The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1870-11-24
Calhoun's Reply to Webster.
"a Crushcr, an Extinguslier, an
AnnihilatOr."
II the Constitution is n Compact
the States have the Right
to Secedc,
Or to NulIify an demonstrations
Law Of Congress.
The Veto Power OF the States the
Only Bulwarll OF Liberty.
ICONTINUED.l

CONllNIED'l
"a reference to the Constitution Of Great
Britain, with which we are better ac-
ouuinted than with that of any other Ell- |
ropcan Government, will show that THAI Is
"A compact Magma Charta may certainly
be rcckoned among the fundamental laws
of that kingdom. Now, although II ana
not assume, originally, the form OF COM
pact, vet, before the breaking up OF thc
meeting of the Barons which imposed II
Oh King John, it was reduced into the form
of IL covenant, and duly signed by Robert
Fitzwatcr and Others on the one part, ana
the King on the other.
but we have more decisive proof that
the Constitution OF England is compact, !
in the resolution of the Lords and Com
mons, in 1858, which declared:
liking James the Second, having ell
dcavOrcd to subvert the Constitution OF the
kingdom, by breaking the original con,
tract between the King and people, ana
having, by the advice of Jesuits and other
wicked persons, violated the fundamental
! law, and withdrawn himself out OF the
kingdom, hath abdicated the government,
and that the throne Is thereby become va
can't
But why should / refer to writers upon
the subject of Government or inquire into
the Constitution of foreign States, when
there are such decisive proofs That our
Constitution is q Compact? On this point
the Senator is cstOpped. borrow from
the gentleman, and thank him Tor tiie
word. His adopted State, which ne soaniy
represents upon this floor, and his natiVe
| state. the States or MASSACHUSETTS, anu ny"
Hampshire DOM dcclare"' III lieiI I".l'
| Al, thnt a
caulOH OF tiie CohsticuIlo''' l'i"S ~ "'t' "
Compact lhe Ia'lic"tion W
''''' 10 III Wv
Here Mr.. Calhouh caleu sPet t "a st W..
tioil W t!ic ia''I".'o'' y. w Ttit,t;om l.
sachuSetis, III witch .'.o Son''.' ~ 10
spoken OF Us oolEMN ooMrA'''
"The ratification of New Hampshire Is
taken from that of Massachusetts, aud al
most in the same words. But proof II pos
sible, still more decisive, may ne 1ouia III
the celebrated resolutions OF virginia on
the Alien and Sedition Law, III l'9S, ana
the responses OF Massachusetts ana tDe
other States. These resolutions expressly
assert that the Constitution Is compact
between the States, in the follow ing IAN
guagc:
"'That this Assembly doth explicitly and pc,
rcmptorly declare that it views the powers of the
Federal Government as resulting from the compact
to which the States are parties as limited by the
plain sense and intention Of the instrument consti
tutin, that compact as no further valid than tn y
are authorized by the grants enumerated in that
compact and that in case of deliberate, papa'
Bile, 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
houna To ipter,o,e. for arre,ting the progress OF
the evi, and for maintaining within their respect.
iro Limits the m,horities rights. and liberties, ap
nor,a,nin, IN themn
- n, A., Ca.,o, ,sso,,,1,,, 1otb o,so
nc ,rasS ,ts Ienn rrrrrt fiat a shirt has, in
s,pi r' ;nstnnaa. 1orn manifested Inv the
TnInr,, 1;ovrrnmcnt TO enlarge its powers
nv forced constructions of the Constitu-
tional Charter, which defines them; and
that indications have appeared of Il design
tnrynoInd certain general phrases (Which,
having been copicd from tic very limited
Grant of powers i'm the former Articles OF
lGnnfrdrruti0n. were the less liable to be
misconstrued), so AS TO destroy the mean
inc and effect of the particular cnumcra-
tion which necessarily xplains and limits
thn oereroI phrases. and SO AS TO CONSOLE
DAFT. the states. by degrees, into one Sow
ercirntv. tLe Obvious tendency and ineyi-
table result of which would be, to trans
form the present republican system of the
Initial Stntns into an absolute. or. mt best.
a niyrd monarchvi,
-, ,.,, c...,,
-, Ihcy WIZ syn. w 70 s'I 81
we nave inc replies Vi Deia""io' Wv
lork' uoni,sc.lcu., NV liul'lps"'io' hti +,
mont, ana iassaelluse.ls lio. oilu VI Mn ~,
cohtiaulcts this important asstl!loii ~ tilc
part OF NirG!hla' any ny .helr ,r Silence
they AL acqniescc III us lruiE. me case
is sun stronger against MaIsac e .i !.
whlcn expressly recognizes t,ie i'c' 'ii"I
INC CONSTITUTION 10 oo",p'c1'
Here Mr., Calhoun read from the answer
of Massachusetts, i'll which the Constitu-
ton is called solemn COm1dct.J
Snow, ask the Senator himsclf--l put
it to his cundor to say, il South Carolina
be cstoppcd on the subject OF the protect
, i've system, because Mr.. Burke and Mr.
Smith proposed II moderate duty on hemp.
or some other article, | know not what,
nor 60 care, with n view Of cucouInrinr
it's production (of which motion, venture
to saw, not one individual in Il hundred in
the State ever heard), whether lie and Mas
sacbusctts. after this clear, full, and solemn
recognition that the Constitution is a
COMPACT (both on his part and that of his
State), he not forever estopped on this i'm
portant point?
There remains one more of the sena-
tors arguments to prove that the constitu-
ton /. not a compact. to be considered. lie
says it is not Il compact. because it is Il
government: which he defines to be an
Organized body. possessed of the will and
: power to execute its purposes y its own
proper authority: and which, lie SAYS,
bears not the slightest resemblance To Il
compact. But | would ask the senator,
Whoever considered government. when
spoken of as the agent to execute the pow
ers of the constitution. and distinct from
the constitution itself, as Il compact? In
that light it would be a perfect absurdity.
1t is true that, in general and loose lam
guage, it Is often said that the government
Is a compact, meaning the constitution
which created it. and vested it with all-
thorty to execute the powers contained in