd Y
every States Rights man, (aot modern ederaia 4
course IN the land. Hear aud hearken, we oesete"
you: :
uylrcixI, Axp FEDERAL RFLATIoSs.-Gcn. Dor
man and the Wing delegates and the Wing editors, AZ
showerng ridcule and satire upon The introduction y
Federal Relations into the State Legislature. lhef
throw out, that for State 10 presume TO nermedd!e
with Federal Relations, is impairment ana extra
judicial According TO them, State is III no case %
presume to investigate the doings OF the federal govern
ment; corruption the grossest not 10 be censGFec
cncroachments the most pal pabe and alarming are ~
10 be resisted ; and while consolidation IS advahct!
with rapid strides State Rights are TO SIT Mth 'o''G
ewes and folded arms 10 meet their fate. The Eomih
Senators are TO sit still their curue chairs while tie
Golhs are laundering at the gates.
uThis doctrine OF passive obedience and non rcsis''
ance is not original with General Dornan ana Tie n
ginia Federal Wings Of l-i2. II was a. fully a'o"tl
and much more ably supported, in Mr. Rtch'e's I'o'
lie wear l7oo On the 10Th Of December IN that year.
Mr. Mercer, in the House of Delegates, speaking q
that doctrine, quoted against the following passing
from the sFederalist III the majority I'm the 6enf4
Go, ernnenp should be really disposed TO exceed w.
proper limits, the community will be warned q tot
dancer aud will have an opportunity OF ticking mca
surcs to guard against it. Independent oil partcs ~ "
National legislature itself often as the period u IL
cussion arrived, THE STATE LEGISLATURES, who y.
always be not only viganf, but suspicious and ca.oe
Guardians of the rights Of the citizens, AGAINST -
cRoAcnMENrs FROM rmr FFpLRAL GoyrRSMr>r, u.
constantly have their attention awake 10 the conduct
the national rulers, aud viii be ready enough u a.
thing improper appears 10 sound the alarm 10 The p
pie and only 10 be the VOICE. but II necessary,
ARM of their discomfort.
"Anaiu says the same authofy-tnc 'FotcraS
IN man S0ldy be rcceired GIiOM polft.
sgsem, fhat ne Smtc GorarnmcafS ~di IL al PoS>
contiE gcneitS, afori comgietc security ag0aH 'Gf"'
Of he pubiic Hbfrty By Tie natiOnai authority PROG
of usurpaiion cannot be masked under pretencr'
likely 10 escape the penetration Of select bodies Of i
as the people al largc.The legislatures wll have H.
ter means of information. They discover the ta
ger al Il distance; and possessing all the orgaus Of
power and confidence Of the people, they al of.s
adopt regular plan Of opposition, IN which they =.
combine all tine resources 81 tie community. II.
run rradHY communicate t1t eaca Oher IN tie d,bdt
States, and unite the. common forces Tor The protect.
OF their common liberty.
ais il then ridiculous and irrelevant for the $40
of Virginia to utter her OF complaint alif1
at what she may conceive 10 b. niractons Of tie ~
raj compact Of rights reserved 10 the Stat
or the people; What the Compiler has stigma.s
as "a farce, Madison, Jay and Hamilton seem Il la'
rather considered solemn and important right A.
while Gen. DorInan and his party, and the Wig pre-
of Virginia. in l-42 in common with the Federast,
l79S, in general deny 10 the States the VOC 4
usconien the great contemporaneous exposition ot ~
Constitution, tie Fedcralist ITSELF allows the State r.
risla:ures be not only the voicE, but the Arm
discomfort. What The expoundcrs Of the ConstitulM
admit 10 be great conservative right, the W!1s \
1892 make The butt OF rdcule and target OF ohl0gn
sResolu,ions have been introduced INTO the p;c.a'
House Of Delegates, declaring against Nation! ~.
and against the Distribution Act. Are not these VII
measures of some moment and who doubt, toron7
moment that these resolutions OF Mr.. lio!laday II.
Gen. Bayly speak the VOICE OF large majority q k.
good people Of Virginia. A National Bank benz
clearly unconstitutional, if il were, Of all other n'i
sures, the most expedicnt, how could Virglnan' q
support it, And on the other hand, being ~.
mex pedient, were perfectly constitutional, who
moi drnrccate il az the Pandora box Of all mlsclts
Nor is the Distribution Act much less formidable,
all So Extraordinary act 10 distribute money on
bankrupt Treasury-to bribc States with Their e".
money-to open the door for Protective Tariff
rccy to assume the debts Of the States-- indirect.
feed internal improvement out OF the Federal Trtas.'
the great body o: the people 10 pay the III
and provide for tle general welfare Of foreign BAN
aud brokers, and Tor banks, bankers sharers spec
tors, jobbers, &c., &c, at home &c.
"There, perhaps, never has been year more ifua