Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-29
MIR. FLoYp's RESOLUTIONS

/ member 0i The select committee on The suhjec, al
The Wmot Proyiso, were published by Us At
/ length tn Saturday last. We have been inform.
ed that they were unanimously approved b. he
COMMITTEE, consisting OF both Wings ana Demo
cIals.
The movement is one OF the highest impol-
lance, and may involve the sfavesl consequen-
ces. The eyes Of our representatives and 4
every slayehoding Stale are upon US; " com
mon consent, our sister States look 10 Virginia
70 take the lead in the present momen,ous crisis.
Il behoves Us then, 10 exercise the greatest eau.
ton and prudence; 10 act with no indiscree haste
10 ponder; 10 deliberate; 10 forget that we ATE pas.
lizans and 10 invoke the wisdom and the pstuoi.
ism Of all men, OF all parties, 10 come 10 our ~.
cue, when our equal rights under The Con>o.
lion our rights Of property, our very libeTi,> ar
al s'ake;-lor we believe hat the ycfy existence
OF those liberties depend upon the maintenance
Of the equality Of The States AMI OF the integrity
Of lhe Constitution.
For one, we ,hiak that We should h. guided
in this emergency, b. The principles which have
been handed down 10 IL by lhe fathers II tie
Constitution, AMI The founders u ihc Republican
/ party Under the elder Adams, orr liteiiei
were assalled, and the Constitution was violated,
| 10y The enactment OF The alien and sedion Law.
| Virginia, under the guidance OF Jefferson and
Madison, spoke out, and protested against those
unconstitutional acts. She should speak out
now. Her voice was then heard ant respece,j
her protest had the desired effect, and those od'-
Gus aud unconstitutional cnacimeG,s were erasfA
tom The statute book And her voice MAJ
BE- so heard and respected now. From that I'm
down 10 The present, Virginia has ever wachci
over The Constitution, AMI demonstrated against
any nflaclon Of that sacred charter u our ltsi-
| lies.
AT the present day, nearly all men Of both
parties al the South profess 10 yield their assent
to the doctrines contained in the celebrated r.
solutions Drawn by Mr. Madison. As those ie-
solutions will, doubtless, be referred 10 on ne
present occasion, take the liberty OF present
ins the substance Of some Of them, and an exact
copy Of others.
In their first resolution the General Assembly
resolved 10 maintain and defend the Constitution
Of the United States against every aggression,
either foreign or domestic In their second re
solution they declared warm attachment TO
the Union; and that at is their duty 10 match
and oppose ersry inJractioa Of those principles
which constitute the only basis of that Union
Their third resolution is in The following words
.That this Assembly doth explicitly and per
emplorly declare, that il views Tie powers 81
| the Federal Government as resulting from The
compact 10 which the States are parties, .
| limited By the plain sense and Intention Ct ~
instrument constituting that compact; a no iui
| Their valid than they are authorized hy The grants
enumerated III that compact; aud that ~ Gaze -
| a deliberate, palpabe and dangerous cxercia"
Of other power, not granted by the said com
pact, the States who are parties thereto, have
the right, snd nre IN duty bound 4 ,ntercofe
for arresting the progress Of the erit, and iof
maintaining within their respective limits, ll'e
authorities, rights and liberties appertaining 10
them
In their fifth resolution 1.-The General Assem-
bly, doth particularly protest against the pllPa
BILE and alarming iniraction5 Of The Constitution
in the two late cases of the Allen and Sedilion
acts, passed at the last session .: Consre,s,
| &c
|
lowing words:
That The good people Of this Commonwealth
having ever felt, and continuing Ia feel thc
most sincere affection for their brethren Of he
other States; the iruest anxiety for establishing
and pcrpctuatng the union OF all, and the most
scrupulous fidelity 10 that Constitution, when
is the pledge Of mutual friendship, aud the n
strumcnt Of mutual happiness; the General As
10th N, 10 IL
tons in the other States, 10 confidence that
they will concur with this Commonwealth IN
declaring, as il does hereby declare iha! NE
acts aforesaid are unconstitutional; and that Tie
necessary and proper measures will be taken b.
each for cooperating with this State ~ man
tanning unmpaired the authorities, rights and
Liberties reserved in the States respectively o.
TO The people"
These Resolutions which are Tie Bible ~ oaf
political ah and 10 which all parties, AT pre-. n,
profess 10 subscribe, socmnly declare lhat ~
State. are sovereign that they arc lhe hish-con.
racing pauiey Ia the Constitutional compact
and that il is MOI only their fgh', bni heir 1nie
10 resist, whenever Congress shall attempt lhr Is.
rannical exercise OF powers no, granted by tta
compact. The degree OF Thai resistance, is inca
eufe and mode, il follows Of course lhal The Satcs
must determine for themselves. In some cases
simple protest or rxposualcn may be safll-
cienl; in others, ubeIe the law proposed IS
mos. fragrant usurpalon, solemn warning nay
be necessary oil the disastrous cons,lrences
which may follow is enactment. The States are
TO be considered as The guardians OF onf litsr-
ties To Them is entrusted The duty OF interfering
net upon every frivolous rfciexi, hn whenever
the enactment by Congress Of Law seriously
impaifibs our ti9h.s cor safely and secaff
may b. appiehented, Tor Tie purpose q arr ~
Ing the evil"
Such were the views unanimously entertained
by the Virginia Legislature when he "iD"s
Prcviso passed the House 81 Reptesfn'atV,s.
during the session Of 1867. They dil -
wait tor that obnoxious measure 10 become
law; 10 pass tie Senate, and TO r,ceiv; tie sant-
ton of The President. They did no! rest sa,I'fsa
viii the ballet, or expectation, thai The measure
: would not receive the sanction oil Southern
President They passed, unanimously, Own ne
exception OF the third resolution, which failed q
receive only one vote, and that because II ap'
proved the Missouri Compromise,) series q
{ resolutions with preamble prefred, in which
they denounced the Wilmot Pfoyiso "as desuGc-
tive Of The compromises OF the Constitution q
The United States, as an ailack on The deaiest
rights Of The South, and as dangerous AMI
alarming usnrpalion by Inc Federal GoVtn'
menl." The third resolution. OF which Nr' ga
ard Of The Senate, was The author, and ne ''"''"
and fifth are in the following woris'
3. Resolved, That if, in d''fesS 5., ",'"s -
the spirit and principles Of ne az,
The admission Of he s.'e Of ,s N M;seuf &C Corr
. Union generally known a. me - ,a.,,cs q
promise and es s ri f'o q aeraa lten, ne
e ,sa,,al is.ue sha be forced upon tie conn.'
,ss son must resul. RON toe adoption and aImm