Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-18

in the Halls of Congress, and in tie State legislatures
They had been the themes Of discussion IN all circles
public and private, social and political! and ihs ns'
be fair argument against discussion here, ont u was
no argument against voting on the resolutions shem-
selves
lie thought the voice of Virginia had not been fairly
expressed two Of these questions at the late caed
session of Congress- Surely it important that sue
should be fairly represented OF them and by comnS
10 vote on the merts-on the resolutions themselves,
would be ascertaned whether her Senators had done
her justice by those votes. 1t true they voted
against the Bankrupt Law-and that was urged as a
reason why this Legislature should not act on the cues
ton 1t said they would vote for the repeal q" the
law. But would they not act with more moral weight
and power, if they were sustained and supported ny
direct resolution Of their State Legislature calling lot
its repeal' In 9S the Senators from Virginia vo,eu
against the Alien and Sedon laws. Yet the Legsla-
of Virginia thought il proper speak out against
those laws in tone not TO be mistaken. Ana her
voice was heard and respected by the Union II her
resolves had such effect then, why not now: Wouiu u
be said that Virginia did not then instruct her Senator'S
but called her Sister States to cooperate with her
| Why, Sir (sad Mr.. II } what difference does that
make I? Is 1T not still the voice of Virginia /: both
modes of State nterPoson, and IN either form II
will have lis moral effect The right OF instruction, as
had been said by high authority, most important
part of the great right of State inerposItion-and
when State determined to inerpose 10 arrest any I'M
authorized improper action by the General Govern
ment it was for her 10 choose for herself the form IN
| which she would do IT, Did not gentlemen perceive
that the principle which she acted was the same,
whether it by calling on her Sister States 10 act
with her. by instructions To her Senator's or otherwise
In fact instructions her Senators the very mid
| est mode of interposIng
1t was the moral power and influence which her re-
representatives. derived from being backed by her resou-
tons, that was chiefly desirable. When the various
resolutions the table were introduced, The House
would recolIcct MIR IL said that they were denounced
us distractions. An attempt was made TO ric'cue and
buresgue them by the gentleman IRON tockorIdse,
(Mr. Dorman) MIR. H. said he did not exactly com
prehend what it was which was denounced as an alb
stracon-whctheri the right OF instruction itself,
or the occasion for exercising il:
If (said Mr. II y it is the doctrine OF instruction ana
the ri ht Of State nerposition which gentlemen al
tempt TO ridcue and derde and bring into dsrepute
let them recoect that they cannot succeed III leir on
ect without destroying the reputation and the glory OF
Virginia What was il but the promulgation and as
sertoD Of this right, and her devotion 10 III that achieved
the civil revelation Of $500. On this rests Inc post
revolutionary renown of Virginia and her statesmen
No, Sir (said Mr.. H. } ohliicfate the memory
of the past and cancel yrgnas highest claims on the
gratitude Of the Union, before the right Of State inter
position and the doctrine Of instruction. as part OF IL
can be ridculcd and burlesqued into odum as mere
abstraction.
he did noD that the resolutions which had been offered
20 the House rested on the acknowledged principles OF
Virginia, lie should have found that assurance IN lie
fact that they have been denounced as distractions IL
iast'oHuo'N
some politicians of certain school, 10 deride The Strict
Construction, State Rights principles OF Virginia as
Abstractlons, and those who acted on those principles
Absractionsts. 1t was one OF The political iash-
ions Of the day in certain circles and Ike al othef
fashions had found and would lind lis followers mere
" for fashions sake Now he desired to know what
was an Abstraction, Was it not mere naked
principle without lis application; But The gentle
men Of the Democratic party have proposed 10 put
their princines in prac,ce-to carry them out 10
H. c,;r th.,a
them the basis of our legislation. They desired EN-
phatcay 10 be practical men. IT. sad he, there are
any absrac,oniss any who richly deserve that ephet
il is those gentlemen (and there too many OF them
on that noor) who agree entirely with the Democrats
in principle and great stckers for State fights
and strict construction Of the Constitution IN the alb
s,act vet whenever they asked 10 carry their doc
trnes actual legislation, and IN the affairs OF TO-
vernment eScaim, Excuse u.s. gentlemen, we can 20
with you True, they agree with us in the abstract
they profess principles, but they VIII mol pracuce
them. These the true absractionI>s lhey
mcrited the name. To them it onght 10 be term oil
reproach-when applied 10 the Democrats, It was not
The gentleman from Rockbridge (Gen. Dorman( had
introduced set Of burlesqne resolutions, for the pur
pose Of throwing the whole subject into rdIcue lie
seemed desire to make the inprcsson that our pro-
ceedings on Federal Relations were calculated 10 de-
tract from the dignity of the Legislature and to bring
il into contempt Upon this subject ne would only
saw that he might well leave II 10 tie calm and dei'be
rate consideration Of the House he might well reier u
the sober judgment Of the people OF 'rgnia 70 de-
eide which best comported with the true dignity oi The
General Assembly which best comported with that re-
spect which due from every member 10 the Gene.
raj Assembly all occasions; nay, which best com
ported with proper sclfrespect; the preamble and re-
solutions which he and his friends had had the honor
TO submit to the House, or the buresque resolutions
submitted by the gentleman from Rockbridge in rdi-
cule of them
Mr. II said he had read portions of the replies Of the
Federal States TO the Virginia Resolutions Of 9s-%l, by
way of holding up to gentlemen mirror in which they
mi chit themse vesor at any rate see reflected from
it the very arguments which they now relying on IN
opposing the taking mp Of the resolutions on The table
Were gentlemen willing to take ground with the friends
of the Alien and Sedon laws' Were any of the gen.
temen who had pressed these arguments on the House,
was the Wing party willing TO adopt and act on these
old Federal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which were SO fully
refuted in MIR. Madsons celebrated Report (the text
book of the Democratic party and which were repudI-
acd by the people, for, in great majority OF the States
they, after these proceedings, hurled the Federal
lists from power, and placed the rens of Government IN
Democratic hands. Those who adopted these arGu- |
had TO fear the same rebuke from the
people, which the Federalrsts received in IcOO.
The gentleman from Berkeley had said, that by our
frequent discussions on Federal Relations, Virginia
had degraded herself, and brought herself into con-
tempt. (Mr. H. asked when, where, how, and by
whom had Virginia been degraded: lie denied the
charge Who would stand up before the country and
say, that Virginia was degraded: There was no ground
for such an inputaton. Would her Legislature say
she was degraded No Again he emphaticaly de-
MED The charge, and challenged the proof OF IT. But
if it true, if Virginia degraded, should The
speak of the degradation of the mother: Should
he be the first to point 10 her dishonor Should he so
far forget wha, due from him TO her. as 10 publish
her disgrace TO the world Mr.. H. could not bring
himself 10 believe that the gentleman from Berkeley
seriously held such opinion of his native State.
The expression must have escaped him in the heat OF
debate, without being duly weighed. Indeed he fell
sure if the gentleman really believed his State degra
ded, he would be the last 10 proclaim it 10 the world
Gentlemen objected to the discussion Of Federal Re-
laons on account of the time they would occupy and
the money they would cost the people This objection,
he said, came with but bad grace from the Wings
raised rather too late They were cstoPped from
making il by their previous practice. When had they
heretofore hesaicd discuss Federal Relations Had
they not invariably discussed them, whenever it suited
their own purposes Had not both Wings and Demo