Replies of the States.
Copies of the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions were sent to the "Co-States." Replies were made to Virginia by the legislatures of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York (different replies from the Senate and the House), Delaware, Pennsylvania (the House) and Maryland. Replies to Kentucky were adopted by the following: New Hampshire (same as to Virginia), Vermont, Rhode Island (similar as to Virginia), Connecticut, New York (the House, same as to Virginia), Pennsylvania, Delaware (similar as to Virginia), Maryland (the House). No State seems to have adopted resolutions at this time approving of the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions. It was in answer to these replies that the second set of Kentucky resolutions (Nov. 22, 1799) and Madison's Report for the Virginia Legislature (1800) were adopted.
The minority in the Virginia Legislature issued an "Address containing a Vindication of the Constitutionality of the Alien and Sedition Laws."
References: The replies to Virginia from the New England States, the Senate of New York, and from Delaware are in Elliot's Debates (ed. 1861), IV, 532–539; also in a pamphlet entitled The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, etc., published by Jonathan Elliot (Washington, May, MDCCCXXXII), 9–15; additional replies are in The American Historical Review, V, 244–252, supplementing an important article by F. M. Anderson, on Contemporary Opinion of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, ibid., 45–63, 225–244. The most important of the replies from eight of the States, either because of the previous or subsequent attitude of these States toward the Federal Government, or because of the declaration in regard to the function of the Federal Judiciary, are here re-printed.
In the House of Representatives, February 1, 1799.
Resolved, By the Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Delaware, in General Assembly met, that they consider the resolutions from the state of Virginia, as a very unjustifiable interference with the General Government and constituted authorities of the United States, and of dangerous tendency, and therefore not fit subject for further consideration of the General Assembly.
Test, John Fisher, C. S. John Caldwell, C. H. R.[2]
[Elliot's Va. and Ky. Res., etc., 9].
