Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-11
JAMES MADISON, JK.
From the Richmond Times of Nay z, 1851.

JAMES MADISON, JE,
From the Richmond Times of Mav z, 1851
1t will be seen that Hamilton informed Madison, then
member OF the Federal Congress sitting in the CITY
New DIRK, that was seriously proposed in the New
Ork Convention, to ratify with THE ALTON or
RGH1lro REcEpE" isuch amendments as were desired
should not be decided upon within a certain number
OF years Madison replied once that in his opinion
such ratification would be "a CONDITIONAL RATIF1cA- :
TIoN, and would not MAKE New York A MEMBER
OF THE UNION and that "THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRED
AN ADOPTION IN TOTO AND FOREVER" He informed
Col Hamilton, moreover, that 1.-THE IDEA OF REsEavING
RIGHT TO WITHDRAW WAS STARTED AT RICHMOND
meaning IN the Convention of Virginia. which sat in
June, l7ool AND CONSIDERED CONDITIONAL RATIycA TON
WHICH WAS ITSELF ABANDONED AS WORSE THAN AREJEc
TON.
High as Mr. Madison's authority is in all matters Of
interpretations his correspondence with
Hamilton Is not chiefly important making known
ms individual opinion on the question of the right of
a state to withdraw from the Union. Its great value
consists In the historical facts of which is the I'M
npeachable record 1t testlfies TO the nation for ALL
time, that the States entered the Union with an ex-
pllclt understanding that the act lrrevocable ex
cept by the progress OF revolution 1t cerfes that
IN Virginia particularly, where the opposition to the
constitution was most powerful, the scheme of reser-
wing, as condition OF ratification, that very right
which South Carolina now asserts without such re-
sefvatlon, was started and abandoned, Of this I'M
portant fact we had not before hrcn advised .
but were well aware that in the Virginia Conyen-
ton, the great contest between the friends of the
Constitution and Its opponents was upon the question
! ol PREVIOUS on SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS. Patrick
Henry aud George Mason at the head of the opposl-
ton strained all their energies to procure decision
for previous amendments. The whole scope of their
arguments was to show that the proposed constltu-
tlon would ereciia great consolidated government the
acceptance of which Virginia could never recall, and
which, therefore, she ought not only to accept
CONDITION OF obtaining such notifications they
considered Indispensable. Madison, Marshall Pen
.dleton, and Nicholas the other hand, commended
that the State should ratily uncondltionally, and
COMMEND to the first Congress such amendments as
she wished, in order that they might be adopted in
the manner prescribed by the constitution If the Cd,
ponens of the constitution had conceived such the
DRY, that the State would have the right to secede
whenever she might become dissatisfied, is impos-
sible to suppose that they would have insisted on
"prevlous amendments, or, IN other words condi-
tonal ratification What the view of its friends
is evidenced by Mr.. Madsons letter to Hamilton
After the memorable debate which was waged be-
between the opposing parties from the I'd to the 18th
of June, the Committee of the Whole, on the latter
day, reported to the Convention preamble and the
| two following resolutions
"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee
that the said constitution be ratified.
"Resolved, That it is the opinion OF this committee
mat whatsoever amendment may be deemed necessa-
ry, be recommended to the Congress which shall first
assemble under the said constitution, to be acted upon
according to the mode prescribed in the fifth article
thereof"
A motion was made 10 amend the first resolution bv
substituting
"Resolved That previous to the ratification of the
pew constitution OF government recommended by the
late federal Convention dec laratou OF rights assert
ing and securing from encroachment the great princ
cples OF civil and religious liberty, and The inaenabIe
rights oil the people, together with amendments to the
most exceptionabe parts oil the said constitution Of
government ought be referred by this Convention to
the other States in the American conlederacy for their
consideration.
| The amendment rejected, ayes 50 noes SO.
The first resolution Of the committee OF the whole
then agreed to, ayes 80, 70 aud the second
resolution agreed to W lhout DIVISION The rati-
| fcaton made to conform to the resolves, and
bill oirighs and various amendments ofthe constitution
were recommended TO Congress.
1t would be easy to produce from the debates OF the
Virginia Convention, many declarations, by speakers
on both sides, which show, beyond any sort OF ques
ton, that the unconditional ratification finally deter
mined upon universally understood preclude the
possibility OF the States receding from the Union.
Ifue the form OF ratification affirmed, that the power
granted under the constitution being derived from the
people OF the United States may be resumed by them
whenever the shall be perverted their injury or
oppression but this only the assertion OF the
doubted right OF popular resistance oppression, and
not OF the right OF State TO Withdraw from the con
ederacy, without core spending right in the remain
ing States to Judge whether she has has not lust
| cause lor dissatisfaction
Thomas Jefferson on The Right Of Coercion, or
| CompulSjon
ut has been so often said, TO be generally be
iieved, that congress have power by the Coueder
alton 10 enforce anything: for example contributions
| OF money. TWAS NOT NECESSARY TO GIVE THEM THAT
rowER EXPRESSLY; THEY HAVE IT BY TIE LAW OF Ma
rCRE. WHEN TWO PARTIES MAKE COMPACT, THERE
RESULTS TO EACH A POWER OF COMPELLING THE OTHER
TO EXECUTE IT. CONFUSION was never so easy as in
the commerce of any STATE the deficiency of its con
trbutlonS; nor more safe Than the hands of Con