documents of Virginia and Kentucky resolution

documents of Virginia and Kentucky resolution

Introduction

The documents of Virginia and Kentucky resolution argues that the primary General Assembly of Virginia is to ensure that it expresses a resolution that is firm in order to maintain and, at the same time, be able to defend the constitution of the United States of America. Besides protecting the constitution of the United States of America, it also protects the constitution of the Virginia State against any aggression from either the domestic or the foreign (Calhoun,1828). It will also provide support to the National government of the United States by observing the provided measures warranted. On the other side, the document of South Carolina exposition and protest primarily focused on the subject known as deliberate attention. The entire legislation had a unanimous agreement that the duties on imports to be imposed but not get revenue but to ensure the protection of one constituent of the industry at the expense of others was considered to be unconstitutional. It was viewed as a sign of corrupting the moral virtues of the public and ruining the liberty of the country. Imposing duties on the imports to protect a given industry is also viewed as a means of inequality and oppressing people of the South Carolina State.

Summary of the documents

The document of Virginia and Kentucky resolution was written mainly to urge the Unions of the States to be able to maintain their pledges to the powers. The Union States is also supposed to watch and ensure that every infraction of the principles is opposed. The document was also written to explicit and declare views concerning the power of the federal government (Madison, 1867). It also expresses the progress of maintaining rights and liberties which are pertaining to the lives of the people. The document expresses that federal union to be considered upon specified terms to ensure liberty and happiness for many states

The South Carolina Exposition and Protest document was written in the year 1828, and this was during the nullification of the Crisis. The main aim of the document was protesting against the 1828 Tariff; it was also meant to express the idea that the state should have the right to reject federal law. The document also expressed that the general government has a specific power, and this power can be used rightfully to help exercise power which is granted to them and ensure that the power is properly put into effect.  It was also written to warn the legislation about imposing duties to the imports but not to earn revenue; hence the idea is condemned because it is a sign of corruption, exploitation, and oppressing people (Calhoun, 1828).

Similarities of the documents

The documents of Virginia and Kentucky resolution and South Carolina Exposition and Protest were both written to express how the state government should exercise power to ensure that the rights and liberties of the people with the state are respected (Madison, 1867). For instance both the document helps in viewing the power of the federal government and considers the states as one party. Both documents are also warning the federal government about violation of the rights of the constitution of the state government to ensure that each member of the State government is living according to the constitution and enjoys his or her rights of liberty.

The documents are both common because they are all fighting for the right application of the constitution from the state level to the national government. For example, both the documents are addressing critical factors concerning the rights of the people and how the power of the constitution is supposed to be applied based on the principles of the constitution. Both the documents are against the oppression and inequality which in most cases is not addressed taken seriously and addressed because this is viewed as a way of being lenient to the constitution hence that means that there is no firm adherence to the principles of the constitution

Difference between the documents

The document about the Virginia and Kentucky resolution expresses a firm resolution that helps maintain the federal and the constitution of the United States of America. It also talks about the state constitution of Virginia to be protected against aggression that involves both domestic and foreign. This is a different situation in the document of the South Carolina Exposition and protests because it majorly expresses protection of liberty, and it is also against the legislation on import duties that tends to exploit and oppress the revenue. The document condemns corruption and the vices which are destroying the liberty of the country (Madison, 1867).

The document of the Virginia and Kentucky resolution declares that essential rights such as the liberty to conscience and the press should not be canceled, restrained, or be modified by any of the authorities from the United States of America. Therefore, this document dwells much on the rights of the State. In contrast, the document of the South Carolina exposition and protest is most focused on the constitutional liberty of the state members, it fights majorly against the oppression and violation of liberty, and it also addresses the importance of respecting and observing legislation (Calhoun,1828).

Conclusion

In my opinion, it might be difficult for the state can nullify the federal law because always the federal law is the supreme in the land. In a case where the state is planning to nullify the federal laws, it might create conflict between the state and the federal. Another reason is that most of the rules are interpreted by the federal government, and therefore, it is impossible for the state government to nullify the federal law (Madison, 1867). For instance, the nullification of the federal was tried in the year 1798, but it did not work twice, and therefore this shows that it difficult for the state government to nullify the federal law. It is vital that if there is a law to be implemented or made, it is essential for the state government to inform the federal government to make the adjustment based on the constitutional agreement in order to avoid conflict.

Calhoun, J. C. (1828). South Carolina Exposition and Protest. Wikisource, the free library.[, 2005]. URL: http://en. Wikisource. org/wiki/South_Carolina_Exposition_and_Protest (дата обращения 20.04. 2011).

Madison, J. (1867). Letters and other writings of James Madison (Vol. 2). Lippincott.

References