MR. MADISON's REPORT

 ON THE VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS.
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At. tf11AIC AON f4N t0 HEllt ttJA

 ON TIE

 tiRG1.Yi.9 RESOLUTIONS.

 VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGAT

 Session of l799-1800. Report oi the committee to whom were re-

 ierred the communications of various States.

 relative to the Resolutions of the last Gen

 eral Assembly of this State, concerning

 the Alien and Sedition Laws.

 Whatever room might be found ia the pro- ceedIngs of some of the States, who have dlsapproyed of the resolutions of the Gener- al Assembly of this Commonwealth, passed on the 2lst day of December, 1799, for pain iul remarks on the spirit and manner of those proceedings, 1t appears 10 the committee most consistent with the duty, as well as dignity, Of the General Assembly, to hasten an ob- hylon ol every circumstance which might be construed into a diminutioa of mutual res- pect, confidence, and affection, among he members of the Union

 The committee have deemed 1t a more useful task to revise with critical eve the resolutions which have met with this dis appreciation; to examine fully the several objections and arguments which have ap- peared against them; and to inquire whether there be any errors of fact, of principle, or otreasoning, which the candor of the Gen. eral Assembly ought to acknowledge and correct.

 FIRST RESOLUTION.

 The first of the resolutions is in the words following:

 "Res0lped, That the General Assembly of Virginia doth unequivocally express a firm resolution to maintain and defend the Con sttution of the United States, and the Con stitution of this State against every aggres- sion, either foreign or domestic, and that they will support the Government of the United States Fl all measures warranted by the fof- mer.72

 No unfavorable comment can have heen made on the sentiments here expressed. To maintain and defend the constitution of tae United States, and of their own State, against every aggression, both foreign and domestic. and to support the Government of the Uni ted States ill all measures warranted by their are duties which :he General Assembly ought always 10 feel, and to which, on such an occasion, 1t was evidently prop CT 10 express their sincere and firm adhef- ence.

 SECOND RESOLUTION.

 In their next resolulion-.The Genera Assembly mosi solemnly declares warm attachment to the Union of the States, to maintain which, 1t pledges all is power; and that, for this end, 1t is their duty 10 watch over and oppose every iaffaction of those which constitute the only basis of that Union, because a faithful observance of them can alone secure its existence and the public happiness"

 The observation just made is equally ap- plicable to this solemn declaration of warm attachment to the Union, and this solemn pledge 10 maintain it, Tor can any question arise, among the enlightened friends of the Union, as to the duty ol watching over and opposing every infaction of those principles which constitute its basis, and laitEiu ob- servanee of which can alone secure its exis- tence, and the public happiness thereon de- ding.

 THIRD RESOLUTION.

 The third resolutiotion is in the words lollowing

 That this Assembly doth explicitly and peremptorily declare, that il views the pow CTS of tEe Federal Government as resulting from the compact to which the States arc parties, as limited by the plain sense and ia- tenlion of the instrument constituting the compact-as no further valid than they are authorized by the grants enumerated in that compact; and that in case of deliberate, palpable, 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 bound, to inerpose, for ar resting the progress of the evil, and for main taining, within their respective limits, the authorities, rights, and liberties, appertainng to ihem.9

 On this resolution the committee have be- slowed all the attention which its importance merits. They have scanned 1t not merely with strict, but with severe eye: and they feel confidence in pronouncing, that, in it's just and fair construction, it is unexceplion- ably true in its several positions, as well as constitutional and conclusive in its inseren- ces.

 Theresoution declares, first, that Git views the powers of the Federal Government as resulting from the compact to which the States are parties;7 in other words, that the Federal powers are derived from the Const- tuition; and that the Constitution is a compact to which the States are parties.

 Clear as the position must seem, that the Federal powers are derived from the Consli- tuition, and from that alone, the committee are not unapprized of late doctrine, which opens another source of Federal power, not less extensive and important, than it is new and unexpected. The examination of this doctrine will be most conveniently connec- ted with review of succeeding resolution. The committee satisfy themselves here with briefly remarking, that in all the eonlempo- rary discussions and comments which the Constitution underwent, it was constantly justified and recommended, on the ground that the powers not given to the government, were withheld from 1t; and that if any doubt could have existed on this subject, under the original text Of the Constitution, il is re- moved, as far as words could remove it. by