Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-11-13
Rs-Snica sf the Dsmseraey-NuIlifoa-
tiORi


AT their meeting in Palmyra, last Saturday
the Democracy passed resolutions, which ar,
worthy Of some comment
The first resolution amounts to nothing. II is
merely an endorsement of s'the resolutions
adopted by the National Democratic Convention.
held in the city of Baltimore, in the years 1910
1874, and i84S." These resolutions were moi
the bone of contention.
The second resolution endorses doctrines. the
manifest tendency Of which is the subyersion Of
the Union. Every man who sustains that reso-
luton, knowing its character, is a NuLLrr1ER.
it declares an adherence to the Kentucky Reso-
lutions OF 1888, among others, 'as the only
principles, which can confne the Federal Gov
eminent within its legitimate sphere.n What
are the principles laid down in those resolutions,
and hoU do they propose to ''confne the FEEDER
al Government within its legitim lie sphere?' 1t
is proclaimed in the Kentucky K solutions, that
notification is the proper remedy, when, in the
Judgment ofany State Legislature law Of Con-
gress has been enacted under assumed undele-
gated powers. As tbs doctrine is now inscribed
on the banner Of the Marion County Democracy,
1t will be interesting to have it in the very
words Of the source of all that notification
heresy, which has so much distracted the coun-
try.
In the first resolution, it is asserted that,
''Whensoever the General Government as
sumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthor-
itative, void, and Of no force that to this COM
pact, each State acceded as State, and as am
integral party; that this government, created by
this compact, was not made The exclusive or final
Judge Of The ertent Of The pOlcers delegated TO
itse!f; since that would have made its discre-
tion, and not the constitution, the measure of its
powers; but that, as in all other cases Of COM
pact, among parties HAVING no COMMON JuDeE(D
each parry has an equal rigM TO Judge for ,tself
as t0A Of ATTRACTIONS, as Of The mode and meas
re ofredyess.'
After thus stadioasly forgetting the very
existence of "cOmmon judge such as the
Supreme Court !; after taking from the General
Government, where the Constitution had lodged
It, the power to eonstrle and interpret the Con-
stiiution and after bestowing that power on
the State Legislatures, with whom it was never
deposited by the Constitution, the Kentucky
Resolutions, In further exercise of their assumed
rights, proceed TO declare certain laws passed by
Congress, altogether uoid and of no force
''aot lac, bat altogether roid, and of no effect"
1t is impossible 10 estimate the danger which
must arise, in these troublous times, from en-
grating such principles upon the policy of any
party pretending to nationality. If Kentucky
may declare one set Of national laws null and
void IL Missouri, following in her wake, may
assert another 10 be so and Vermont another,
the supremacy of The Federal Government is
gone, and the Union is bound together by less
than rope Of sand, Let the Democratic party
beware how it gives countenance TO such dan
gerous political absurdities. If Vermont, put
ting into exercise the power claimed for her by
the resolutions of the Marion county Deinocra-
cy, Shouldadeclare the Fugitive Slave Law null
and void, the supporterS Of these resolutions
could have no resource, on their own principles,
but an everlasting argument wilh tbs Legislature
Of Vermont, upon the correctness Of het. CON
stnlction Of ihe Constitution in that particular
snstsDce. Their right TO Ruilifg the law, instead
Of appealing to ihs Judiciary these Democrats
MI NJ, day, wiilc thy " u m'aaight in our
tsAe aFavog ~ oEgNrl,,s,