The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-27
Kentucky Resolutions Of ,es.

The follOicing resolutions passed the House 0f
Representatives. of Kentucky Norem5er 10Th,
1898. On The passage Of he Isl resolution,
one dissentient; I'd, Sd, 4th, oh, 6h, TN, 8th,
tico dissentients; 9th, three dissentients.
l. Resolrsd, That the several States compo-
sing the United States of America, are not united
on the principle of unlimited submission to
their general government but that, by compact,
under the style and title of Constitution for
the United States, and Of amendments thereto,
they constituted general government for
special purposes, delegated to that government
certain definite powers, reservlng, each State to
itself the residuary mass of right to their own
self. government; and that, whatsoever the gem
eral government assumes undelegated powers,
its acts are unauthoritative, void and of no
force that to this compact each State acceded
as State, and rs an integral party; that this
government created by this compact, was not
made the exclusive or final Judge Of the extent
of the powers delegated to itself since that
would have made its discretion, and not the
Constitution, the measure of its powers but
that, as in all other cases of compact, among
parties having no common judge, EACH, PARTY
HAS AN EQUAL RIGHT TO JUDGE FOR ITSELF, AS
WELL OF IsFRAcTIos AS OF THE MODE AND
MEASURE OF REDRESS. ....
. RESOLVED. That the Constitution of the
United States having delegated to Congress u
mower to punish treason, counterfelting the Sc
curities and current coin of the United States,
miracles and felonies committed on the high seas,
and offences against the laws Of nations, and no
other crimes whatever; and it being true, as 4
general principle, and one of the amendments to
the Constitution having also declared that "the
powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States. are reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people !" therefore, also, the same act
of Congress-. passed on the l4th day of July,
1898. and entitled "an act in addition to the act
for the punishment of certain crimes against the
United States" as, also, the act passed by them
on the 9th day of June, 1893, entitled san act
to punish frauds committed an the Bank OF the
United States" land all other Of their acts which
assume to create, define, or punish crimes other
than those enumerated in the Constitution are
altogether uoid and Of no force; and that the
power to create, define, and punish such other
crimes, is reserved, and of right appertans solely
and exclusively, to the respective States each
within its own territory.
3. Resolped, That it is true, rs general prln-
riple, and is expressly declared by one OF the
amendments to the Constitution, that "the pow
ers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by 1t to the States,
are reserved to the States respectively, or to the
people," and, that no power over the freedom
of religion, freedom Of speech, or freedom Of the
press. being delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States, all lawful powers respecting the same
did of RIGHT remain, and were reserved to the
States or to the people; that thus was mani
tested their determination to retain to them
selves the right of judging how far the licen
tiousness of speech and Of the press may be
abridged without lessening their useful freedom,
and how far those abuses which cannot be sep
nrated from, their use, should be tolerated rather
than the use should be destroyed; and thus,
also, they guarded against all abridgment by the
United States, of the freedom of religious prin-
ciples and exercises and retained to themselves
the right of protecting the same, as this, stated
bv law passed OF the general demand of its
citizens. had already protected them from all hu-
man restraint or Interference: and, that in add
ton TO this general principle and express decla-
ration, another and more special provision has
been made by one of the amendments to the
Constitution. which expressly declares that
| Congress shall make no laws respecting an es-
| Enlistment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom Of
speech, or OF the press" thereby guarding, in the
same SENTENCE. and under the same words, the
| freedom of religion, of speech and OF the press
| insomuch, that whatever violates either, throws
| do Sn the sanctuary which covers the others
and that libels, falsehood, and defamation
equally with heresy and false religion, are with.
held from the cognizance of federal tribunals
| That therefore, the act Of the congress Of the
| United States, passed on the 18th OF July, IDS
! entitled "an act in addition TO the act entitled
n Al IF ~ in inn
against the United States" which does abridge
the freedom Of the press, is not LAW, but is al
together VOID and OF NO EFFECT.
| 4 Resolred, That alien friends are under the
Jurisdiction and protection Of the laws Of the
State wherein they are that no power over them
has been delegated 10 the United States, nor
prohibited To the individual States distinct from
| their power over citizens and il being true, n
n general principle, and one Of the amendments
! TO the Constitution having also declared that
the powers not delegated to the United States
by the Constitution, nor prohibited by It to the
States. are reserved 10 the States respectively
or 10 the people" the act Of the Congress OF the
! United States, passed the % day OF June
! 1898, entitled "an act concerning alters" which
| assr mes mower over alien friends, not dele
1 gated by the Constitution, Is NOT LAW, but i
altogether VOID and ofSo FORCE.
s. Resolred, Thatin addition to tho general
| principle. rs well as the express declaration tina
powers not delegated ore reserved, another and
more special provision inserted in the Constitu
ton, from ab lndant caution, has declared tina
the migration or importation OF such persons
M any Of the States now existing shall thinl
| proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by tn
| Congress prior to the year 1908" That thi
commonwealth does admit the migration o
alien friends described as the subject OF tn
said act concerning aliens; that provision
against prohibiting their migration, is PROV
| -ion apainst all acts equivalent thereto, or
would b, nugatory that to remove them, whei
migrated, is equivalent TO prohibition OF thel
migration, AMI il, therefore, contrary to the sal
provision Of the Constitution, and uoid.
g. Resolr.d. That the imprisonment Of per
son under the protection fthe la2s Of this CON
monwealth on his failure TO obey the simple OF
der Of the President to derart out of the Unite
! States. as is undertaken by the said act, emit
tied An act concerning Aliens" is contrary t
the Constitution. one amendment in which ha
provided that no person shall be deprived o