River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-11-08
RESOLUTIONS oE 1913.
to the Best Authorities Tn
Were Framed by Jefferson.

According to the Best Authorities They
Were Framed by Jefferson.
The alien and sedition laws, enacted
by Congress in the summer of 1898,
met with much objection in some parts
ofthe country. They originated with
the Federalists, then IN the majority ir
Congress, and were strongly opposed
by me anti-Federalis:s, then called Re.
publicans. BY these laws the President
country any persons not citizens whom
we might Judge TO be dangerous to the
peace aad safety of the country, o. to
imprison any such persons should they
refuse to depart. Ife could also cause
any person who cOnspired against a
law of the United States, or wrote or
published any false or malicious acGu-
satiOns against the President or either
house OF Congress. to be fined heavily
or imprisoned The unwise attempt
that had been made to secure help for
the RevolutiOnists in France, by means
of French agents who had been sent
over here to raise funds etc, from the
people, gave apparent cause for these
laws. They were not generally ap-
proved by the people. however, and
petitions came in from every part
of the country urging their re-
peal. The Anti-Federalist wished &c
identify their party with the move
ment of opposition, and in the autumn
Of 1898 Mr.. Jefferson and two we'll
known politicians of Kentucky, Wilson
c. Nicholas, and George Nicholas
met to discuss the matter. Mr..
jefferson declared his conviction
that the laws were unconstitutional.
and expressed a wish that Kentucky
would join with Virginia in protesting
against t&em on that ground. George
Nicholas took up the suggestion imme-
diately, and offered to have resolutions
against the laws introduced into the
Kentucky Legislature, if Mr.. Jefferson
wOuld frame them. This jefferson
agreed to do on a solemn pledge from
both the gentlemen present that they
would never reveal the name of the
author. He forthwith drew up a set o.
resol utions which in November were
laid before the Kentucky Legislature.
discussed and to some degree modified,
and e rally passed, with scarcely a dis
senting vote. November Ia. Jefferson
Immediately sent copy of them &c
Madison, for use in the Virginia Legis-
lature. Madison took the hint. re-
wrote the resolutions, preserving their
general drift, but rendering them
less trenchant and less bitter than JEFF
fersOn's version. They were then in
troduced, through one John Taylor.
into the Virginia Legislature December
21, 1898. and passed December "a. The
House vote stood; 100 votes for, 6S
against; The Senate vote, II to 3. The
minority in the Assembly dissented,
and justified their views in a long adj
dress TO the Virginia people. But
Madison defended the resolutions in an
able address, which was printed with
them. and copies sent 10 all the Legis-
latures of the different States and 70
the Virginian members Of Congress.
The Kentucky resolutions were sent
out in ike manner. Concerning the
doctrines embodied in these resolutions
some of the States had nothing to say,
but the FIVE New England States. New
York ard Delaware replied, with en-
phatic and unqualified dissent. Viz
GINA and Kentucky, therefore, thought
it wise TO explain their position, and
they did so in new sets Of resolutions
adopted in 1893. These claimed that
the doctrine that the General Govern
ment was the sole judge of its powers
stopped nowhere short of despotism,
and that, while the alien and sedition
laws were accepted by the dissenting
States, they could not cease 10 protest
against them as palpable violations Of
the Cons!ltutioa.-Ch Chicago Inter Ocsan.