Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-25
Resolutions Of '9S.

Resolutions Of '9S.
Below will be found Il communication
which we copy from the National lntrllgrr
Ger, in relation to the history and real sign
tiration of those celebrated resolutions of The
Legislature of Virginia, commonly known
in political parlance as 'The Resolutions #
'9S." This communication says the Intel
! ligencer, proceeds from the pen of an -.
teemed correspondent IN the Old Dominion
who, unlike most Of those addicted 10 swear
in the words Of the political masters whom
! that ancient Commonwealth delights 10 hon
or. is fully appraised of the words they nctu
ally uttered on the occasion in question AMI
ct the same time interprets them in the lich,
Of history, instead Of looking at them
through the distorting mists of time and tho
refracting medium of partisan prejudice
"FREDERIcKsBuRG VA June 7 1850
! In brief leader of the lntelli gencer of Tbur..
day last, We are informed that the soi.dissrt
Republican party in Ohio. has adopted the
/ Resolutions Of '9S rs its gospel Mu,J,
doubt was for long time entertained no
many well meaning people, whether such
resolutions existed save in the imaginsti,r,
of some zealots, for 1t is well known thar of ,L.
/ = mr.
! by them, there was hardly one who had re,,i
them, or had even seen the outside of book
containing them. Some wears ago, however
the want was supplied by new edition.
with the debates. know not what eff ~,
have been made by the publisher to briny
the book into notice, but that these have nor
been successful, is obvious, for the DEM.
Gratis, Nulitiers. Secessionists and 80 cal,.i
Republicans regard il as u "cloud by d,y
and pillar of fire by night" to guide them
through the untrodden regions Of the pyliti.
cal future
1T seems 10 be the policy Of the Democratic
party to discourage the use by their alty Of
this scripture, and to put forth among them
the interpretations only If their Talmudist,
So long as this course is pursued, they nav
continue to beget and bring forth any doe.
trine suitable to any occasion. The blind
obedience to the behests Of party leader.
and the stern disci pine which is its conse-
quence, have, together, given rise to thar
concert Of action which brought them into
power and will maintain them in il a. long
as the interests OF the party are preferred t.
the we'll being of the State. This assertion
is not made upon the assumption that one o.;
the two great parties is wholly right and tie
other wholly wrong; but there is little risk
in prescribing as axiomatcal that, in politics
az in religion, he who owes obedience to e
law should begin by careful examination Of
the law itself. Then, not until then, he i.
prepared to consider the different interpreta
tions offered by other men
81 beseech the Democrats 10 buy, or borrow,
The Virginia report Of lT99-lsOO, touch.
ing the alien and sedition laws, together
with the Virginia Resolutions Of December
u, 1893, the Details and Proceedings there.
on in the House Of Delegates of Virginia, ami
several other Documents illustrative Of Ia.
Report and Resolutions.
IL beseech the Democrats to read this book
not the Resolutions and report, but the
whole book, debates and all, 80 thar they
may know what was in the minds of he pat
riotic ssges then there assembled.
81 beseech the Democrats not to skip over
the explanations and reasonings put forth
during the debate, and which have been
carefully kept out of their view by their par
ty leaders.
81 beseech the democrats Ia read and learn
what were held to be necessary and proper
measures to be taken by State In case Of
an infringement of the Constitution by the
Federal Governmsnt.-See page 23l.
81 beseech the Democrats t. read two let
tiers written by Mr.. Madison, one to Mr.. Eve
rett. and the other to Mr.. Ingersoll, both OF
which will be found in the appendix.
beseech the Nullifiers and Sccessionists
to read with rs calm II Judgment as the cir
cumstances will allow. the opinions Of John
Taylor, of Caroline, (who presented the re-
solutions, as to the constitutional remedy for
violation of the Constitution See pages
III and lib.
''Respectfully. }. NJ.
"P. Sin Mr.. Jetferson's letter to Mr.
Taylor, part of which is given in note pug
1874, the word un~iSe should be read HnnSolt
for 80 it is written in the original"