The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1870-12-15
Calhoun's Reply to Webster
"a Cr,lslicr, an Extinguslier, IN
AnnihilatOr."
If the Constitution Is a Compact
the States have the Right
to Secedc,
Or to Nullify an Demonstrations
Act Of Congress.
The Veto Power of the States the
Only Bulwark Of Liberty.

The Veto Power of the States the
Only Bulwark Of Liberty.
[CONTINUED.l
IL have now. trust, shown satisfacto-
rily. that there il no provision in the Con-
stituton to authorize the General Govern
mcnt. through any of It's departments. to
control the action of Stale within the
sphere of its reserved powers; and that, of
course. according to the principle laid
down by the senator from Massachusetts
himself the Government of the States, rs
well as the General Government has the
right to determine the extent of their re-
spective powers, without the right on the
part of either to control the Orln.. TIE
necessary result is the veto. to which he so
much objects; and to get clear Of which,
he informed us. was the object for which
the present Constitution was formed.
know not whence he has derived his infor-
nation, but my impression Is very differ
ent rs to the immediate motives which led
to the formation of that instrument. /
have always understood that the principle
was, to give to t'Ongrcss the power to reg
ulatc commerce. to lay impost duties. and
to subject the action of the citizens. indi-
vidually. to the operation of the laws, rs Il
substitute for force. II the object had
been to get clear Of the veto Of the States.
aS the Senator states, the Convention GER
tanly performed their work in Il most
bungling manner. There was, unques-
tionubly. II large party in that body. head
ed by men of distinguished talent, and in
llucncc, who commenced early and worked
earnestly to the last, to deprive the States
not directly, tor that would have been too
bold an attempt. but indirectly-of the
veto. The good sense OF the Convention.
! however put down every effort. however
/ disguised and per>everingly made. do
not deem it necessary to give. from the
| Journals, the history of these various and
| unsuccessful attempts-though it would
afford very in>tru tive lesson. 1t is sut-
| ticient to say that it was attempted. by
proposing to give to Congress pow er to an
nu the acts Of the States which they
might deem inconsistent with the Consti-
! tuition to give to the President the power
| of appointing the Governors of the States,
with Il lew OF vetoing state laws through
his authority: and, finally. TO give the u
dietary the power to decide controversies
| betW cen the States and the General Gov
eminent. all of which failcd-fortI-
nately for the liberty Of the country
utterly and entirely failed; and in this
failure we have the strongest EVIDENCE.
flat il was NOT the Intention of the Con-
yrntion To DEPRIVE fine States of th. veto
nnvrr. Hal fine attrmpt to denriy. then
of this mower been directly made and
failed. every one would hny,. seen and t,it
that it would furnish conclusive evidence
in favor of it, existence. Now. | would
ask. what possible difference can it make
in what form thi. ,ttrmut w,s made ,
Whrthrr Inv nttemptin~ to confer on the
General Goyrrn,urnf !, flower inromnntihln
Win th. ,yrrri.r of tha yrto on tI,. r.,,.t ~,
rho St,ic. nr hv ,ttrmntino dir.irti,, XIV ~
Jnnryn them ~ rho r;ri,t -, .xnr,.i'.. II -
w have thu. direct and stron~ nroof tl,.,t
in the oninion of thr Cnnvrn,inn thr
st,tns unl... LcnriynI of II nn...Is tI.
y"to nowrr--nr \ hut i nnnt,arr n,ne t tn,
,h. ..,,,, him, ria. rioLt nf nl,,G..,,,;a,,
Lnnv Thar tHnrn i :, Jv.r.;t, ~ ~, i,,
r,n,,'r tnn tri.nl. nf st,t. 81 " ",o'
,1.,r', ,o tJi. ,,",v.c n.,,;nh r,'',, ~ ~,
cn,,not hut consider il a. :, nnw.r ns>nnti,i
:" the nrotcrtinn of th,. rinnr and lnna'
;n,rrnsti ~ rho commun;t~ and '' tn. 'I Ii".
nrty ,,,J th. Ifn;on Of ,hn n,,,,t. !, !.
thc v.rv .Lin,J If St,tn p;nh"t .,nd 49,,
"nir rn,,. ~, With tI,ot o. "i,' Wv
v ,i''.s =, h;' ,' 49,, .,, VI 20,
,',r, 1i,,,,, t,,i,,,.a,, ~, ~
a .,,.t.m Of Ln-til: i,uisI,t;nn 81 Gu,
H., i,,, ,,',,; pun,
, Inni r. :on,lirt nf arms IL NOT nr.,n"t'
:. ,ut vast The riri,t nt S,.tn ~, ;"I,,
oftI,r rxtrnt of if. rr.,.rvcd nnu.rs r. IL.
In,t mort on h;rI,ar ~ w.. Wv,
1nn,titutinp j. on,,H,.',., ~ ,,,ti,.I, ~, ,m.
Stn,.. ~. n,rtin. in Hi, S,,,r,,;,. Wv
, ,,'.;ty and th.,t -. IN IN ',i' - - ~ 80, q"
i",,,,t,nt hntvann n.,rtias h,,im,, rn 'n,,,
mon mmnire e,r h,. r;''ht ~ ;m NJ .' ~,
;t.,Jt ~ th. tr,,ri, ~, 7hi, nrnnno,i, in,
th, Senator frnm M,.s,chn.t,ir ,is l,;r,
S.Jf .,...ntni If ,hn I"ns,;t,,tio ;,.oIf T.,
=, Uo,nn, t>".,nL tho, II T. i,,,,, shnu.,, "
trust rnv,rJ tbn n,s.ih;I;," ~ 81 J"nI,
= Jjnvin~ cstn,,lishrn tIis MINI no',, ni., In,
-. stated would Ln III t,,, ,o mu" nt ~,
Iiscnssion. the admissions nf th, S.n M ,".
, and nmonu them thn r;rl,t nf Socn,S;n,
unI Nmlii1icntion whinE he con,.nLo,
: would nacrssnriiv fnlinw If RI. t,nn.titr'
r tion he. indeed. a Comn,rt
~ have now renIi.I ,n rho ,r,,no,t, -,
the senator from WnssncI,n."tfs en- t;,r y.
they Iirectiv nnnIv I'm tha Resolution. am,
will. in concln.n,i. notire some NJ I'm. % rm.
, rrol and detached rcmnrks 70 nrnvn Fla,
, ours is n coIsolijatrI Gnvern,nnnt ,m'
thar there il nm immn,;,tn ,onna,.t;n, na'
tween th. Gnv.r,,mnnt and tho c;,iynr No
relies ON the f,ct that tL,. laws ,ct directIv
on individuals. That .urh i the case
will not deny: but am very rar from con.