The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-27

and governor. They then met, and formed a
constitution, of which the preamble set forth
their wrongs and grievances. They adopted
| this constitution on the 4th of March, previous
to the 4th of July, when the Declaration Of In.
dependence was made, and put Into operation
the first constitution ever framed by tree PEG.
! pie for themselves, since the foundation OF the
world. 1t is very true, that in that constitution
1t is avowed a. necessary, because his Mjesty's
servants had abandoned the colony; and tenpo.
rary, until they should come b ok aggin; but
that was in imitation Of the policy pursued to-
wards James ii, who, although driven f-om the
throne, was declared to have abdicated it. IL
was in fact, an assertion and establishment oil
their independence of the British throne.
Virginia also, in June, before the United
! Declaration Of Independence, declared herself
an independent State, and adopted her bill OF
rights. New Jersey did the same on the OF
July, two days before the general Declaration oil
Independence, and set up new government of
her own. Thus, SIR, you see that, from the
very foundation of our liberties the States took
into their own hands the custody Of their own
! rights, and made themselves independent And
now, will any man show me where, in our sub.
sequent history, these States have surrendered
a title of their sovereignty? In their first bond
! Of unon-the articles OF confederation they
distinctly declare that " each State reserves TO
itself It's freedom, sovereignty, and independ-
ence." Were they surrender, by the existing
| Constitution? Virginia, fearful that some such
false inference might be drawn, declared in her
ratification Of il, that the powers granted un-
der the Constitution, being derived by the PEG
! pie of the United States, may be resumed ty
them whensoever the same shall he perverted
to their injury or oppression" and that every
power not granted thereby, remains with them
and Of their will" New York also declared, in
her ratification, that the powers of government
may be resumed whatsoever it shall be neces.
sary to their happiness" and that sail powers
not delegated remain Nth he pc pie of The seq
erat States, or their respective State govern.
ments." Rhode Island ratified the Constitution
! in the very words used by New York
! But ibmay be answered that the States in
| ratifying the Constitution, had no right to put
terms to it. 1t shows their understanding, how
ever. But will throw aside this view, and
turn to the proceedings of the convention which
| formed the Constitution. I here were two pro.
positions which looked TO disrobing the States
Of their sovereignty. The one was to make a
State amenable to the Supreme Court of the
United States; the other was to give to the
GENERAL government the power to coerce State,
should she resist the constitutional enactments
OF Congress. These propositions appeared in
four different plans, Gndeed, believe in all of
them,) for there were but four submitted to the
| convention. But what was the fate Of these
! propositions If either of them passed. il was
clear that the States would not be sovereign, for
the very essence of sovereignty is its entire
! supremacy. Both Of the were voted down
after discussion, and the States We're left to be
supreme-to be sovereign witnin their limits.
But sir, the sovereignty of the States, and the
consequent right Of secession, results from the
nature of the government itself, independent of
the publications. of the States or the records of
the convention. We have had a strict constrIc.
| ton party in this country called the Democratic
! party and fora.erly the Republican arty; ana
the basis of their creed is, the Constitution as it
! is, without construction. Thence il is, that
they have denied the constitutionality Of banks.
! internal improvements, and of various other
projects which the Opposite party have affirmed
! TO be constitutional. Now, no one will affirm,
that there is any express surrender of their SOY.
| ereigntY by the States in the Constitution.
! How, then, can the aurrender be claimed BY
construCtjOn-by inference. Was il ever heard
of that not only legislative powers, but the very
entity the very life of Safe can be taken
| from her by inference-by COM truclion! And
! SIN hio4c 'NI'''ui'''ll J, -'ilt 81 pdTN(' NH'St
creed il IAN abstinence from all constructive
powers, who sickle at the power to make q
bank, or Build road, because the power is not
1 plainly granted on the fee of the Constitution
should by construction usurp the sovereignty
Of the States. And thes call themselves Re.
! publ cans-DernocratS To claim property, or
seize revenue by construction, is gross oulragp
on man or a people; but 10 auuihilate--tO kill
either by On iniereutia authority and that, too
| from themselves ,Ie climacteric Of absurdity
or wickedness Sir, there was once a man
| highly esteemed in the UniUn-mOre highly es.
| teemed by the Republican party. He was it,
great political father; and when the spirit OF
construction and tyranny threatened to- strike
down the liberty OF the press and the sover
eighty Of the States, his genius rose up with
its clear and mastery staiesmlnshp ., and rescued
the Constitution ut its last gasp. That man
was Thomas Jefferson. This authority now
may be very weak amongst the Federal Demo.
Gratis and Democratic FrdcralIsts, who now sway
| public opinion; but once lit stood against the
world" lie was the mot Skiliul and omnip-
otent party leader that las ever GUIDED and
governed the councils of the country, save one
Andrew Jackson. Both ruled absolutely-the
one, by his mid, clear Intellect the other, by
his iron will. Mr. Jefferson, in tie Kentucky
RESOLUTIONS OF liS3, distinctly lays wn the
true principles Of the Government aud the rights
Of the States. The first Of these resolutions is
~ follows:
"Rssolrtd, That the several States composing
the United Staies Of America are not united on
the principle Of the unlimited submission to the
general government; but that by compact, a. der
the style and tie Of a Constitution for the United
States, and Of amendments thereto, they consti-
tuted a general government for special purposes,
delegated to that government certain definite
powers reseTvng each State to itself the residuary
mass Of right to their own selEgoyernment, and
that whensoever the general government assumes
|undelegated powers, ITS acts unauthoritative,
void, and Of no force that to this compact each
State acceded as a Stale, and is integral party
as Co-States, forming as to itself the other party
that the government created by this compact, was
not made the exclusive or final Judge Of the extent
Of the powers delegated to tseIf-since that would
have made It's discretion, and not the Constitution,
/ the measure Of it's powers but that, as in all
other cases Of compact among powers having no
common Judge, each party has an equal right TO
! Judge for ITSELF as well Of infractions as Of the
mode and measure Of redress"