The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1860-03-07
N M.BER 80.
Resolutions Of 'o0. 800.


Il great deal Is written and said about the VII.
! GINA and Kentucky :. Resolutions Of 'es,p but We
are inclined tosbeliese that many persons who re.
FER familiarly to these celebrated cxposi:ions Of
political right are not fully acquainted With them,
Or With the circumstances wsh gave rise 10 them,
brief statement therefore, Of the facts, mar NOT
DC amiss, especially for those Of the rising genera
ton, whose lives commenced long after the seliti-
cal agitations preceding and following the fssssas
Of the resolutions'in question. They were caused
BY the Alien and Section laws, Which originated
in the popular indignation against France. far IN.
sulting our ENJOYS, under the administration or
John Adams The French Directory had inflicted
injuries upon our commerce, for many years. in
consequence of the neutral power inaugarated bv
Washington, and powerfully supported afterward.
by Jeferson in spite Of his strong inclinatons in
favor OF the French Revolution aud she. Freuek
people. Enjoys were dispatched to eemphsn II
these INJURIES but were received with much ndK
ference, and subjected to 50 many sights and i'm.
suits BY the French Government, that the Admin
istration and the nation at large were filed witt,
s'oent Indignation. In the spring Of i7s7, accor.
dinghy, tho President sent in his celebrated .Wsr
aessage, which electrified Congress and .he conn.
try. TWAS enthusiastically responded to, and Con-
gress passed laws empowering American merchant
vessels to violently resist any attempt It search or
restraint, raising large sums orsponey for rational
defense--and lastly the Alien and sedtion acts.
the first Of which authorized the President to order
out OF the country, on heavy penalties for disobo.
dience, al aliens whom he regarded as dangerous
and the latter declared any attempt TO defsme tho
President or Congress- by false and malicious libels
tending to excite the public against them sedition
and punishable with fine and imprisonment,
These laws passed triumphantly by the votes Of
the Federal party, then in large majority in Con-
gress, and backed by the nation, who were in a
flame at the wrongs ofthe Directory. The Rcpub.
hcans, headed by Jefferson and Madison rainlv
endeayored to resist them. They were completely
sienced by the general excitement and chmer
against France, and in favor of the policy Of tho
Administration. The consequence was, that s.6nd.
ing themselves ofno USE on the floor Of Congress-
the Republicans determined to raise the issue Of
the ttiohality Of the acts, on the State are.
ms. Thit led to the celebrated resolutions to
which we have referred. Kentucky led of. That
State vas then closely alliedto Virginia, &c which
ithad been apart; was settled in great measure
by Virginians, and looked to the parent stea, for
guidance. At the request Of seme Of bis associates
jefferson drafted o series OF resolutions, which
passed the Kentucky Legislature in the winter Of
~ ss; and and these were Immediately followed by
similar resolutions in the Virginia Assembly,. The
latter the Resolutions of 'ss, 's9,n we're written
James Madison at heroen, No. Q, in the old Swan
Tavern, on Broad street, II Richmond, ii Is said,
'Tllhey were bold and determined protest against
the Alien and scditicn laws. as unfepubhean and
unconstitutional -against the consolidation policy.
as opposed to the theory Of the Constitution, and
tending to the snbyefsion ofsths rights of tho
States were declared sovereign, and called xpon to-
resist all attempts to make them mere PROVINCES Of
q great empire, and defend and maintafA A,iehte:
al their rights and privileges nnders The genera
compact.
Such were the circumstances attending the mas,
sage Of these great protests against wrong md
such the theoryyhith they advocated ana ybe end
which they we're designed 70 accomplish. They
became the corner stone u Democratic princIple.
and havecontinued fror, that time to Tin. Is rem.
resent the views esshst party upon the theory Of
American Government They we're strongly on,
posed BY the Federal party rather, II would seem.
upon view Of the peculiar condition Of the conn.
try at the time and the apparent necessity strong
measures on the part Of the Administration. than
upon abstract grounds. A very large nun,ber Of
the opponents Republican or Democratic Marty
were opposed to the Alien ndscdition LAWS ss u,..
constitutional; but the line was then drawn 90
close between the two great factions, that tile
olutions had ardent opposcrs. The laws which
drew them forth are now generally regarded bv
men ofall purtes as unconstitutional and indcfens.
lble 80 thought tens Of thousands Who stilr scted
with the Federal Opposition upon other measures.
An expositions Of the true philosophy 81 Ameri.+
can Government, it is hard to find any asw il tho
Virginia resolutions. They define, with r,asterlv
ability and clcarness, the measure Of mower and
authority possessed By the General Government.
and the separate States under tile Federal compact
and BET forth theory Of government which Is un--
doubleday the true one, under our Constitution.
The necessity ofsuch construction Of the Consti-
tuition il ut this time more obvious than It ever
was before; and we hazard the assertion, without
fear that nine.tentts Of the people Of the South,
without regard to party, are at this moment I'm.
hesitatng believers in the political philosophy Of
The resolutions Of go.
~ What is the difference between truth ard
and eggs Trnth crushed to earth viii rise
.gain, but eggs ron't"
PsEscorf's LiBRAay,--In the annual report Of
Ar sibleF, the librarian Of Harvard Colleges, tits
stated that on the oath Of January, ls4s, Mr. Pres
,ott made catalogue Of books, and with lis own
hand wrote on it; 70 go to the Library Of Har.