Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-01

that the mind olany gentleman WHO n") ~
been misled upon this question shall BE uhoe'
ceived as TO that. Let him loox to mat sec,
ton. There is not one word or syllable IN II
which in any way conflicts with the opinion
which may DO held by him As to the entire ana
absolute sovereignty and Independence OF tue
States during the existence OF the reue:''
| Government. Il does not contradict the olih,,
ion and it does not affirm the opinion. ana
! the proposition now is TO be put IN mat ant.
nation into the section unnecessarily, because
! it does not lead to the conclusion Of the sec
lion, which is simply that the States nave
| equal rights under the Federal Government
T desire not to abuse the patience OF the
! Committee by making any other speech upon
this subject, but | deem il important ana ne.
cessary before the vote is taken upon II 'lN,
the Committee should perfectly understand
,hnt this proposition has no connection Win
the proposition originally standing IN the sec
! ton which is under consideration, ana that oe'
ing the fact, whether it be true or 'aI'e' II !,
unnecessary TO inscr; it here by way CT {
| ment. ,.,
Mr. WM.C c. Soor7-Mr. Chairman, aithougn
offered that amendment, and "ItheHG, | Sn"''
vote against the amendment as n'ienle'.' oc,
cause | am perfectly satisfied with Tie of's'nH'
resolutions, | do rot think 1t Is necessary :"A
.nv amendment shall DC made 10 the orlHinal
resolutions, because | regard them rs perlect'y
Ineligible. Sir. the amendment c1iereu ny
| the gentleman from Gloucester was onirtiy
unnecessary. 1t went on 10 STATE th"' t"I
| States we're still sovereign. In some sense ,
,Im;, that the States are still sovereign, al'd
in some sense | deny that ;ii2y are sovereign
They are sovereign over a.! powers ietaihei.
| They aro not sovereign, in my opinion, III re,
! gard 20 the powers granted TO me ieoefA,
| Government by the Constitution ol tile CIi'Sd
/ States.
Sir, what is The meaning of the word "SoYe-
! reign" Ny friend from Princess Anne, l"r.
W!syl Yesterday said, lie would rot SO to a
school boy dictionary 10" the purpose OF 81,
csrtaiuing the meaning d The word, o:!t II
seems that he and the gentleman trsul l.I:h'
mond(Nr. .MAGFAM.ASDJ rtclcd Widely IL re
gard 10 It's meai:ug. II gentlemen cannot
agree in regard TO the nearing of lie
word Sovereign" or Sovereignty, It Is
impossible that they could ever agree IN opinion
ia regard to it. They might discuss it until
doou,is day-they would DC lie the ScUtchman
who described metaphysics as tTo men taking
| IDEeIDcT, OIlc VI HIlrtit SiH A'" 49,
WAS talking aDoIs, ~reiil'er did Tbs olhsF'-
(Laughter.)
What is the meaning Of tho word "SoHe-
reignr understand it lneaf5 supreme
| What is the meaning Of the WORD 'eo'ere'sn,
~" understand II means supremacy. ~
| these are not the definitions Ui Tie teTind, ! U"
not know what they are. Is the State OF ,lr-
ginia sovereign over the powers de!eSaied 70
The General Government: ! hold not
Mr. Chairman, | will hot discuss The ques-
ton whether the States were originally soFe'
| reign before they entered into articles VI coh-
federation. grant Ihat they were. me dc
claraticu of Independence Of The United STATES
declares that they were free. sovereign, and III
dependent Ststcs. The Klng of England adj
mitted that they were free, sovereign, ana III.
dependent States. As such thy entered INTO
the articles ci confederation. They did not
deal directly with the people Of the United
States, nor with ally Of ,!Ictn. They dealt
only with the States, as political communities.
They had no power to lay taxes upon the peo'
pie, under the prctencc that they we're eX'cr-
ting any law. They bad no power tc Try men
for treason against it. Tncy "hily teait WIN
States as political communities. But IN the
course of time it was found that a con!cderacf
Of this sort WAS not productive Of any gcod TO
the country. The people OF the United STATES
through their respective States, sent delegates
to'a National Convention, and agreed 70 form
a compact with each other, by which, IN my
opinion, they agreed to become, one people Tor
certain definite and specified purposes.
They gave certain powers 20 thc Federal Gov.
eminent, ard in order 10 distinguish 1t from
the old articles IF confederation, ll.ey gave that
Government power 20 act directly upon the
people Of the United States.
The ~oues.ion with us u this: DID the Fede-
ral Government OF the Constitution u TIE
United States grant away certain powers TO
the Federal Government, and cid 1t grant away
those powers forever: II. it granted away
sovereign powers and granted those powers
forever, | hold that then the States are not
entirely sovereign. What power was granted
awayY The power Of makins war! IS net
that q sovereign power? 1t is no stated ny
Vattcl. The power Of making peace; the
power Of making treaties the power OF lnu-
king o citizen Of the United States the power
Of Masking u Navy the power q maintaining
an army? Are not these sovereign powers.
sir? Were not these powers granted away by
the States to the Federal G~arcrrm>nt! las
not the Federal Government The right to come
into the State Of Virginia and lay l. tax upon
you, upon me-, AMI every one ii this Cunren-
lion, and has the State Of Firsinia lhe right 10
prevent itf Has the State Of Virginia any
more right to prevent the lcSying Of taxes than
the Federal Government hus the right to pre-.
vent the Stale Of Virginia from levying taxes
upon the same p"opley They have not. Has
not the Federal Government the right tC caIne
here and take one of your citizens and try
him for m offence against the United States
take away his liberties ii the case will justify
its There was 4 case Of that sort, a short time
ago, in my own county. A federal officer,
without even consulting The State OF Virginia
in her political capacity, went into my county,
took ore Of our citizens, brought him here to
the city of Richmond, tried him before q fsde.
raj tribunal without consulting the S:s.e in
my way, a.ui ,Jok away his liberty by con-
ricting him Of the offence alleged against him
and sent him to the pcnitcnt:nIy. II any
Of our citizens should be found in arms against
The United States are they not guilty of trca-
son and liable 10 be punished as such-aEd has
the State Of Virginia any more right to pre-.
vert the conviction Of her citizens, if they be
guilty OF treason, than the United States would
ha We a right to prevent the execution OF an
individual if he were tried and convicted BY the
State for treason against theSlat.? The Fede.
raj Government had nothing to do with, the
States in their political cSpacity. They deui
like State governments with individuals. The
State acts upon them ami the Federal Govern.
ment acts upon them.
But, Mr.. Chairman; these powers have been
granted. For how long end for what length Of
time have they been granted? Can they lie
resunied at pleasure! The preamble Of the
articles Of the Confederation states thsl they
we're articles Of confederation to perpetuat.
union among the States Of New Hampshire,
Virginia, SC. Then, according to tie pream.
bic, it was not Only declared TO he a perpetual
Union among the States, Lut in the last article
it ~as SO declared. Is this Union perpetual
under the Constitution we now hsvcS The
preamble to this Constitution declares tia,
I'VE, the people Of the United States, in order
to make a more perfect Union &c. IF tbs