The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-12-14
Number 15.


complied with. The government could no.
operate on individuals. They had no judiciai
rs, no means Of collecting revenue.
But the defects Of confederation Heed hot
be detailed, Under Its operation we could
scarcely be calle3. ndtljR; We had neither
prosperity at home nor consideration abroad;
This state Of things could not be endured, and
ndv present happy constitution was formed, but
formed in vain Il this fatal doctrine prevails
II was formed for important objects that are
announced in the preamble, made in the name
and by the authority OF the people OF lh6
United States, whose delegates framed, and
whose conventions approved il. The most i'm
porIant among these objects, that which is
placed FIRST in rank, on which all Others rest Il
"to form morc pelfect union I" Now, 10 il
possible that even il there wers It'd express
provisions giving Supremacy to the constitution
and laws Of the uhted States over those Of
tile States -can it be conceived that an nstru!
ment made for the purpose Of forming
NOR perfect UniOn," Than that Of the confed-
Grafton, could be so constructed BY the assem-:
bled wisdom OF our country as to substitute
for that confederation a form Of government
dependent for its existence on the local inter-
esr, the party spirit Of State, or Of prevails
ing faction in a State! Every man Of PLAIN
unsophistic'ted understanding, who hears the
question, will give such an answer as will pre-!
serve the Union. Metaphysical subtlety, I'd
pursuit of an impracticable theory, could alone
have devised one that is calculated to dess
troy il.
/ consider then he power to dnnul a law Of
the United States, assumed by one State, in
: compatible Tih he etistence Of he UtiOn, con-
" tradicted expressly BY he Letter Of e consttIioHI
Unauthorized By It's spirit inconsistent 'Oih erer
principle on ,chieh it was founded, and deatruc!
tive Of Me great Object Jor rhich IL iOas formed.
After this general view Of the leading prin!
cipIe, we must examine the parti ular OpplicO'
: ton OF it which is made ii the ordihdnce!
: The preamble rests its Justification on these
grounds; 1t assumes ns d iac'S that the obnox
;, ious laws, although they purpOrt to be laws
:, for raising fe1eRue; were in reality intended
= Tor the protection Of manufactures, which pur
pose il asserts to be unconstitutional; that The
operation of these laws is unequal; that thG
: amount raised by them is greater than is re
- quired BY the wants Of the government; ant
finally, that the proaeeds are to be applied t.
; ohjects Unauthorized by the constitutions
= These are only causes alleged TO Justify al
;" open opposition To the laws OF the country; ant
threat Of seeding from the UniOn;if any at
G. tempt should be mado to enforce them. Tht
10 frs, virtually acknowledges that the law il
81 question was passed under power exprcssl
!" given by the constitutions, to lay and colec
'e mposs: bUt its consliu,iUnaIity IS drawn il
le question from the motlve5 Of those Who passe
70 1t. Howevet appdtenl this purpose may be i
pS The present case, nothing can be more danger
u Gus than to admit the position that an uncOn
~ sttutiona purpose; eneria ned by the mem
bers who assent to law enncled under a c VI
=" situtiondl P6werl shall make that law void
- for how is that purpose to be asccrlained
- Who is TO make the scrutiny? How oile
~ > may bad purposes be falsely iniputod-n no,
:" =, many cases are they concealed by false pro
~ fes,ions sin how many is no declaration
." motives nadel ADM. this doctrine, and 20
- give to the states an uncontrolled right to d,
u' eide, and every law may be Gnnulled undt
~ this pretrxL II, therefore, the absurd an
~ dangerous doctrine should be admitted, that
"o state may annul an unconstitutional law,
i'' one that it deems such, it wilLnot apply to ii
" : present case.
> [coNFINUED NEXT WEEK
lily souru CAhoLrN4 We see that by the pr