The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-21
MONDAY. MAY 10. 1851.
redcraIIsm and UnIOnIsm.

The contest OF 9S between the Federal and
Republican party, resembles in SO many re-
specis, that which is now going on, that we
think light win be thrown on both by comparing
them.
The Federal party then was Union party,
under better name than the present For the
terms Federal Union, are truly descriptive Of the
character of our Union. But Union party
may be unconstitutional and despotic.
The result of that contest, the overwhelming
triumph of the Republicans over the Federalists,
and its natural effect on the present controver-
sy has constrained the champions of the present
Union movement to attempt misrepresenta-
ton of the issues at that day. Hence, the In
teligencer, and other prints of both the national
arties, have resortcd to some letters Of Mr..
ApIsoN and General HAMILTON. recently pub
lished, but written b-fore The Constitution aras
adopted and have attempted to prove by them
that Mr. MADISON did not assert the right Of
State resistance TO FEDERAL usurpation in his
celebrated resolutions Of 1898. We shall now
present the evidence to show conclusvely what
:, DlT. leDlSoN anu tuo iNcPupiCau purity VI %
did assert.
The alien and sedition laws were the acts of
Congress, against which the opposition was
made. The alien law authorized the President
to order out of the country any alien that he
might consider dangerous or hostile to it. The
sedition law punished by fine and imprisonment
any man who published libel on officers of the
government. These acts were considered so
arbitrary, and they were adopted by such large
majorites in Congress-, that the Republicans
despaired of resistance in the federal govern
ment, and turned their eyes to the States and
many of them retired from Congress to the State
legislatures. Among these was Mr. MADISON,
who went into the Legislature OF Virginia, and
offered in that body the celebrated resolutions
of '9S, which were adopted against strong oppo-
sition They were opposed with the utmost
ability and energy by the friends of WASHING
TON, HENRY, LEE, MARSHALL, and others, among
the most illustrious of her sons.
The third Of Mr. MApIsoS's resolutions was
as follows:
3. aThat this Assembly doth explicitly and
peremptorily declare, that il views the powers of
the federal government, as resulting from the
compact 10 which the States are parties, as linz
tied by the plain sense and intention of the in
strument constituting that compact-as no fur
Their valid than they are authorized by the grants
enumerated in that compact; and that, in case
Of deliberate, palpsble, and dangerous exercise
of other powers, not granted by the said CON-
pact. the States who are psrtie. thereto, have
the right, and are in duty bound, to interpose,
for arresting the progress Of the evil, and for
maintaining, within their respective limits, the
authorities, rights and liberties apPertaining to
them"
These resolutions were sent by Virginia TO
the other States. They were answered by the
States Of Massachusetts, New York, Connect
cut, Vermont, Delaware, Rhode Island aud New
Hampshire, in terms Of denial condemnation,
and insult TIE right of a State legislature to
decide on the constitutionality or expedency OF
an act Of Congress was fItly denied and the
alien and sed;tion laws were approved BY all Of
them as constitutional and expedient. All of
the otser States were silent, except Kentucky.
which agreed with Virginia, and adopted a sci
ofresolutions which, as has since appeared. were
friend Thus it will be seen that in the com.
mencement Of that great struggle The Repub-
lican party was not near so powerful in number
as the party which now opposes usurpaiion and
Outrage, FAR more odous. But in two years the
rights ofthe States were indicated by he tri.
umph Of the Republican party, and in seventeen
years afterwards the Federal party was no
more.--It renounced its name, its organization
and lis professions; but its principles and in
stincts remained, as they i'll remain, so long as
ambition, avarice, bgotry and treaehery, pre-.
dominate in the minds of large classes Of men.
In 1923 another controversy arose with the
federal government-nnd South Carolina tool
the lead. A tariff set had been passed, which
virtually appropriated or confscated, for the W,
OF the federal treasury, nearly oe-haIf Of me tota
importati0rs Of The phols country. South Caro-
lima regarded this measures as Virginia REGARDED
the alien and sedtion laws, as ga deliberate pal
pable, and dangerous exercise" Of power no
granted-a power b protect or to epdow III,
capital and industry Of one section Of the country
Mt the expense Of another. And she asserted
and exercised the right and duty Of inferposine
to arrest the progress of the evil, and for pre-
serving within her own limits, her own authority
right, and liberty-the right Of protecting he
own property and industry against such confs
cation. South Carolina experienced in 1882 tn,
fate of Virginia in 1893 A great majority ofth
twenty -four States denied her right TO interrose
and declared the tariff law, not only constiiu
tional, but expedient and salutsry. A few onl
of the Southern States condemned the tariff
bm all repudidted the remedy In the Senate o
the United States, South Carolina did not a
first have dozen friends that would vote agains
an act that was proposed to doom her TO rut
and massacre. The celebrated debate then oC
CURED in that body, in which, as the eonstruc
ton Of the Constitution was disputed 80 ais