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

~ ,h States the whole question depends IL that is es'
,sblished Tic case is nude The light OF ultimate us
,, rs 10 the violation Of treaty compact Is one u '''
primary attributes of sovereignty.
| TIE Federalsts deny, first
y,, ne States erer 1rerc sorcreign and indePende' u
a., . fi,;,s t5ev,rerc banded together and un'fea "
The same!aws. This assertion can be atn'ou'eu " c7
mn ,hc mos; ,coorable Ignorance, so'nri'1ng OF ""c
hoy should be ashamed Every page OF history us
nroves tn, position They co!onl%2a NJ different ~
and hv diff rent nations Crceds OF religion 'o'e'1'e' ~ ~
State were punished as offensive against Inc Jaw" u
ho, farm, Of government totally disilnct-Massa-
cb,ssits adopting her Code OF laws from The bio'e"
Carolina putting into practice the widest thcor'es u 'o
a Tbir forms of government entirely different
codes Of law unlike. They were connected oy various anu
different ,s with the mother country Ihey hau tne eAc'"
~ oorol Of their own internal policy: control indspeh'
a, f each other and indeed Of the mother country. ~
~, Edmund Burke referred the colonies as separate
y Sas ,cih all The porcrs of distinct legislation ana
government"
indeed il is known al! who have decent acquaintance
h ,he history of Virginia. that when the execution Oh
Cha, cs the First placed the Government OF Great bhain
in the hands of Comwe ADD the parliamentary oices'
viroinia refused TO acknowledge the usurpei auihory
r,srq 10 render any allegiance the dynasty This
she did as separate colony without reference 10 The
wishes or purposes any OF the other colonies of Great BIZ
Stale And in 1851 she entered into regular treaty WIN
nri,ain rs separate and distinct State bound by OBJ
Ioaons 10 no State or government but the mother coun
v So utterly distinct and separate were the colonies pre-
v;ous 10 the Declaration Of Independence, that Henngs
Statutes large and other authorities furnish numerous IN
stances Of treaties between tao States respecting oouhou
RES the regulation Of AMI other SUBJECTS ABOUT
which SEPARATE and distinct States frequently treat One
colony was moi bound to aid defend another unless BY
treaties agreed upon by the delegates from the several colo
MES They were as distinct sovereign and independent OF
each other the States OF Greece previous to their
celebrated Amphyconc League
we might multiply through many columns OF our paper
evidences of INC utter asiy Of tho declaration of the assa
chuses and Virginia school Of consoidaoniss tina; the CO.
onies separate and independents that they cons-
led one peoa!e in the cury history Of he colonies Il may be
REGARDED as beyond dispute that Virginia. and The other CO.
lonies were prior TO 29 l6 independent Of all the
world except her obligations to obey the mother country
under the spuations OF the treaty Of 1851.
Taking this view of her sovereign rights, without consul
;aon with an of the other colonies The 29M Of June,
l776 Pirgiaia DISSOLVED HER CONNECTION WITH TREAT
BRlTAlS, DECLARED HERSELF a STATE IS mat act
she became IS independent OF Great Britain as she mad
been of the colonies and all other States and nations Of the
earth.
A;this time she stood unrammscd uuresrained the terry
caraton Of Independence by the concieated States, FiRG-
MA exercised her rights sovereign State and cut loose
from the mother country.
Every scia Of proof every historical fact Jusfes the
position which have ascn that from Inc time OF Tue
grant OF the charter frem the Crown 10 the memorable
29h of June l776, Virginia owed allegiance only to Great
Britain end VAS in every legislative executive and munich
pal act utterly independent Of the other colonies And the
consodnons.s who deny this, exhibit the most shameful
ignorance OF tire history Of their owa State What we have
said OF Virginia. applies equally the Of the thirteen old
States particularly North Carolina ana Massachusetts
This allegiance Crownor mother country was the on
~ check upon he freedom and sovereignty Of Virginia prior
TO her own declaration Of independence, uhcn as e hare
SEEM she ,ras hlc incarnation Of sovereignty.
