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principles so monstrous, as groundless calumies upon the State
character, and upon the patriotism and firmness of the people,
and calculated to aid in the prostration of State sovereignty, the
main pillar of the Federal Union and American liberty.
It might seem to be incompatible with that confidence with
which Kentucky looks to Congress for redress of the wrongs un-
der which she suffers, to press directly upon that bady a renewal
od her complaints, at so early a period; but viewing the subject of
the remonstrance as not only important to the people of Kentucky,
but involving the very principles of that government under which
the American States are so happily united, the General Assembly
deem it proper, through the immediate representatives of the
State, to urge it on the early attention of the national Legislature,
and to declare, that they consider if does as far transcend, in im-
portance, any other subject which may probably command their at-
tention, as the fundamental principles of the government rise
above the details of its administration : Therefore,
Resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
That our Senators in Congress be instructed, and our Representa-
tives requested, to urge upon the early attention of Congress, the
subject of the remonstrance of Kentucky against the decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States annulling the occupying
claimant laws of this State, and employ their best efforts to obtain
the passage of acts of Congress in conformity to the propositions in
the remonstrance contained.
The provisions of the Constitution of the United States in rela-
tion to the Federal Judiciary, and the jurisdiction exercised by
those tribunals, have also been mentioned by the Governor in his
communication. The Constitution provides, "that the judicial
power shall extend to controversies between citizens of different
States, between citizens of the same State claiming lands under
grants from different States, and between the citizens of a State
and the citizens or subjects of a foreign State." It is difficult to
perceive the principle on which it was deemed necessary or poli-
tic, on the mere circumstance of one of the litigants being a citi-
zen or subject of a foreigh State, or of a different State from his ad-
versary, or on the diversity of the sovereignty by whom the land
in contest was granted, to vest the jurisdiction of the cause in the
federal tribunals, unless we presume that it was apprehended the
state courts. at some future day, might become so corrupt or imbe-
cile, as to be incapable of rendering justice according to law, in
any cause in which a citizen of a foreign or sister state might have
an interest adverse to a citizen of the state to which the tribunal
belonged, and become so far lost to a sense of rights, as to deny
justice to even one of their own citizens, on the ground that his
grant emanated from another state. But surely it ought not to
have been believed, that this government, which is founded excla-