Thomas Jefferson discusses States' rights in 1825

Andersonh1

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Letter from Jefferson to William Branch Giles, Dec. 26, 1825. Thomas Jefferson is concerned about the federal government "rapidly" usurping the reserved rights of the States, and he discusses how to preserve the Constitution. "Standing to arms" and dissolving the compact are options, though a last resort and only when the evils of secession outweigh the evils of submission. There's a long road before that last resort is reached.

The accusation that the present generation has "nothing in them of the feelings or principles of ’76" is a damning indictment, and the way they view the federal government as "an aristocracy" is a major problem for the future preservation of liberty.

It seems very clear that Jefferson, at least at this point in his life, endorsed secession as a final resort to preserve the rights of States. He would die the following year on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which means we never got his perspective on the Tariff controversy that was only a few years down the road.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-5771

I see as you do, and with the deepest affliction, the rapid strides with which the federal branch of our government is advancing towards the usurpation of all the rights reserved to the states, and the consolidation in itself of all powers foreign and domestic; and that too by constructions which, if legitimate, leave no limits to their power. take together the decisions of the federal court, the doctrines of the President, and the misconstructions of the constitutional compact, acted on by the legislature of the federal branch and it is but too evident that the three ruling branches of that department are in combination to strip their Colleagues, the States authorities of the powers reserved by them and to exercise themselves all functions foreign and domestic. under the power to regulate Commerce they assume indefinitely that also over agriculture and manufactures, and call it regulation to take the earnings of one of these branches of industry, and that too the most depressed and put them into the pockets of the other, the most flourishing of all. under the authority to establish post roads, they claim that of cutting down mountains for the construction of roads, of digging canals, and, aided by a little sophistry on the words ‘general welfare’ a right to do, not only the acts to effect that which are specifically enumerated and permitted, but whatsoever they shall think, or pretend will be for the general welfare, and what is our resource for the preservation of the constitution?​
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are we then to stand to our arms, with the hot-headed Georgian? No. that must be the last resource, not to be thought of until much longer and greater sufferings. if every infraction of a compact of so many parties is to be resisted at once, as a dissolition of it, none can ever be formed which would last one year. we must have patience and long endurance then with our brethren while under delusion; give them time for reflection and experience of consequences; keep ourselves in a situation to profit by the chapter of accidents, and separate from our companions only when the sole alternatives left are the dissolution of our union with them, or submission to a government without limitation of powers. between these two evils when we must make a choice, there can be no hesitation. but in the mean while the states should be watchful to note every material usurpation on their rights, to denounce them as they occur in the most peremptory terms, to protect against them as wrongs to which our present submission shall be considered, not as acknolegements or precedents of right, but as a temporary yielding to the lesser evil, until their accumulation shall overweigh that of separation.​
 
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