The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-08-04
Virginia Resolutions Of l79S.

| v lrSlnla RESOLUTIONS Oh 1870, anC mucn
has been said relative to their applicability
to the existing condition of the country
In order that our readers may all possess a
copy Of these famous resolves which have
heretofore, and do now, form part Of the
democratic creed, we this week place them
entire before them. Read them carefully
and compare the teachings of Jefferson in
lT9S VITA the platforms Of the present
day. These resolutions enunciatc the faith
of the fathers Of the Republic and by them
as a standard we may measure the sound
ness of modern politicians. They are as
follows, viz.
In THE VIRGINIA House OF DELEGATES,
Friday, Dec 81, 1881,
Resolved, That the General Assembly
of Virginia doth uneQuiyocally express q
firm resolution to maintain. and defend the
Constitution of the United States, and the
Constitution Of this State, against every
aggression either foreign or domestic; and
they will support the government of the
United States in ali measures warranted
by the former.
That this Assembly most solemnly de
clarcs warm attachment to the Union of
the states, to maintain which it pledges its
powers; and, that for this end, it is their
duty to watch over and oppose every in
fraction Of those principles which consti-
tute the only basis of that Union because
Il faithful observance Of them can alone
secure its existence and the public happi-
ness
That this Assembly doth explicitly and
peremptorily declare, that it views the
powers of the federal government. as result
ing from the compact to which the states
arc parties, as limited by the plain sense
and intention of the instrument constitu-
ting that compact, as no farther valid than
they are authorized by the grants enumer-
ated in that compact; and that in case of
deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exer-
else OF other powers, not granted by the
said compact, the States, who are parties
thereto, have the right, aud are in duty
bound, to interposc, for arrcsting the
progress of the evil, and for maintaining
within there respective limits the authori-
ties, rights, and liberties appcrtaining to
them.
That the General Assembly doth also
express It's deep regret, that a spirit has, in
sundry instances, been manifested by the
federal government, to enlarge its powers
by forced constitutional charter which de
fines them; and that Indications have APP
pearl of Il design to cxpound certain gene
raj phases (which, having been COPIED
from the very limited grant Of powers il
the former Articles Of Confederation, wer,
the less liable to be misconstrued) SO as t,
destroy the meaning and effect OF the par
ticular enumeration which necessarily cx
plains. and limits the gcL1ral phrases, am
so as to consolidate the states by degree
into one sovereignty, the obvious tcndcn y
and inevitable result of which would be
to transform the present republican system
of the United States into an absolute. ol
at best, mixed monarchy.
That the General Assembly doth partic
ularly protest against the palpablc anc
alarming intractions of the Constitution. il
the two late eases of the ''Alicn and Sedi
ton Acts" passed at the last session o
Congress-; the first Of which exercises ;
: power nowhere delegated to the fedora
government, and which, by uniting lcgisla
tive and judicial powers to those Of cxeeu
tive, subverts the general principles of lrc,
, government, well as the particular organi
cation and positive provisions Of the Eede
raj Constitution; and the other of whicl
acts exercises. in like manner, power no
delegated by the Constitution, but on tn,
contrary, expressly and positively forbid
den by one Of the amendments thereto;
power which more than any other, ough
, to produce universal alarm, because it l.
lcvelled against the right Of freely examn:
public characters and measures, and o
freely communication among the pcopl,
thereon, which has ever n justly deem
cd the only clfcctual guardian of ever,
other right.
That this state having by its Convention
which ratified the Federal Constitution
expressly declared, that among othe
essential rights, 'thc liberty of conscienc,
=. and the press cannot be cancelled. abridg
cd, restrained or modified by any authority
y
possible attack of sophistry and ambition
, having with other states recommended al
c amendment for that purpose, which amend
c ment was, in due time, annexed to til,
Constitution, it would mark a reproachftl
Inconsistency, and criminal degcncracy, i
c an Indifference were now shown to tn,
c most palpablc violation of one of the rightl
thus declared and secured; and to the cs
Enlistment of Il precedent which may b,
fatal to the other.
That the good people of this common
wealth, having ever felt, and continuing t.
feel the most sincere affection for then
brethren of the other states; the trues
: anxiety for establishing and perpctuatin.
', the Union of all; and the most scrupulou.
, fidelity to that Constitution, which is tn,
pledge of mutual friendsh'p, and the in
: strument ofmutual happir SIS; the Genera
Assembly doth solemny peal to the like
disposition in the other states, in confdcnc,
that they will concur with this common
wealth, in declaring, as it does hereby
declare, that the acts aforesaid are uncon