The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1864-08-13

their proceedings) to those parts Of the consttu-
| ton OF the United States which delegate to
Congress power TO lay and collect taxes, duties,
imposts, excuses; to pay the debts and provide for
| The common defence and general welfare Of the
| United States. and 10 make all laws which shall
he necessary and proper for Carrying into execu-
ton the powers vested by the constitution in the
Government OF the United States, or in any de-
| partment or officer thereof. goes to the destruc
ton Of all limits present. ed to their power by The
constitution that words meant by the instrument
to be subsidiary only to the execution of limited
powers, ought not to be so construed as them
selves to give unlimited powers, nor Il part of
them to be taken. rs to destroy the whole residue
OF thr instrument. That the proceeding Of the
General Government under color of those articles
will BE- lit and necessary subject Tor revsal and
correction ut time Of great tranquility, while
those specified in the preceding resolutions call
for immediate redress.
8. ResOlved, That the preceding resolutions be
transmitted TO the Senators and Representatives
in Congress from :hc commonwealth who are
enjoned to present the same to their respective
houses, and to use their best cndeavors to pro-
cure ut the next session OF Congress a repeal of
the aforesaid unconstitutional and obnoxious acts
9 Resoired, lastly, That the Governor Of this
commonwealth be, and is authorized and request
ell to communicate the preceding resolutions to
the legislatures OF the several States. to assure
them that this commonwealth &C Insiders union for
specified national purposes. and particularly for
those specified in their late Federal compact to be
friendly to the peace. happiness, and prosperity
OF all the States-that faithful TO that compact,
according to the plain intent and meaning in
which ii was understood and acceded to by the
several parties. it is sincerely anxious for its pre-
scrvation; that it does also believe. that to take
! from the Stats all the powers Of sell govern
ment. and transfer them to Il general and consol
dated government, without regard to the special
delegations and reservations, solcmnly agreed to
| thtn &c OF fnrf h,,,
and prosperity of these States. And that, there
fore, this commonwealth is determined as it
doubts not Its co'states are, to submit to undee
gated and consequently unlimited powers in no
man, or body OF men, on earth; that if the acts
before specified should stand, these conclusions
would grow from them, that the General Gov
ernment may place any act they think proper on
the list of crimes and punish it themselves,
whether enumerated or not enumerated by the
constitution cognzAble by them. that they may
transfer its cognizance to the President or amy
other person, who my himself be the accuser,
counsel. Judge and jury, whose suspicious may
be the evidence, his order the sentence his officer
the executioner. and his breast the sole record of
| the transaction. that u very numerous and valua.
bic description OF the inhabitants of these States
being by this precedent reduced as outlws to the
| absolute dominion of one N IN, and the barriers
OF the constitution thus swept from us all. no
| rampant now remains against the passions and
the power of Il majority Of Congress to protect
from like expectation or other grievous pun
! ishment the minority OF the same body, the egis
Euures, Judges, governors and counselors of the
States, nor their other peaceable inhabitants who
may venture to reclaim tie constitutional rights
and liberties of the States aud people, or who
for other causes. good or bad, may be obnoxious
to the views. or marked by the suspicious OF the
President, or to be thought dangerous to his or
their election or other interest public or person
al; that the lriendless alien has been selected rs
the safest subject Of first experiment, but the
citizen Will soon follow, or rather has already
followed; for, already has sedtion act marked
him AS its prey. That these and successive acts
OF the same character, unless arrested at the
threshold may tend to drive these States into
revolution and blood. and will furnish new calum-
MES against republican government and new
preteXts for those who wish it to be believed that
man cannot be governed but by Il rod of iron;
that it would be a dangerous delusi0n were Il
confidence IN the men OF our choice to silence
| our fears for the safety of our rights that con-
fl !encc is everywhere the paren' of despotiSm:
free government is founded in jealousy and not
in confidence; it is jealousy and not confidence
which prescribes limited constitutions to bnl
down those whom we are obliged to trust with
power that our constitution has fixed the limits
to which. and no further our confidence may go;
and let the honest advocate OF confidence read
the alien and sedtiOn acts. and say il the consti-
ton has not been wise in fixing limits to the gov
wise in destroying those limits? Let him say
what the government is if it be not Il tyranny
which the men of our choice have conferred, on
the President, and the President Of our choice has
aSSented to and accepted over the irienlly stran.
gers, to whom the mi ld spirit of onr country and
its laws have pledged hospitality and protection;
that the men OF our choice have more respected
the bare suspicious OF the President than he solid
rights OF innocence. the claims Of justification,
the sacred force OF truth, and the forms and sub.
stance Of law and justice. In questions OF power
then. let no more he heard OF confidence in man,
but bind him down from mischief by the chains
OF the constitution. That this commonwealth
does therefore call on its co-states for expires
sion oil their sentiments on the acts concerning
aliens. and for punishment of certain crimes,
herHnbefore specified. plainly declaring whether
these are or are not authorized by the Federal
compact. And it doubts not that their sense will
be so announced rs to prove their attachment
unaltcred to limited government. whether gen
cra or particular, and that the ri ghts and libcr-
ties OF their co-states will he exposed to dan
gers by remaining embarked on Il common bottom
with their own But they will concur with this
commonwealth in considering the said acts us so
palpable against the constitution us to amount TO
an undisguised declaration that that compact is
not meant to be the measure OF the power of the
General Government, but that it will proc eed in
the exercise over these states of all powers what
soever That they will view this as srizing the
TiSHs vi tnc stues anu consolidating thein III tne
hands OF the General Government, with the power
assumed to bind the states. not merely in cases
made Federal. but in all cases whatsoever, by
laws made not with their consent, but by others
against their consent; that this would be to sur
render the form Of government we have chosen,
and living under one deriving its power from its
own will and not from Our authority; and that
the co-states recurring TO their natural rights in
cases not made Federal will concur in declaring
these void and OF no force. and will each unite
with this commonwealth in requesting their re-