The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-07
70 the Voters Of the Ninth Congressional
District Of Virginia,


TO the Voters Of the Ninth Congressional
District Of Virginia,
Composed nj the Counties Of Loudoin, Fauquier,
Rappahannock, Culpepev, Stafford, Prince
William, and County and Guy Of Alexandria
Fellow CrrrzEss Solicited, az have been,
by many of you. to become candidate to re-
present this district in the next Congress- of the
United States. take this method Of communi-
eating my views TO You, upon the questions now
agitating the public mind. The late day at
which | come before you, will necessarily pre-
vent me from mingling 40 freely with you as
would desire !, therefore, ask that you will
give to my opinions careful and serious consid
Grafton, and should they commend me to your
support, am sure il will be as freely given AS it
will be gratefully received.
have learned my political principles in the
old Virginia school, The doctrines by which
stand, are the doctrines expounded by Virginia
statesmen, and maintained by the people of Vir-
GINA in the first great collision between federal
power and the rights Of the States in 1898 -
Those principles are as valuable and ms dear to
the patriot, at the present moment as ut any
epoch in our history. It is to State sovereignty
and to State power that the slavehodng minor
ity in the confederacy can alone look for safety
in the last resort, should intolerabe aggressions
and usurpatons ever ba attempted by the nom
slavcholding majority. When but short time
ago, the anti-savery storm ragged highest, and
when the patriotic passions and energies of the
Southern heart we're gathering for the conflict,
both my competitors pointed you to the arm 0
the State as your only protection. They both
approved the Virginia resolutions These reso
lutions did not express the mere opinions of a
certain collection of citizens of the United
States, as to what would be intoerabe oppres
sions, but announced in authoritative terms the
sentiments of Virginia, and foretold what would
be the course Of the State of Virgin !, in an
event then regarded as not improbable. The
storm no longer lowers so fercely over u.s.
Shall we therefore pull down the roof beneath
which we then sought shelter! We are now
assaulted by an open array Shall we therefore
throw down our Notifications and destroy our
armor?
No, fellow citizens, let us religiously preserve
those safe guards for our liberties established b.
our wise forefathers and the benefits of which
We have so recently experienced. Demolish
State sovereignty, and establish consolidated
government in this confederacy, and the rights
and the liberties of the South would be dissi-
pated like mist before the morning sun, feel,
therefore, that In endeayoring to maintain before
the people of this district the principles of the
old State rights party, ] am serving the best in
terests of my country.
The Constitution of the United States is
compact between sovereign States. 1t is bind
ing upon all, so long as observed by all. The
government of the United States can only eKer-
else the powers delegated to it. IF it exercises
others, the compact is violated, and the people Of
tie States subjected TO unauthorized power
A violated compact is not binding upon the in
jured party, aud State is not obliged to submit
to the exercise of powers which it never dele.
gated II the compact is violated, its validity Is
gone--if the injured party choose to avail him
self of the right to declare it void. 1t is one of
the attributes of sovereign State to decide for
itself whether the oompacts into which it has
entered have been observed or violated. This
power having been nowhere delegated It is re-
served to each State.
In ease, therefore, of deliberate, palpable,
and dangerous exercise of powers not granted
by the federal compact, each State has the right,
and is in duty bound, to interpose for the pur-
pose of arresting the evil, and maintaining in
violate the rights and liberties of her own
people.
do not regard it as expedient, in view Of
H"o' S''S'"hs'o, ioi obJ pout'efh ptatt oepSf-
ately, or for all together, Gould concert be OBJ
tained) to secede from the Union. While will
point to no special grievance IA rendering such
step expedient, yet, in my opinion, we ought
firmly to maintain that every State has the un-
questionable right to resort TO any measure, by
secession or otherwise to preserve and defend
its constitutional rights. Should any, State in
view of her past grievances, separately secede
from the Union, could not consent to the
coercion of such State, by the arm of the federal
government
As friend Of the Union, and the peace Of
the country, ! would oppose every attempt on
the part of the federal government TO restrain
an unwilling State by force. will not attempt
to depict the consequences that are to be
brought upon us; ! desire to throw the re-
sponsibiIity from my shoulders.
My object shall be the happiness of the peo-
Pile; my means, economy, liberty and peace !;
my guide, the Constitution.
EDWARD A. FREEMAN
The Syracuse Riot and Fugitive Rescue.