Isaac Davis, Speaker of the Senate.
Stephen Lewis, Speaker of the H. of R’s. Test—
John Fisher, C.S.
John Caldwell, C.H.R.
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.—In General Assembly, February, A. D. 1799. Certain resolutions of the Legislature of Virginia, passed on 21st of December last, being communicated to this Assembly,
1. Resolved, That in the opinion of this legislature, the second section of third article of the Constitution of the United States in these words, to wit: The judicial power shall extend to all cases arising under the laws of the United States, vests in the federal courts, exclusively, and in the Supreme Court of the United States ultimately, the authority of deciding on the constitutionality of any act or law of the Congress of the United States.
2. Resolved, That for any state legislature to assume that authority, would be,
1st. Blending together legislative and judicial powers.
2d. Hazarding an interruption of the peace of the states by civil discord, in case of a diversity of opinions among the state legislatures; each state having, in that case, no resort for vindicating its own opinions, but to the strength of its own arm.
3d. Submitting most important questions of law to less competent tribunals; and