Year: 1865

SO construed as to give unlimited powers, nor
part of them to be taken, as to destroy the whole
residue of the instrument. That the proceeding
of the general government under color OF those
articles will be fit and necessary subject for re-
visal and correction at time Of great tranquil
ty, while those specified in the preceding resolu-
tions call for immediate redress.


Resolved, That the preceding resolutions be
transmitted to the senator's and representatives
in Congress from the commonwealth, who are en-
Joined to present the same to their respective
houses and TO use their best endeavors to procure
at the next session Of congress repeal OF the
aforesaid unconstitutional and obnoxious acts.


Resolved, lastly, That the Governor Of this
commonwealth be- and is authorized and request
ed to communicate the preceding resolutions to
the legislatures of the several states, to assure
them that this commonwealth considers union for
specified national purposes. and particularly for
those specified in their late federal compact, to
be friendly 10 the peace, happiness, and prosper
ity of all the States-that faithful to that com
pact, according to the plain intent and meaning
in which it was understood and acceded to by
the several parties it is sincerely anxious for its
preservation; that it does also believe that to
take from the states all the powers Of self gov
ernment and transfer them to a general and con-


solidated government without regard to the
special delegations and reservations, solemnly
agreed TO in that compact, is not tor the peace,
happiness and prosperity Of these states And
that, therefore, this commonwealth is determined,
as it doubts not it costltes are, to submit to un-
delegated and consequently to unlimited powers
in no man. or body OF men, on earth; that II the
acts before specified should stand these conclu-
sions would grow from them, that the general
government may place any act they think proper
on the list of crimes and punish it themselves,
whether enumerated or not enumerated by the
constitution cognizabc by them that they may
transfer its cognizance to the President or any
nj thprD m
counsel, judge and jury, whose suspicious may be
the cvdence, his order the sentence his officer
the executioner and his breast the sole record of
the transaction. that a very numerous and vau-
able description of the inhabitants of these states,
being by these precedents reduced as outlaws to
the absolute dominion of one m.n, and the bar
riers of the constitution thus swept from us all.
no rampant now remains against the passions and
the power OF a majority Of Congress to protect
from like expectation or other grevous punish
ment the minority of the same body, the legisla-
lures, judges, governors and counselors OF the
states. nor their other peaceabe inhabitants who
may venture to reclaim the constitutional rights
and liberties of the states and people, or who for
other causes, good or bad may be obnoxious to
the views, or marked by the suspicious OF the
President. or to be thought dangerous to his or
their election or other interest public or person
al; that the triendless alien has been selected as
the safest subject of a first experiment, but the
citizen will soon follow. or rather has already
followed; for already has a sedition act marked
him as its prey. That these and successive acts
OF the character unless arrested at the thres-
hold may tend to drive these states into rcvolu-
ton and blood and will furnish new calumnies
against republican government. and new preteXs
for those who wish it to be believed that man
cannot be governed but by rod of iron; that it
would be dangerous deluson were confidence
in the men of our choice to silence our fears for
the safety Of our rights; that confidence is every
where the parent of despotism free government
is founded in jealousy and not in confidence; it is
jealousy and not confidence which prescribes
limited constitutions to bind down those whom
we are obliged to trust with power, that our con-
sttutiOn has fixed the limits to which, and no fur
ther our confidence may go; and let the honest
advocate OF confidence read the alien and sedition
acts, and say if the constitution has not been wise
in fixing limits to the government it created, AM
whether we should be wise in destroying those
limits? Let him say what the government is if
it be not tyranny, which the men of our choice
have conferred upon the President, and the Pres
ident of our choice has assented to and accepted
over the friendly strangers to whom the mild
spirit Of our country and its laws have pledged
hospitality and protection; that the men Of our
choice have more respected the bare suspicious OF
| the President than the solid rights OF innocence
the claims OF justification. the sacred force OF
truth, and the form aud substance of law and JUS
| tice. In questions OF power then let no more be
| heard OF confidence in man. but bind him down
| from mischief by the chains Of the constitution
| That this commonwealth does therefore call on
its coSates for an expression Of their sentiments
| on the acts concerning aliens, and for punishment


oil certain crimes herenbeiore specified, plainly


declaring whether these are or are not authorized


by the Federal compact. And it doubts not that
their sense will be so announced as to prove their
! attachment unaltered to limited government,


whether general or particular, and that the rights


and liberties of their Co states will be exposed to


no dangers by remaining embarked on Il common


bottom with their own. But they will concur with
| this commonwealth in considering the said acts
| Us so palpabc against the constitution as to


amount to IN undisguised declaration that the


compact is not meant to be the measure Of the
! power of the general government, but that it will
proceed in the exercise over these states of all
| powers whatsoever. That they will view this as
| sezing the rights of the states and consO lidting
| them in the hands of the general government.
with the power assumed to bind the states not
| merely in cases made Federal. but in all cases
whatsoever, by laws made not with their consent,
| but by Others against their consent; that this
would be to surrender the form of government


we have chosen and living under one deriving
| its power from its own will, and uot from au-
| thOrity; and that the co-states recurring to their


natural lights il cases not made Federal will con-
| cur in declaring these void and of no force, and


will each unite with this commonwealth in re-


questing their repeal at the next session Of Con-
| grets.