The Virginia Resolution Official Document That this Assembly

The Virginia Resolution Official Document: “That this Assembly doth explicitly and peremptorily declare, that it views the powers of the federal government as resulting from the compact to which the states are parties, as limited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting that compact, as no further valid than they are authorized by the grants enumerated in that compact; and that, in case of a 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 interpose, for arresting the progress of the evil, and for maintaining, within their respective limits, the authorities, rights and liberties, appertaining to them. ”

Main Idea • • The Virginia Resolution was written by James Madison to address the newly installed Alien And Sedition Acts under President Adams

Bias • This resolution is a citation of one of the many feuds between America’s first two political parties: the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. John Adams was a Federalist who installed the Sedition Acts to prevent individuals from speaking or printing against the national government, so the Anti-Federalists critiqued it.

Inferences • • The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (written by Thomas Jefferson) deal with the same issue • • Brought up the issue of nullification • • Issue of State’s Rights and Strict Constitutionalism • • Hinted at the thought of separation from the Union, which may have influenced the Southern Succession • • Exercised the power of both the states and national government