Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-02-12


been denied to the States by great statesman OF The sou
mr. Madson whose authority had been introduced by the
IN s,nnor, o the After full investigation
nc This question we are willing that the right the constu-
right, if the ntegencer prefers the expression IN the
STATES ~ convoke The proposed Nashville Convention shall
be determined by the expressed opinions Of MI
| The Intelligcncer classes us win
Jhose who are ready for revolution rather than resort 10
,,w and who are as we shall show, garbng and msrePe
ss,;na rho oninions of Mr. Madison, in order TO ava
themselves of his great namenot 10 sustain any
purpose but to favor purposes aty h naT Of his name
and h cc n ,Ie round they have nothing lett to stand
upon We evoke from the shades OF the spin, Oh 'ha' great
man to confront them in their "icNeu ue's.
This is grave charge made after the writer had master
c,; h, douh,ess before they had recovered their
usual eouanintv Maserng feelings however, (says
tho In,lporccr, we must endeavo 10 go through in the
hos, , are o, the task which is set before u.s. And, We
rily it has been done-how we snail see
Mr. Madison as we believe never expressed contradictory
opinons Of the rights the States in such emergency as
now induces the united action OF the savehodng states
And bouch no, forsctfu of the courtesy of the Whlg
~ Whom orus;no to take up the cudges for this sub
ct we are compelled dissent from its assertion lal m
letter of Mr. Madison Mr. Everett published IN the Nor
Ameican Review of $780, and quoted by the National IN
teigencer 10 disprove our position, enrey
rho lannon's Resolutions of 1889 passed by the virginia
episature and made often the theme OF comment
snce.n -.
We had quoted this language OF MI ihaoi'o'' avn
Report on these Resolutions
.st cannot be forgotten, that among the arguments
dressed 10 those who appehended danger 10 liberty rom w
establishment OF the General Government over 80 elc.
onnrv the appea was emphaticay made to inc nerhed
nte sristence Of State (rorermen 6encen me PeoPe M
thqt Government the vigilance WIN when ey
dascrv he FIRST symptoms Of usurpaton ana 10 the pro
nde with which they would sound the alarm 10 the
This argument probably not without us eecl anu II ~
was proper then 10 recommend inc ; =,
| the Constitution, II must DC d piopei Wv NV " $780,
interpretation
II s true that in these there approval OF uneo
,ction among particular States for any purpose e! eie'
MS however TO source from which we may derive auao
" for such union For says Mr. Madison, III lhls al
rumen,) was proper TO recommend the cs'aohshle
If be Constitution i, must proper now 10 assist IN
IL, inernretaonn His mind in adducng this argument IN
OF the Resolutions evidently everts to those use o
him when he advocated the establishment of the Consttu
ton What they? We quote the words OF Mr. Madison
from the XLvI number OF the Federais
But ambitious encroachments OF the Federal Government
on the authority OF the State Governments, would not ex
cite the opposition OF single State or OF lew States only
They would be signals OF general alarm Every 5ovefhme
would espcuse the common cause. corresponding Eoo
be opened. Plans Of resistance uoud Be concerted On
spirit rod and conduct the chols Inc same com
6ination in short oud result from an apprehension 81 M
federal as produced by tie dread Of foreign yoke; ans
unless the projected innovation should be voInlriy re
nonced the same appeal trial of force would be mad
in the one case made in the other But what degree
OF madness could drive the Federal Government 10 suc
an extremity !!
The answer to this question may be given by the
Congress
gn Mr. Madison stops not here. The language Of one
the Virginia resolutions is
"Tha this assembly doth explicitly and peIemptory &c
clare that il views the powers Of the Federal Government
resulting from the compact 10 winch the states are PARTIES
as limited the plain aud intention OF the instruhen
constituting that compact farther valid, than they ar
authorized the grants enumerated IN that compact; an
that deliberate palpable ana dangerous eAec
m other powers granted by the said compact the State
VINO ARE PARTIES THERETO have the right and are IN du
bound to nterpose arrcsng the evil and Tor
within their respective limits, the au'ollLca e"'' a "
critics apper tanning to them.
We introduce from Madisons Report portion OF the abb
and conclusive defence of this resolution; and eget,in
or inability TO quote more, contne ourselves Tor ac
IF space 10 the points most pertinent the present inquiry
The words are,
"The States them being the parties 10 the constitutions
compact and their capacity follows oil necess
~ that there tribunal above authority To dec
in the last resort whether the compact mace by ien y
violated and consequently, that as the parties 10 H. lhel
must themselves decide in the last resort such questions u
NAV be of sufficient magnitude to require their heposi
ZION.
But i, ia objected by the negcncer that the judicial a
thority the Supreme Court Of the United States Is TO o
regarded as sole cxpostor OF the Constitution in tie las
resort The reply OF Mr. Madison is conclusive: This re
sort must necessarily be deemed the last in relation 10 INT
authorities OF the other departments OF the government
not in relation tic rights Of the parties 10 the coSau
ouai comDa from which the Judicial we'll the othe
departments hold their delegated trusts On any other hypo
thesis the delegation judicial power would annu the a
horitv defeating it, and the concurrence of this department
with the Others in usurpcd powers might submit forever
and beyond the possible reach of any righm remedy tn
very Constitution which all instituted TO preserve
Clearly them according Mr. Madsons exposition oil IN
rights of the States the Southern Convention is rghtu
resort for the preservation Of the Constitution.
Mr. Madsons moderation, however was equal fowls dc
voon to Constitutions and hence while he broadly an
unequivocaly asserted the right OF inerpositon IN IN
States he wisely and prudenty affixed limitation TO tn
exercise OF the right We quote again from the report
But the resolution has done than guard against mis-
construction by expressly referring 10 cases OF deliberate
paipabe and dangerous spcccs the object OF h
int position which conempate be solely that OF AZ
resting the progress the rd of usurpaon and OF main
tanning The authorities, rights ana liberties appertainng
the States, as parties to the Constitution"
Is the n,erposition here spoken of confined to slngl
S,ate3 No candid man will say The only question the
remaining is whether the oncroachment threatened by I'll
Federal Government and the States of the North upon tn
constitutional rights of the South of nature to ustif
interposonl they deliberate papabe and dan
gcrousl Ii So then have the sanction Of the opinions
Mr. Madison for the Southern Convention.
But the !ntcigcncer contends that these not his OPT
nionsey are be found only in his letter addressed
the Editor Of the North american Review in 1880 fror
which the lnteigcnccr gives copioua extracts. Will tn
Editors of that paper attempt diminish the honors Of MI
Madison by denying him the authorship Of the Report
90 upon the Virginia Resolutions of 9S NO; but this lei
ter is later edition Of his opnions"hs own ntepretatio
OF his report
The Intellgencer ''lbe upon The famo Of Nj
Madison" by attempting fasten upon his character
such inconsistency Of opinion Interpretation of tina
letter desenedy suggests This letter, addressed TO Mr.
Everett referred proceedings of the Virginia Lcgsa
ture in 1889 as appealed in behalf Of the multiplying
doctrine of South Carolina. That State became restiv
under the oppressive of the federal govern
msnt and relied upon her sovereignty the as resort
In the estimation of the great body of the people OF hi
other States the and the occasion Of her resistance
to saw nothing OF the nannedd within the pur
view OF the Right OF State ncrposition, defined b,
James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in the Virginia anc
Kentucky Resolutions of 1889. Hence the opinions ex
pressed in the letter Mr. Everett Then true TO The
proud position of Virginia when she prepared all hazards
and last extremity resist the odous Alien and Sed
ton Laws Extraordinary People