The Long Roll

air it drank, so raised its mood, so wide, so very wide the opening prospect. Old red-brick houses, old box-planted gardens, old high, leafless trees, out it looked from its place between th

red by mounting clouds, so tossed by winds of passion and of prejudice, it felt the proudest as

d there by English stock. Around it gathered a great crowd, breathlessly listening. It listened to the reading of the Botetourt Resolutions, offer

f all the citizens of the Commonwealth, in the present alarming condition of our country,

eir consent, it was Virginia who, by the resolution against the Stamp Act, gave the example of the first authoritat

ore any of the Colonies, and gave the

introduced a resolution to declare the Colonies independent St

, under whose guidance Independence was achieved, and the rights

g the storm of war and pouring out the blood of her sons like water on

g. "That she did-that she di

whereby the Mississippi, instead of the Ohio River, was recogni

value of the Union of the States, she ceded to all for thei

te to secure peace and tranquillity at home and respect abro

ok place at Annapolis, which ultimately led to a meeting

he production of one of her sons, who has been

is country, at its head; her Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, in

"left on record his judgment as to the i

tion of 1798 was brought about, Louisiana was acqu

she has never infringed on the rights of any S

to vindicate the equality of all the Sta

he citizens of other States.... And that the common government, to the promotion of which she contributed so largely, for the purpose of establishing justice and ensuring dom

ctations have been gr

!-We don't think alike, we don't feel alike, and we don't interpret the Constitution alike! I'll tell you how t

goaded by insults, and threatened with such outrages and wrongs, for their bold determination to relieve themselves from such injustice and oppression

be out in January.-Alabama as well

ommon umpire between coequal sovereign States, to judge for itsel

his sovereign power when they dissolved

seceded from the Confederation and adopted the present

observed by every State, and that the Union should be perpetual, and that no alt

the others, form a new compact; and there is nothing to show, or by which it can be shown

inalienable!-We fought for it-when didn't we fight for it? Whe

State; the Constitution by the people of each State, for suc

primarily on the States. But each was adopted by the State for itself; in the one case by the Legislature acting for the State; in the other

, and the State, in the exercise of the same sovereign authority by

a State remaining in the Confederacy and enjoying its benefits cannot, by any mode of procedure, withd

enforce them. Such authority was denied to the Congress in the convention which framed the Constitution, because it would be an act of war

tish Government to legislate for the Colonies inall cases whatever; it would constitute o

the bone-dyed in the weaving! Jefferson, Madison, Marshall, Washi

ture of our system of confederate State

t the powers granted under the Constitution, being derived from the people of the United St

ranting them away. Who were to determine whether the powers granted had been perverted to their injury or oppression? Not the whole people of the United States, for there could be no oppression of th

the Convention could act, against the oppression of an irresponsible and sectional majori

ed to act for herself without consulting with her sister States equally aggrieved, we are nevert

75, to the delegates from Virginia to the Continental Congress, "That we desire no change in our government whilst left to the free enjoyment of our equal privileges secured by the constitution; but t

rting with it but with our lives; that our duty to God, our country, ourselves a

ntion of the people should be called forthwith; that the State in its sovereign character should consult with the other Souther

ite mad-not even the black Republicans! We'll save the Union!-We made i

with the other Southern States, or alone, such measures as may seem most ex

eginning of wind in the forest. It grew, it became deep and surrounding as the atmosphere, it