Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-12-05
THE DOCTRINE OF SECESSION,

,rors abpse They have associated it with charges Vi 'h
mediate dsunion and denounced the advocates OF u DO '
tors deserving the OF the viiest feon 'ha' ever
the edifca,ion OF gazing 1yburn MOB. lheY nave 'a
erred The advocates OF with fire and sword ana he'u owe
Them in errorum the powers with which, ior 'ici' Spce
nonhila,ion they have been pleased 10 co'nc ' sne
government
They have sought by low coarse abuse, pantry ueeia's
ton and incessaa scnseess dcnuncaton, 10 dlVe' e
of tho ,eonls from THE TRUE ISSUES 10 topics when
have never been of practical importance in thus STATE iey
hive mixed NJ their doctrine Of SECESSION win e'ou'
c)ous CHARGES THAT THE DEMOCRATS OF VIRGINIA WOULD
EXERCISE RIGHT, WHICH THEY CLAIM FOR THE 'ooi"AA
STATES AT THIS TIME AND ~ CONSEQUENCE u THEM a0
-1LITY TO WHAT CALLED THE COMPROMISE of io'
Thea, h,rges are utterly destitute Of tfuhthey are un-
i,aaed falsehoods which have again ana agaih oceh
nailed 10 the counter and stamped as such IN ms Sa
Whatever difference OF opinion may have prevailed IN the
democratic party concerning the measures oi the oo"o
mise cs ORIGINALLY srGGEsTEp-s!ncc t.ose measures ''
hoco;ne the US OF the land they have BEEN ac9u!Escsp
N with almost ccc! unauitay, BY the democratic party
Nor can single member 0! cur party in THIS SAFE NC
VINO would advocate secession IN consequence u ''' "
ri those measures whilst there is upon the part oil the
North strict observance Of lhe provisions OF inc iuge
s.l9c aw.
cut we contend for the g,i Of SECESSION, as That sH
was n,ers,o by many Of The trainers CT the consliiu
eushed emo, oG the Convention in the report DEBATES
and resolutions I79eo IT, he language OF The third OF
those celebrated resolutions the Democrats claim The rleh
- Sn,e inerp siiion abstract right and say 'ha
. "view the powers OF The general govern"eh as result
ing from the compact when the states a:e parties ana Us
limited by the plain and Intention OF Inc instrument
cor situtng that compact farther valid IMAM 'ey are
an ,rizcd by the ENUMERATED Is THAT CONTACT
AND THAT il CASE OF DELIBERATE PALpADLE AND DANCE
en-
COMPACT, THE STATES ARE Parties THERETO HAVE
ys RIGHT AND ARE Is DUTY INTERFERE FOR AR
RESTING THE PROGRESS EVIL, AID FOR RETAINING
,.-i& THEIR Lis-s THE AUTHORITIES RIGHTS
LIBERTIES ArPERTAiSINa 20 THEM
s WIS the doctrine promulgated and sanctioned by our
nace.u.s when Il became necessary 10: them 10 resist tic
!croacmcn,s or he Federal Government as t.ey Were ex-
hited in alien and scdi;oE laws and the consolidation
recommended by Alexander Hamilton. The prin-
cu> embodied in that resolution embrace the doctrines jor
utic the Democratic party commended IN 1875 us in ISL
and they we're opposed by The Federal party in ITS under
the lead John Adams precisely y opposed Oy the
Union party in 1851 under li 81 Fillmore, Webster
and Summers. Uh:ist the Democrats stc"d firm as STEEL
hcre Jefferson, Madison and The republican: perry >!Joa N
tytrec gears ego upon he Virginia. Lro1 lac modern
FederaSts occupy precisely the same position occupied W
John Adams ard the advocates Of alien and sctlion laws
The Southern States 1855 acknowledged The wisdom Of
Northern denounced the doctrines OF the resolutions
OF 95 80, precisely Wings North aud South ue-
nounce them Jefferson and Adn'rs upon 'as r" o'
Stale ntepositon made up in their memorable co'es' pre-
cisey the which Mcsss Summers and Johnson nave
,.ade in this Stae-the affirming the Other denying e
right question Whilst Virginia, under the lead oil Madison
commended for this right Federal denied n rcso
nons not unlike those recently passed " the wing plfy
Of this State By the resolutions OF that State, our
readers win see that the Fcdcrass Of Connecticut Stood
IN 1913 and '99 precisely where the Wings OF Virginia stand
Resolved That this Assembly Uhe Legislature of Con-
ncccu views win deep rr.rt and explicitly oiSaVo"S le
PRINCIPLES contained in the Virginia resolutions. lhcy
therefore refuse with the Legislature Of virginia
in promoting any of the objects attempted In the aforesaid
resolutions"
Hear also tina, consistent, Federal and Wing State, Yer
MONT in 1909:
Resolved That the General Assembly OF the Stale OF
Vermont do highly dsapprove Of the resolutions OF the Ge.
