The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-29

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nnAww IN ~ ,a~~x mAssso~.
IN rME slHo UNA ~exssx o. pxIkS Axxx.
fY1ksv. ksess~1er H. i7Se
Rssolss4. That the general asscmtay vi w
GINA doth un~qsiyec&iy express isFsa s~ssi<
tion 10 msissxin ssd d~isad uss Consultation 9
the United States. and the constellation ef III!
State. against every aggression est1s~s foreign q
domestic and that they all support The gps
eminent VI the Uaited States la all mcasufr
warranted by the former.
| That this assembly most sclcmaiy d~riSs~s
warm attachment To the Uulco of tire 1tst~s, 4
MAINTAIN which, II pi~dgss its p~w~vs s~s tins
for ths end. II IL their duty ~ watch over assf
oppose every ntractsoa VI those psincivlss whic'
constitute the only basis Of that Unson. herssss
a faithful observance Of them can alone ~~eurs
its existence and the public hspp'sess.
Tat this assembly doth expicitSiy and pr
remptoriiy declare that 1t views the powers oI
the federal government m resulting from this
compact ~ which the States are parties, Az lien
tied by tho plain sense and intention Of The In.
strumsnt constituting that compact. ~ no fas-
ther valid than they are authorized by the grants
enumerated In that compact and that In cass
Of deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exsf.
else Of other powers, not granted by the said
compact, the States, who are parties thereto,
have the rig I, and are in DUTY BOUND. 10 inter.
pose, for arresting the progress of the evil, and
for maintaining within their respective limits. The
authorities, rights and liberties, appcrtaining 10
them. .A
That the general Assembly doth also express
it's deep regret that spirit has. in sundry in
stances, been manifested by the federal govern
~. ksrF a.
tions of the constitutional charter which defines
them; and that indications have appeared Of a
design to expound certain general phrases.
(Which, having been copied from the very limited
grant of powers in the former articles Of con-
federation, were the less liable to be miscon-
strued,) 80 as to destroy the meaning and effect
of the particular enumeration which necessarily
explains and limits the general phrases, and so
as to consolidate The States, by Degrees into one
Sovereignty, the obuious tendency and inevitable
result Of phich looud be n trans form the present
republican system Of the Unied Staiss INTO an
absolute, or al best, a mired monarchy.
That the general assembly doth particularly
protest against tho palpabc and alarming nfrac.
tons of the Constitution, in the two late cases
Of the Allen ana Sedition acts" passed at the
last session Of Compress; the FIRST of which ex-
ercises power nowhere delegated to the federal
government and which, by unit rg Legislative
and judicial powers to those of Executive, sub.
verts the general principles Of free government,
as well as the particular organization and posi-
tive provisions Of the federal Cons tn on; and
the other Of which acts exercises, in like man.
ner, power not delegated by the Constitution,
but on the contrary, expressly and positively
Ridden by one Of the amendments thereto; a
power which, more than any other, ought to pro-
duce universal alarm, because it is leveed against
the right of freely examining public characters
and measures, and of free communication among
the people thereon. which has ever been justly
deemed the only effectual guardian of every
other right sas s
That this State having, by it's Convention
which ratified the federal Constitution, ex-
pressIy declared that among other essential
rights, "the liberty Of conscience and the press
cannot be cancelled, abridged, restrained, or
modified, by any authority Of the United States"
and from its extreme anxiety to guard these
rights from every possible attack Of sophistry
and ambition, having, with other States, recon-
mended an amendment for that purpose, which
amendment was, In due time, annexed to the
Constitution, il would mark a reproachful incon
sistency, and criminal degeneracy If an indif
ference were now shown TO the most pnlpable
violation of one of the rights thus declared and
secured and TO the establishment of aprecedent
which may be fatal to the other.
That the good people of this Commonwealth
having ever felt, and continuing to feel, the
most sincere affection for the brethren of the
other States the truest anxiety for establishing
and perpetuating the union of all and the most
scrupuleus fidelity to that Constitution which is
the pledge of mutual friendship, and The instru-
,,,art 81 ,,v,tuol Loopinoac, tho ranoruI M
sembly doth solemnly appeal to the like dispc-
si'ions in the other States. in confidence that
they will concur with this commonwealth in
declaring, ns it does hereby declare, that the
acts aforesaid are UNCONSTITUTIONAL; aud that
the necessary and proper measures will be taken
by each for cooperating with this State in
maintaining unimpaired the authorities, rights,
AT q liberties, reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people.
That the governor be desired to transmit
copy Of the foregoing resolutions TO the execu-
tive authority of each Of the other States, with
request. that the same may be communicated
to the legislature thereof; and that A copy be
furnished to each of the senators and represent
tatives representing this State in the Congress
of the United States. a
Attest, JOHN STEWART.
1898, December a4th Agreed to by the Sen
ate. ii, BROOKE.
A true copy from the original deposited in the
office Of the general assembly.
JOHN STEWART, l.i
Keeper Of the Rolls.
EXTRACTS ~
From The Address 10 The People 'ohich accompa
MED The foregoing Resolutions of Virginia.
Fellow CIrIzEEs--Unwilling to shrink from
our representative responsibility, conscious Of
the purity Of our motives. bnt acknowledging
your rights to supervise our conduct. we invite
your serious attention TO the emergency which
dictated the subjoined resolutions. Whilst we
dsdain to alarm you by iIl-founded jealousies,
we recommend an investigation. gnided by sool
ness of wisdom, and decision bottomed on
6rmness. bnt tempered with moderation
1t would be per6dons in those entrusted with
the GUARDIANSHIP OF THE STATE SOVEREIGNTY
md acting nnder the solemn obligation Of the
following oaths; 81 do aweT that will sup
port the Constitution of the United Sates,' not
IN wan vou of encroochmenfs which (houph