Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-09-20

The virginia ana Kentuclgy Resolutions.
Having given some account Of the origin of
these famous resolutions, with the purpose in
view let US attend briefly to their doctrine,
which we are told, is sound promising that The
former 60 much further than the latter in the
assertion Of dangerous hersy; the latter, too,
have been endorsed by eminent and good men,
who oppose notification We shall consider
only the abstract or governmental assertions OF
them. with no inference Of the times which
brought them forth.
First They declare the Union a "compact"
entered into by the several States, as Stdtcs.--
They thus ignore the very letter Of the Consti-
tuition, which declares that ere the people, in or
der TO form a more perfect Union, do ordain and
establish, &C." Why use language in the COM
parative, in this preamble2 They had had a
acompact" in the articles of Confederation aud
they found that compact inadequate to the pur-
poses of government The Confederation sunk
into drowsy decrepitude, ,powerless and palsied.
Hence it is said that for the purpose of forming
a more perfect Union, the Constitution is made.
The Confederation rested on the will Of the
States, and it was to lay the foundation of Gov
eminent deeper than the sanction of delegated
authority that the old was abandoned and the
new established.
Second They declare the Government not TO
be the "final or exclusive judge of powers del
egated to itself but in all other cases of COM
plant, having no common Judge, each party has
n right TO j1ge for itself as well of infracton rs
the mode and measure of redress" l. e., each
State is Judge, and must furnish such redress as
it chooses. Here comes the fallacy, no "com-
mon Judge" is needed, for the plain reason that
the States arc not leagued in a compact The
err5acnt,-not a league,-and erected a tribunal
as their common Judge That government OPP
crates on the people directly, and not upon them
las local nunieipalities Ii further declares that
the Constitution and Laws i'm accordance there.
with shall be the supreme law of the land.
] If the doctrine of the resolutions be correct
then is each state. de iuye, a complete indepen.
dent sovereigntv and the Union a mere fedora
tion of these soyereignties existing AT suffer.
nnce: and n State NAV, as the "mode and man.
ner of redress" for "infractions" which she esti
mates withdraw from the Union. annul law o.
! the general Government or simply refuse obedi
ence and tbus the Union becomes a mere SYM
Dol of power. "a rope of sand" and its laws un.
meaning words on the statute book. If tn,
doctrine be true we are not a nation but a mos
ldependent federation. liable 20 destruction any
day bv the most petty State in the Union.
Sonth Carolina acted ON This doctrine. an,
ordained the abrogation of n national law. bu
Jackson met her on tbe tbresbhold and thun
dered forth ',,the Union. bv the Eternal il mus
and shall he preserved j This was enough. an,
: Soutb Corolinn subsiJod for n time
Our Government is t6o nooplo. dependent o,
! their will They can alter or destroy if. annu
t or amend its laws. Without their support i
falls. IF tits of the States. IL is misnamed: i
could no tben only n treaty n lnayue bindin,
in GOOD faith from which a1y narty NAV with
3 draw by'doinp no greater wrong than VIOLATING
: thot f,;tb and tho SSt.tes orly cnuId determ;n