neral Assembly OF Virginia. rs being nncons,iiuonal m
their nature and dangerous Their tendency belongs no 10
tic States decide ae cOnstonaiay Of lars nude 6y
Tie General Government his pocer being rested IN The Su'
prsme Court"
Here we the Wing doctrine of 1851 These extracts
prove the point which wis. make. IN ApvocA-
TING THE RIGHT IL CASES OF PAL
pApLE VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONS ny THE GENERAL
GOVERNMENT, THE DEMOCRATIC RErrBLicAS PARTY of
VIRGINIA POSITION OF THE SAME PARTY IN l9o
49, WHILST THE WIGS HAVE EEES TRUE TO
THEIR FEDERAL FATHERS AND as n's Is Tie
only recorded instance OF their atu adherence 10 any sci
of principles for more taa Decade their consistency al
least is commendab,e
We have made additions Inc doctrines OF the great
report TO which refer We have adopted, without acra-
lion the exposition of Tho Constitution it was given In
1898 go when the incid2ns connected with its adoption
were familiar 20 co,enaoTanco's generation We again
call the attention OF hc re-der The report il question, 10
prove ;a. the doctrine the Virginia Democracy now, Is
wha it was in l7o5, 90:
H appears your committee 10 DC Very plain princi-
ME founded in common sense, illustrated h: common rac-
lice and essential TO the ot connacts, iat WHERE
RESORT CAN DE TRlBUSAL srrERioR TO THE Az
rHcRTY OF THE PARTIES THEMSELVES MUST De
the JUICES N TnE LAST RESORT: WHETHER TIE
sAsGAiS MADE HAS GEES PRESERVED OF VIOLATED.
This is TIE precise position which the States Rights party
OF Virginia occupies tbs time We contend that the
Constitution Q: the United formed by the
tior Of as States, !rea each IN is sorcregn capacity
This asserted and established by conclusive arguments
in the famous Madison report and resolutions OF ls959
But the FederasS cf The last century, and the Federal
1851 this State deny that The States IN their soVe
reign capacity did adept the Federal ConSiiiGtion-and they
contend that Suites not parties 10 the Constitution
-,hatit adopted by people, and not BY Tie STATES
Hence they deny the tight u State secession aud n'epo
s,on in the already rce.Teo TO- and vest all The pow
or for which we nd in hands OF the Supreme
proving false and rot crushing our opponents
with weigh,y proof-we might es' content with single
reference.
During the debates Of the Virginia Convention called 10
ra.iy tic Constitution, far The Ssas q Virginia
conccrnrd lheIe wlo feared that prscSey
tie construction claimed By :se IE party ~oed be placed
upon Constitution tic manifest injury OF the States
To place tie queS:irn hsyo: dout:, ana 20 que; these
primitive States Rights ,lea, Con. cation MAJ" G fol
lowing solemn declaration:
ave tho delegates OF the people o! Virginia. duly elected
in Recommendation III the General Assem-
bly, ana met in Convention having fully and freely inres
guei ard discussed the proceedings Vi Federal Conren
ton ling prepared wei! the deberaor
hath euaacd decide thereon, SaNE, AND IN
BsiAlr or TIRE rEnpLE SIEGISiA, declare and make
known that The POWERS GRANTED G"ier :he Constitution
beng cerred from the States De RESUMED BY THEM
whatsoever l stall bc perverted 20 et INJURY ant
oppression and that net granted ny THEM re
mains 1-Eh th:m, EXERCISED ny THEN AT THEii
With this important dccata;iun, clearly defining the rea
,icns OF Virginia the Federal Government did her dele