'1'1•:X.\S ST.\TE LIBU.\H\"
test for her right::, ag-aim:t a Gonmnnent ha\'ing at c:ommancl_ the militia of iwenh· thl'N' State,;. :11111 the whole wealth of the Nat10nal treasury? Now· couple if you please with their doctrins, this insult- ing ,lcrision of our supposed w,•akncss, ancl I would ask my fellow c·itizern,, what possible scruriiy o[ ri~ht:- or rc,lrcss of wrongs, conlcl the people of ri State hope to find in such a Uoremmcnt as the Union men would make of ours? In this candid summary ol' thc•ir system, T would enquire, where is thrir limitations of power? where is their check~ upon uespotism:, where i:- their protcc:tiou of the rights of the States or liberties of the people against tlic arbitrnr.,· will of rulers? It grnnti: cYcry power and furni~hes crery menus which tyranny could desire for the arc·omplishmcnt of the worst of purposes- Every prin- ciple of limited gorcrnment, aml errry hope of the Patriot is lost in the gulph of consolidation. Yet these very people tell us that they are the 1lcciplcs or Jeffer~on- that they arc the friends of State Rights- that they arc the advocates of constitutional restraints and arc op- posed to e,·ery principle that tends to unlimited power or to consoli- dation. Such is the despicable dii:::inmlation hy which 11, desperate fac- tion seeks to exalt error ornr trnth, Yice owr ,·irtne, & of consequence themselves into power. But it is some compliment to know, that the only hope or the Union party, lies in affect.in~ to lie wfiat t.hc 8tate rights men in reality arc. This is the homage whic:h patriot:; extort from demagogues- the latter hm·c to assume the Yirtnc:- of the former though they ha\·e them not. And now, after this plain and candid exposition or the doctrins of the two parties, need I enter into any formal defen::e of the trnth, elficiency and high necessity of those of the one party; 01· go into a tedious elucidation of the error, absurdity and danger of those of the other? Need T attempt an elaborate argument to clcmonstrate that the principles of the State Right Party is the Ark of safety; and that those of their opponents is but the graYe of liberty? No. Such a c:oursc is rendered useless hy the intelligence a)l(l patriotism that . pre- vail iu this asscmblY. It is only nccessarv to have the doctri11s dis- tinctly set forth, foi· tho~r of "Slate J11tcrj1osilion" to triumph in the affections of the people: and thr a<lnm:e ones unlimited obedience- to receive their c-ondemnation. Whilst tlw patriot drinks the former as the Falernian of life: hr ~\l<'\I'~ out the lattrr from his Yery soul as the deadliest henbane mHl hrll ehorP. 1-fc. who clops not feel that the one is true, and feel that the other i:- raise. will pruhahly 11e,·er be eon- ,·inced by any procc;.::: of rca:::onin_!!:- it i:- a matter for the heart a,: well n~ thr head. No arg11nw11t c·an c:ominet' a man that the 8llll i:- shinin;.r. who knowcth not the fact when he gazP.;; 011 the glorious urli and l,ai-k~ i11 it,; animating warmth: nml lll' who .ferls it:-: /,!enial i11- fl11r111·r ki11,lli11_g in his o,rn rein,-. and H't>" 11rou11cl hi111 all ,·cgdnhle nat11r1• c•xpa111li11g-and rrjoic·i11.rr in ii":- ,!!t'IIPl'On,- lu•am:-, c-;111 nP,·rr br safi,:fil'd Ii_,· tht• s11l1tlr di,:cp1i,-i1in11~ 111' tlw ,-ophi:-t. that it doth 1101 shi1w. .\11d ,:o it i~ with n·~anl to tl11• pri111·ipl"" 111' thP t\\·o l'Ollte11d- i11~ p:1rti1•:-111' tlw :--tat,•. 11 .. wh11 hath 11111 rh1• ,0111 to /1·1'1- who ;j,,th 11ot l,1111\\" front i11,:ti111'!: rru111 tlil' ill\l'Hl'II \"i"ol'ki11.~·,: 111' H :-pirit wli :,·li 1:,111 hath pln1111•1I i11 tlw ho,-11m of 1·,·,·r.,· patriot. that it i:- hi:- h111111, l,·11 duty to ~tnwl 1,y Iii,. :--:at" in tlw day of 1wril- to 1h•fl'll(l lwr ri~ht,: and l'l'j•l'I l11•r 1•11,•111i, ., . will 11"1·1·1· hf' ,\\ntkl'lH'cl lo :111 ac·-
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