Eaf. in their effort deprive their native State OF her
sovereign attributes previous to l6 BY ialying the uh
history the consodaloniss change the venue and do not
hesitate dec THAT VIRGINIA ann THE OTHER STATES
EVER POSSESSED TIE SOVEREIGN POWER uSpEE WHICH WE
CLAIM THE RIGHT STATE ISTERPostToS AND SECESSION
THEY SURRENDERED TINE OF TUE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE AND UNDER THE ARTICLES OF coSFEpERA
-!DS.
Here again we Join issue with our opponents, and shall
utterly by reference the most authentic records
and reliable authorities lie! il be borne in mind that prior,
10 wha: The cnsodaonsts call the national declaration
or INTERCHANGEABLE declaration Of people,, &C. the
State Virginia. and many other OF The States or coonles
"Ap . x~orScrp ''sovERr,eT raEr AS"1'
DEPENDENT CoMMoSwEALTHS, ny ,"'''!uu1' VI "'ssc %"
ton, wit,ou: reference TO each other
Did the States lose their sovereignty BY the declaration Oh
ndspend.nce on the Attn OF July, l77G The consultations
lists contend that they ddwc deny the fact Ii this sove
eighty was surrendered it have been by POSITIVE p
RECT TERMS, sY THE PLAlSEs- CHA RAcTER-
for in his will contend for the surrenuc! OF
VIVA, State prizes than every taig e!se-ITs sovER
e,oxry-by vague terms uncertain phrascopgy by a,ud
mons construction Viglany Virginia guarded her So
y,reipnty during her whole term Of colonial probaon-e%
arcssy as she declared and asserted it the 29th day Of
June 776 scarcely rational to suppose that she sur
rendered into the hands OF the natlona! government SIX
DAYS LATER THE 1TH OF July.
To the leader. OF the consoiatonists to their orators and
editors we saw "You maintain the affirmative OF the pro-
nosi,oa-upon you falls the burden Of prooi-show us
WHEN HOW ASo UNDER WHAT CLAUSE OF THE DECLARATIONS
OF ISpEpESnEScE DELEGATES OF THE STATES, THE
STATES SOVEREIGN POWER Inns your aosufu
proposi,icn-,n.kc it good il you CAM This they HAVE
MEYER posE-,ey have asserted and reiterated this PROPOSE
lion but have never sustained il by particle oil argu
nent or even respectable sophisry Without waiting Tor
their arguments, shall nave violate the rules which
govern dpulants and blow their second position us I'M
tremendously we did their first
The history I'll the times which we have referred, DIS
groves the assertion that the States either by their united
confederation proposed surrender therrghs az sovereign
States They were induced unite by great but Temporal
r. dangers that threatened them They were threatened by
\ rowe;fu foc-lhe rights TO them all, were in
vadcd-sepaaiey they were weak. Their enemy II they
remained SEPARATE could easily have them up in deal
and their object uniting that which has frequently
led 10 the temporary union OF feeble nations III opposing
common enemy. But this hos never been construed INTO
surrender such claimed by the consodatlonlsls IN
suppo! Of their ridiculous positions They are dlsproved
by the following circumstances and facts all of which render
the declarations about 'SATIoSALTy and the suRRESpER
OF STATE SOVEREIGNTY" b. either the proceedings incl
dent TO the declaration OF independence the ratification OF
The articles Of confederation worthy OF 10 manner OF res
pect.
l. The Declaration of independence was made by the de-
eca,es OF the States without reference to size or population,
and in that Congress- the Of maorles were not btnd
ing apon m iaori;ies. Mark that.
IT, The Declaration Of Independence was made in nccor-
dance with instructions from the States TO their delegates,
and the States bound by the action OF THEIR o~S DE-
LEeATEs ALONE.