Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-02-22
CONGRESS
OF THE UNITED STATES.
HousE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY,. Feb. 6.
WEDNESDAY. Feb. 6.
DEBATE ou Mr.. Baesr's rsfalufions 10 re-
eede tie dy4,id ct Co!4mbia.
OF EsENTATIvEs.



the reiolutions, he wihed 10 FAY a few
words on, fthe conifltutional objections
which had been offered 10 then. The
gentleman from Delaware fMr. Bayard3
told US on very late occailon tLat the
power to create involved the power TO
de}roy, and although ] may not be will
ing 10 ADOPT this maxim in all the latl-
tu1e in which il was urged by that gen
tlernan, have no hetisation In ayerring
my belief thar congrels poaeis the right,
with the aiIent Of thefe fates, ref &c
lively, 10 cede he feversl portions Of this
territory to Maryland and ViFgiola.
Nor, in my opinion, does this doctrine
initiate sgaint that contraction OF the
contribution, which regards that inaru-
uent in the light of Limited grant OF
power. In this coufrutiien ! hesriiiy
concur with the gentleman from Delaware,
or rather, if he will permit me to fay 10,
/ am glad to find he agrees with me, as
/ have retained my opinion, Whit he
leems TO have changed his. ! readily ad-
nit .has.congreis ponefs no power but that
which is devolved On Them by the conitl
tusion, explicitly, or which is evidently
included in, or deducible from It's plain
provisions. The contribution no where
gives congrefs the express power Of repeal
lng laws-bus the repeal OF laws is siien
tally connected with the power OF pzi!ins
them as in this cafe, the right TO recede
is involved 10 The iight to accept the cei-
iion. The parties TO this compact are the
United States, of the one part, and the
iiates Of Mary land and Virginia of The O.
Tier. We fpesk the voice OF The Uulted
States. and among others Of Maryland
and Virginia, 10 The confederate capacity.
The leeiflatures of thofe ttates aniwer Tor
them in their individual capacity. 1t all
thsfe parties are agreed 10 revoke their
ACT, | with TO know who is TO tiiient TO
il, or what obiacle can prevent It's being
refcinded.
Mr.. r. faid thar he was Of the num-
her of ,hole who voted againf affirming
the iurifditaion of this territory. He
did il fion prediction fer thoie prinei.
pies in which The American revolution
originated. From The firm belief that
men osght not 10 be bound oy laws IN
Whole formation thcy-had no irtlaence.-
TWAS the violation Of that principle ard
not the extent 70 which il was carried,
which laid the foundation of opr inde-
pendence. For, let il he Arelhebeied,
,hat the demand Of GIsat Britain went
only to a pepper-corn bat that we dii-
aa;oed the admilion OF 10 cdlcrS dec
tr;ne. and commenced determined and
fuccelslul reiiaance. But it is denied
thar this terri.oey is in a fate OF lave
ry, oecaufe, Gys the gen,leman, It I'm
nliss that we are tyrants. The term
ilsvery, Sir, cxcites in the mind OF man
an odious idea. There are, however,
vAs5as fpecies Of this wre,ched comb
ten. DomeRic llasery of all Others the
mott oppreGive; and political ilavery
which Has been we'll defined to be that
Gate.in. With any community is divetted
of the power Of ieif governments, and re-
pc,ated by laws TO which lis afsnt is
not required and may not be given.
Nor have I ever before undereood that
lavery, particularly of the Lead deicrIp-
ton, necsl'4vi,y Implied tyranny, al
,houghi. too frequently is psoiuet've OF
il. But 70 far iron, being ilaves the peo-
pie within this tesrirdry are, It isem', our
children, who are 10 experience every ~
diligence at our hands. Sir, the form OF
government, eiirch as has bsen deicFibed,
s6owcyef mild and beneGcial It may be III
its administration, places shoie tabJetted
toll in ila.e Of political E4vefys and
they are as completely dtveised or fell
control as the infant who IS dandled On
the knee of its parent. AS 10 The exit
eoce then, of this irscies OF lavery, 1t