Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-10
No. ss.---vOLUME XXXvIlI.

n er and his unqualified denial of the proposition that
Northern men, that the party termed Federalists-
whatever might have been their mstakes-ever were,
pnry traitors to their country, banded faction
conspring to bring us back under those very chains
: which they themselves-aye, they the very
n men-whch they themselves had cut in two; 10 des
troy which, they had pledged their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honor; had girded their swords
and never had sheathed them until their their
I country IN liberty and peace. Against such an
= sertion he entered, now und here, under every
sponsblity, his solemn and emphatic disclaimer. They
might, in some things, have been Mistaken but, the
leading points Of domestic policy especially, the Wing
party were the very last persons in this world who
ought to charge those with having been political
traitors Friends OF England, 10 the injury dshonor of
I their country, they In The then ex-
sting state Of the world, when the balance Of power
IN Europe violently and dangerously disturbed,
when one vast military power rising the sub
jccled and affghted kingdoms around, and when
gigantic and commanding mind welding that
entire of military force with as much ease as if
i u willow wand, those men believed that il
was not for the United States to abandon her neutral
position, and help in assaing that power whose
Navy alone prevented the establishment of despotism,
such of the Caesars equalled in power and
which would very speedily have overshadowed the
world. This had been their honest belief; but public
opinion condemned il. The which ensued had
prosperous and glorious ermnaton ian event entirely
contrary 10 their expcctaions,) and its result accom-
pshed the fall of that whom the Democratic party
dreaded than all the world beside. The positions
taken by him in regard 10 Navy and to Bank of the
United States, and other kindred measures form
ed in the school of that Stakeholder whose sacred dust
was reposing within the soil of his native Yir-
GINA, and the banks of his own onceoved Potomac.
Against the hated head of this ustriou, man. the
whole thunder Of victorious and triumphant party had
long been hurled, did they till the hand of one
now branded his countrys history traitor, in
evil hour, had laid him low. Whatever might have been
the of that great statesman, It would be hard
to convince Mr.. NJ. that who had entered the IA.
miy OF ashng;on al the age Of nineteen, and who had
served wiihhim for years through all The soulv
ing scenes Of The Revolutionary who enjoyed his en-
tire confidence then and continued % enjoy IL thar
afterwards when he soldier 81 the Revolution became
the civil head Of the Republic, and The commandments
chief OF all her military power he appointed this trao.
second III command; would be hard he again said 10
convince him. with all his confidence in the wisdom
and patriotism Of George Washington, that there was
treason III the heart OF one whom The Father Of his coun
try loved 50 well II this, cried Mr.. NJ, is Federalism,
make the most Of ii.
Mr. Marshall said he had not brought forward the
measure proposed in the resolutions he had offered
being peculiarly Southern measure-nelher had he
proposed ii peculiarly Northern measure; for he
was who admitted that men Of the North alone
possessed of en ghtened patriotism, Of devoted
attachment 10 the Constitution, that they were The
only entitled TO pass censure one who had in
troduced prayer to Congress 10 overthrow the Go.
vernment. 1t had not been designed sectional
measure in any sense but purely american
sure-as test Of how much American feeling existed
in that body, and afordinI 10 all who acuatcd
by it an opportunity of subscribing here 10 what he
deemed the true doctrine Of the Constitution in which
| all good and true hearted patriots could unite, and
which tended TO secure the peace and happiness Of this
country.
| Thus much for what mg h, be considered in
sor, foreign the subject Immediately before th-
| House lie came 10 The matter in hand
| And FIRST lie had a word say the nature Of the
defence which had been here set up. The House had
had four speeches addressed to it, of which
most able and interesting II had been argued in orea
of feeling and Of eloquencc, which must have gonr
home 10 every heart. After presenting moving de
scripton of The venerable age, the long services the
weight of character, the talent the standing tn. in
nuence and power Of The gentleman from Massachu-
sets, ard commenting the severity OF the
proposed 10 be inflicted upon him. that his real object
had been 10 obtain an opportunity of replying TO the pc
,,ioners, Of producing Stale paper, the effect OF
which should be TO stay these incendary measures Of
discomfort, and, with all the power of his eloquent
pen and all the vast resources OF his mighty mind
10 repress, by the force Of unanswerable argument,
the wild projects and headsrong purposes Of those
who desired TO strike ct the Union; that the true
design Of the whole movement had been trium
plant defence and vindca,on Of the American Union,
and such eprcof to those who asked It's destruction
should forever seal their lips in silence; the produc
ton of argument which should at once satisfy all
the world, and put down al and forever all such
destructive designs had given birth to this memorial
This had in substance been the defence set up, by
the gentleman from Massachusetts, but by the ablest oil
his advocates. Now il that defence had been urged
before this House uy the accused HIMSELF IL he had
much breathed such wish rs had been ascribed 10
him by has eloquent champion from Virginia, IMr.
Bolts would have had such effect the feelings Of
Mr. Nj. as might possibly have prevailed with him at
to withdraw his resolutions. But Mr. Nj. could Son.
sent overlook the defence setup BY the gentleman HIM
SELF and be thus turned over 10 the deiences advanced
for him by others. What had the gentleman said; As
20 what he might have uttered in the irritation Of the
moment against Mr. NJ. himself, il had gone by; his
mind was occupied BY things much higher, and IL
which he felt much deeper interest, that things Of
This kind could make but little impression upon HIM
And, although the Judgment Of the gentleman from
Massachusetts could but have great weight in that
House, and although the gentleman had denounced
Mr.. NJ not possessed of mind enough TO Judge Of
Tie meaning Of the Constitution, comprehend the
Of the crime OF high treason, and who had
suffered deeply from habits Of intemperance that u
would take him three years To recover sufficiently to be
Ct 20 u law school: and though the gentleman had
said that Mr. NJ. had admitted 10 him private CONVEX
saton us Justly complaining of oppression under re-
fusal to receive their petitions
Mr. ADAMS here inerposcd, and, the floor having
been Welded HIM for PLANTATION, corrected the state
ment of Mr. NJ by observing thai what he had said was
that the gentleman from Kentucky had admitted 10 him.
private conversation that he friend To The right 81
petition and believed Abolition petitions ought 10 be re-
ceived.
Mr. MARSHALL resumed, and expressed himself as
happy in being thus corrected II was true that he had
taken the ground ha. abolition memorials ought 10 be
ceived but not 4 matter right, but purely mat
ter OF expedicncy. He still thought he believed il
would be eXpeicn repeal the 2lSt rule 10 receive all
those memorials, and 10 refer them 10 select committee.
with the gentleman from Massachusetts at its head thai
he might have an opportunity Of telling The, House,
the South and the world, what twas that Northern
really thought that subject and what they would heat,
BIZ, TO proceed Mr.. H. had been acrated in ths
whole proceeding by no feeling hostile TO the gentle
man from Massachusetts; and if that gentleman
thought by those irritating tnunts which no man bet
ter understood than himself to sting Mr.. Nj. into
want Of propre,y in his department in that Hail. he
little understood the character OF the man. incorporate
as he might deem him TO be-
The petition which had given rise 10 this proceeding
was now on the table Of the House. II prayed the Ma
lona Legislature to take The preliminary Steps 10 dis
solution Of this Union. What the defence which
had been set up lof such document Two points haG
been made mrs.: the gentleman insisted upon The right OF
these petitioners 10 10 this thing They had natural
] ~. !. anl ike I-LLlL