Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-07-28

au'noriues Were put aside by the House Of
Representatives, and a majority thus secured
to the democratic party.
.. Nuilihcation, which is nothing more nor
less than an assumption by one State to abro-
gate within Its limits, law passed by the 26
Ssates IN Congress assembled
4. late revolutionary war i'm MARYLAND.
% su6vert the existing government, and set up
new one, without any authority of law.
.. The refusal of q minority in the Legisla-
ture OF tennessee, to cooperate with the ma
)onsy ltneirConsti,ution requiring the presence
OF two-thirds OF he members) to execute a
Ponuve injunction of the United States to APP
Polns TWO United States Senators. In princi-
PIE, mat refusal was equivalent to announcing
tho willingness OF that minority to dissolve the
Union. For If thirteen or fourteen of the 26
States were to refuse altogether to elect Sena-
tors, q dissolution of the Union would be the
consequence. That minority, for weeks to-
gether, and time after time, deliberately rcfus-
ed to enter upon the election And, if the
Union is not in fact, dissolved, il is not be-
cause the principle involved would not lead to
dissolution, but because II or l3 other
States have not like themselves refused to
perform high constitutional duty. And whv
did they refuse Simply because they APP
prchended the election to the Senate ofpolitical
opponents. The seats of the two Tennessee
senators, IN the United States Senate, are now
vacant and Tennessee has no voice i'm that
sfancn OF Congress, in the general legislation.
One OF the highest compliments which ever
received, was to have been appointed, at a
popular meeting in Tennessee, one of her Sem
ators, IN conjunction with distinguished SEN
ator from South Carolina. with ali the author
ny 'hat such an appointment could bestow. |
repeat here an expression OF my acknowledge
ments for the honor, which most ambitions
ny resigned, when gave up my Dictatorship.
and my seat las Kentucky Senator. IA gen
eral laugh
.. Then there is Reputation, that foul
Sa,n upon the American character, cast chief
ny oy the Democrats of Mississippi, and which
IL Will require years to efrace from our bright
escutcheon.
T. The support given to Executive usurpa-
uohs, and the expunglng the records of the
Senate oil the United States
8. The recent refusal of State legislatures
10 pass laws to carry into effect the act of dis
!riouuon. An act of Congress passed accord
ing to all the forms of the Constitution. after
ample discussion and deliberate consideration.
and after the lapse of ten years from the period
II was first proposed. 1t is the duty of all 10
may attempt to get them repealed they have
right to test their validity before the Judici-
airy but whilst the laws remain in force I'M
repealed, and without any decision AGAINST
1her constitutional validity, submission TO
!hem is not merely constitutional and legal,
out moral duty. I'm this case, it is true. that
those who refuse TO abide by them, only bite
their own noses. Bat it is the principlc of
the refusal to which call your attention. I'll
a minority may refuse compliance. with one
law, what to prevent minorilies from disre-
garding all law Is this any thing but
modihcauon of notification. What right
nave the servants of the people (the Legisla-
tive bodies) to withhold from their masters.
their assigned quotas ola great public fund? I
.. The last, though not least, instance of
the manifestation of spirit of DISCRIMINATION
which shall notice, is the recent convulsion in
Rhode Island. That little but gallant and pa
tnotlc State, had a Charter derived from n
British King, in operation between one and
two hundred years. There had been engra(t-
ed upon it laws and usages. from time to time.
and altogether a practical Constitution sprung
up, which carried the State as one of the glo-
rIous thirteen, through the Revolution and
brought her safely into the Union.-Under il.
her Greens and Perrys, and other distinguished
men were born and rose to eminence. The
Legislature had called Convention to rene
ny whatever defects it had, and to adapt it TO
the progressive Improvements of the age. In
that work OF reform the Dorr party might have
co-operated but not choosing so to cooper
ate, and in wanton defiance of all established
authority, they undertook subsequently to call
another Convention. The result was two
not essentially differing on the
principal point of controversy, the right of sufr.
rage.
Upon submitting to the People that which
was formed by the regular Convention, small
majority voted against it, produced by union
in casting votes, between the Dorr party, and
some Of the friends of the old Charter, who
were opposed to any change. The other Con-
being also submitted to the People,
an apparent majority voted for it, made up of
every description of votes, legal and illegal, by
proxy and otherwise, taken in the most ire
gular and unauthorized manner
The Dorr party proceeded tn put their Con-
stitution in operation, by eleciing him as the
Governor Of the State, members TO the legisa-
lure and other oflicers.-But they didno stop
here they proceeded TO collect, to drill, and
10 marshal military force and pointed their
cannon against the Arsenal of the State
The President was called upon to ntcrpose
the power Of the Union TO preserve the peace
Of the State, in conformity with an express
provision of the Federal Constitutions And
have as much pleasure in expressing my opn-