Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-02-02

<Hs further adds (nd the people Of the South may be fore
ed in their effort to escape OPPRESSION rely exclusively
upon the means here suggested j
"st cannot be forgotten. that among the arguments adj
dressed those who apprehened danger TO liberty from the
establishment Of the General Government over so great coun
try, the appeal emphacaly made to the 'nfermedqe
existence Of the STATE GOVERNMENTS befvee the people and
that Government the vigilance with which they would de-
scy the first symptoms usurpaon, and to the promptude
with which they would sound the alarm TO the public This
argument was probably without its effect and, 1t was
proper one then recommend the establishment OF the
Constitution must be proper now 10 assist IN ITS IN
terpretation.
1t is mistake that Mr. MADISON approved any
united action among particular States, by means
Of Convention, Southern any other, or any COM
bination between them, for the purpose of admins
tering Of resisting acts of Con-
gress by any other means besides the Judiciary
than those argument persuasion, and the ballot
box. It is libel upon the fame of Mr. MADISON,
from which we feel it to be our duty to rescue it,
to attempt to fasten upon his character such anti
constitutional and designating doctrines. lie
never could, as statesman or patriot, have COM
mitted himself in such manner Most fortunate
ly for his reputation-most fortunately, as things
have turned out, for the country-he has left upon
record his own Interpretation of his Report upon
the Virginia Resolutions of 1898, in which he scat
tiers to the winds the whole fabric Of false construc
ton which designing men have erected upon
il. AS sufficient vindication of his common sense
as well as Of his unwavering devotion to the Union
as IL is, we turn to Letter addressed by him to
the Editor Of the North American Review, dated
at Montpelier, August, 1880, in reply to Letter
written to him, referring to the proceedings OF
the Virginia Legislature Of l79S-'99, as appealed
to in behalf Of the Multiplying doctrine which had
then Just bloomed into existence. Without a
word Of comment because il would be both pre-
sumptuous and superfuous) we extract from the
Letter the following passages touching the points
embraced in the Enquirer's argument:
Between these different Constitutional Govern
sments, the one operating I'm all the States, the
Others operating separately in each, with the ag-
sgregate powers of Government divided between
them, it could not escape attention that conlrover
sizes would arise concerning the boundaries OF Ju
srisdiction, and that some provision ought to be
made for such occurrences. a political system
sfhat does not proUide for a peaceabte and autho-
ritative termination of occurring controversies,
aD0uld not be more than the shadoU Of a Govern
sme,at, the object and end Of real Government
sbeing the substitution of law and order for uncer
tainty, confusion, and violence.
"The Constitution has expressly declared
Il, THAT the Constitution, and the laws made
! in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made I'M
-sder the authority of the United States, shall be
d the supreme law of the land; 2, that the Judges
of every State shall be bound thereby, any thing
!. in the constitution and laws of any State to the
contrary notwithstanding; 3, that the Judicial
power of the United States shall extend to all
: in law and equity arising under the Constitution
the laws Of the United States, and treaties made
.under their authority &c."
"Should the provisions of the Constitution be
found not to secure the government and rights OF
the States against usurpations and abuses on the
part Of the United States, the final resort aoifhia
sthe puruieU Of the Constitution lies IN AN AMEND
Z MENT OF THE CONSTITUTION, according to pro-
scess applicable by the States.
- And in the event OF the failure Of every con-
sstitutional resort, and accumulation OF usurpa
tons and abuses, rendering passive obedience and
non-resistance greater evil than resistance and
revolution, there can remain but one resort, the
last Of allan appeal from the cancelled obliga-
: tons of the compact to original rights and the law
sof selfpreservation. This is the ultima ratio
sunder all Governments, whether consolidated con-
federated, or compound Of both; and it cannot
be doubted that single member of the Union,
sGnot Confederacy Of Sates.-Editors. in the
= extremity supposed, BUT IN THAT ONLY, would
have right, as an extra and ura-constitutional
right, to make the appeal
6 The Constitution is a compact; its text is to
be expounded according to the provisions for er-
pounding it-naking part Of the compact;
saad none Of the parties can rightf'il!y renounce
the e1po'osding provision more than any other
part"
"That the Legislature of Virginia could not have
intended to sanction such doctrine, is to be inferred
: from the debates in the House of Delegates, and
from the address of the two houses to their consti
tuents on the subject of the resolutions. The tenor
.of the debates, which were ably conducted, and
are understood to have been revised for the press
by most if not all Of the speakers, discloses no
preference Uhateuer to constitutional right Of
an individual State to arrest By force the opera
ton of laaO of the United States" Concert
among the States for redress against the alien and
sedition laws, as acts of usurped power, was
sleadng sentiment; and the attainment of con-
cert the immediate object Of the course adopted
by the Legislature, which that of inviting the
other States to concur in declaring the acts to be
unconstitutional, and to cooperate, by the neces-
'sary and proper measures, in maintaining unim-
paired the authorities, rights, and liberties reserved
to the States respectively and to the People
That, by the necessary and proper measures, to
be concurrenfly and comparatively taken, acre
meant measures KNOWN TO THE CONSTITUTION,
particularly the ordinary control of the People and
Legislatures of the States over the Government
" Of the United States, CANNOT BE DOUBTED"
It is worthy of remark, and explanatory Of the
intentions of the Legislature, that the words not