Richmond semi-weekly times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 184?-1853, 1851-10-21
NH. RANDOLPH'S CHARLOTTE RESOLU
TIONS,

Atthe request of our friend, "a Wing of the Old
School, we insert the proceedings that took place in
our native county OF Charlotte in the year 1888 when
John Randolph Of Roanoke, returned TO his old con-
stltusnts from his eccentric embassy to Russia We
well remember the occasion, though we were but a
boy at the time, and, with what eager interest the en-.
teebled orator was received by the people. His En-.
Slish chariot, loaded with baggage, osentatiously
marked ''Randolph fRoanolze," or ''R of r 'stood
on the motatr9 of February Cour; day, before the
tavern kepby Capt. VIM, Smith, worthy citizen who
died within the las. monln. The curious crowd eyed
every article amongst the foreign equipments of the
vehicle, whilst the somewhat famous body servants
"Johauy'' and CUBA, were scrutinized as if they
had acquired some mysterious distinction by their
travels abroad We shall never forget Mr. Randoph's
gh9stty appearance, ne was borne into the Court
House, and whist he was delivering his remarkable
speech, or afterwards, in a conversational way, ad
dressing particular persons in the assembly. He sat
most of the time in the arm chair, which is occupied
by the Judge when holding his circuit court, and had
before him table with several pitchers and decanters
upon it. from which he took frequent draughts to sus
tain his feeble strength We, Of course, did not ap-
precate the force of his political reasoning but we
distinctly recolec the effects of his burning eloquence
and scathing sarcasm5 upon the people. Men who
heard many of NJ. Randol2hs efforts, when he was
speech of his in Charlotte was one of the most bril-
liant they heard from hlrn. 1t carried away cap
tive the judgments of most of his hearers but there
were few who refused to participate in approving the
resolutions The that TRANSFERRED from the time
that Mr.. Randolph closed his regular speech to the
end OF the whole proceedings, of the most
extraordinary in all his singular history. We shall
not attempt to describe it, and perhaps it ought not
be described in print.
In regard to the remarkable resolutions, which Mr.
Randolph proposed, we must remark that we are I'M
der obligation, personal hereditary, to sustain
them, In the general doctrine of state rights
firm believer; but we certainly dissent from the
tremes to which that doctrine is sometimes carried.
Whether these resolutions do, or do not, push the
State rights theory to point to which cannot fol
low, is, we incline to think, debateable question:.
The third asserts that 'the authority to enforce ODE
dence was in certain cases aud for certain purposes
delegated to the common agents of the whole
federacy. The fourth arms, generally, the right of
State to secede for sufficient cause, and to Judge OF
the suicency of the cause but does not declare the
consequence of States judging erroneously and Sc
cedIng because of the exercise by Congress OF pow
ers which she has really delegated In other words,
Mr.. Randolph's resolutions do not touch the ques-
ton whether the States may dispute the dgment
of the seeding State. and restrain her from going on
of the Union If they think she is in the wrong, TIL,
Union is spoken of as 'alliance," but, accord
ing to the law of nations, withdrawal of party
from an alliance, without reason admitted by the
| rest to be good, would be just cause of war.
1t is worthy of note that tenlh resolution cutter
ly repro5ates the doctrine of nuiifcation equally
weak aud mchlevous,' Yet notification was the
great specific of Mr.. Calhoun; and it must ever be
remembered that that unstable Statesman, when
pushed to the wall by Mr., Rives defined his doctrn,
| Of secession thus
"He had contended that if State should resume
the powers granted to the General Government, suci
resumption would only be breach of compact, fol
which the State, Il community, ap0wM be response
| Die, and not its citizens individually"
If Mr.. Randolpa's resolutions mean than this
we demur to them, if they mean the same thing, w
| concur with them.