East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-09-28

Oenerul OONerliucnt, Will the power
assumed to bind tho States mot mere
ly in cases made feder,D but in all
cases whatsoever, by laws made; not
with their consent, but by others
against their consent; that this would
be tn surrender the form of govern
ment we have chosen, and living un-
der 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 re-
questing their repeal at the next ses-
sion of Congress.
VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS, BY JAMES MADISON.
/. Resolred, That the General AS
sembly of Virginia doth unequivocal-
ly express firm resolution to main
tain and defend the Constitution of
the United States, and the Constitu-
ton of the State against every ag-
gression, either foreign OF domestic,
and that they will support the Gov
ernment Of the United States in oil
the measures warranted by the former.
2. The General Assembly most sol
emnly declares warm attachment to
the Union of the States, to maintain
which it pledges all its power; and
that for this end, it is their duty to
watch over and oppose every infrac-
ton of those principles which consti-
tute the only basis Of that Union, be-
cause faithful observance Of them
alone can secure its existance and the
public happiness. g ln
3. That this assembly does explicit
ly and peremptorily declare. that it
views the power of the Federal Gov
ernment as resulting from the COM
pact to which the State are parties, as
limited by the plain sense and inten-
ton Of the instrument constituting
that compact, as no further valid than
they are authorized by the grants emu
merated in that compact; and that in
cases of deliberate, palpable and
dangerous exercise of other powers
not granted by the said compact, the
States who are parties thereto, have
the right, and are in duty bound to
interpose, for arresting the progress Of
the evil, and for maintaining within
their respective limits the authorities,
rights, and liberties appertaining to
them.
A. That the General assembly doth
also express its deep regret, that a
spirit has in sundry instances been
manifested by the Federal Govern
ment, to enlarge its powers by forced
construction of the constitutional
meaning and effect of the particular
enumeration which necessarily ex-
plains and limits the general phrases,
and so as to consolidate the States, by
degrees into one sovereignty, the OBJ
vious tendency and inevitable result
Of which would be to transform the
present republican system of the Uni
ted States into an absolute, or, at best,
a mixed monarchy.
5. That the General assembly doth
particularly protest against the palpa-
BILE and alarming infraction Of the
Constitution, in the two late eases of
tho "Alien and Sedition Acts" passed
at the late session of Congress; the
first of which exercises power no.
where delegated to the Federal Gov
ernment; and which by uniting legis-
lative and judicial powers to those of
the executive, subverts the general
principles of free government, as well
as the particular organization and
positive provisions of the Federal
Constitution, and the other Of which
acts, exercised, in like maner, power
not delegated by the Constitution, but
on the contrary, expressly and posi-
lively forbidden by one of the amend
ments thereto, power, more than
any other, that ought to produce uni
versal alarm; because it is leveled
against the right of freely examining
public characters and measures, and
Of free communication among the peo-
pie thereon, which has ever been just
ly deemed the only effectual guardian
Of every other right.
6. That this State having by its con-
vention, which ratified the Federal
Constitution, expressly declared, that
among other essential rights, "the
liberty of conscience and Of the press
cannot be Cancelled, abridged, restrain
cd, or modified by any authority Of
the United States, and from its extreme
anxiety to guard these rights from ev-
cry possible attack of sophistry and
ambition, having, with other States,
recommended an amendment for that
purpose, which amendment was in
due time annexed to the Constitution,
it would mark reproachful inconsis-
tency, and criminal degeneracy, if an
indifference were shown to the most
palpable violation of one Of the rights
thus declared and secured, and to the
establishment of a precedent, which
may be fatal to the other.
7. That the good people Of this
Commonwealth, have ever felt and
continuing to feel the most sincere af.
fection for their brethren of the other
States, the truest anxiety for estab-
fishing and perpetuating the union OF
all; and the most scrupulous fidelity
to that Constitution, which is the
pledge Of mutual happiness, the Gen
eral Assembly doth solemnly appeal
to tho like dispositions in other States
in confidence that they will concur
with this commonwealth in declaring
as it does hereby declare, that the acts
aforesaid are unconstitutional; and
that the necessary and proper meas
ures VIII be taken by each, for coop.
Grating with this State in maintaining
unimpaired tho authorities, rights and
liberties reserved to tho States respeo,
lively or to the people.
8. That the Governor be desired to