The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-08


ing circumstances ihoud not intrude Jingle
ohierv ''ion, Especially as learn that the fub -
jet has been fully diicufed and various
votes taken--did l not feel impelled by one
confederation hyperion TO all others-but, fir.
whenever a proportion is made which goes TO
affect the intereit and wantonly violates the
rights Of fate, one of whole repref natives I
am, hold it to be my bountlen duty to rife in
the oppoiitO is the bill in YOUR hand,
and under fuch Influence do now act in my
Judgment that bill uiurps power, and attempts
the exercite of a right which the ltateS OF Mary
land and Virginia never have, and trut never
will relirquiih to- any government a right ei-
fential TO them as fovereIen ftates and the re-
linq,ilinent of which will render them depen-
deueies not only on the general government, 5ut
upon any corporation within the ditriSf OF CO.
lumbia.
In the courfe of this dfcuiiiou, reference. no
doubt, has been had to the deeds of ceiIion
from thofe two ftates to the general govern
ment. mean not again to bring them to their
view, and mention them only for one purpof. :;
preiume that in the contraction of thoi, arti-
Giles, the fame rules will be obftrved, the fame
principles will be adhered t., which are obferved
in the contribution of the original compact, the
contribution well know that in the co ftruc-
ton OF that inftrument, two opinions have
gone abroad in the United States, and have
their jealous advocates the one is, that the
general government polleiesall powers, wi ich it
ihall deem necefiary, and which are not EXPIRE r.
ly reftrved to the ffatcs to this 'oGtrine have
never been friend, and am furprifrd to find
that it has 70 many advocates on this day, who
fupport that bill the other is 'that all rights,
powers and juriid6tions are referved to the
Rates, which are not expressly delegated to the
general government, This is the doctrine
which have always advocated, and which
fnpport on this day by oppofng that bill.
Admitting, Sir, my frIt petition to be true !;
that the fine rules of contribution mutt be ufed
in two cafes whics l have mentioned, | call up
on gentlemen to ii'ew any exprcfs furrender of
this right of jurifdi6tion, either by the fate IF
Maryland or that of Virginia--none fiich ~.
pears-and gentlemen muit either, adopt the
exteniive doctrine of implication as one of
their political tenets, or relinquilh that bill
II will go further Sir, and declare it
as my opinion, that the legislatures of thof-
two ffates never conld have intended the
furrender of that iurifdi6tion-I was
member of the Legislature of Virginia at that
time, and the idea was new unto me until
the Taft year, when the bridge proportion was
brought forward appeal - the candour or
the gentlemen OF this committee, and cali on
them to fay whether it is reafonab!e to fun
pole, that thofe two tates after taking I'M
common pains to fix, and render feclre, for
ever. to themfeives and the;sr friends the ma.
vigation of this river, after uniting their eff
orts, to open and improve If to- comfortable
diftance aboAe tide water, would flirrender the
jurifdiction to any earthly power. thereby put
ting 1t in their powert to impede it, whenever
they Pleafe; for be it remembered, that if we
have right to throw up dam in one place
we have right to build bridge in another, if
to build bridge, to draw an artificial line at
any place, laying " thus far you fhall GO. and
nc tnrt!!er,'
For thefe reafons am convinced that the
right has never been surrendered that il never
was intended and that it never ought to be
relinauiihed confidering the objections which
have mentioned as fufficient to defeat the bill,
| have forborne to examine into its expediency
whether it will prove advantageous TO -fome of
the diftrict and injurious to others / will not
pretend to fay one thing however appears pro-
pable to me, that ifby the erection of this dam,
the rapidity of the water oppofite TO George
town is increafed, and thereby the fand & mud
carried to a lower point and there depofted,
that pointmaybe at or near the Eaftern branch,
which we have eftabliihed as our Navy Yard,
to which heavy veilelsget with grea, difficulty &
from which they may be entirely excluded,
ihould the effect which / apprehended take
place / iubmit this to the confederation of the
friends of this eftabliihment, which is not with
out its enemies already.
One more word and am done five admit
the right to erect dam, we have the fame to
build bridge, and if we grant the one for the
accommodation ofthe people of one part of the
diitrict, l kno,snot how we can refufe the O.
ther to the inhabitants of the other part let
the friends TO the prefent bill look to this
the dviiion of this Houfe on the laft year on
that point was very equal, and the admifion
of the right will certainly give it new friends.
On the paliage of the bill the Yeas and NAYS
were taken, and are as follows
YEAS-MeiIrs Alton, jun. Bnderfon, Bald
win, Bard, Betton, Bi,hop, Blackedge, Bry.
an, G. W. Campbell, Cafey, Cbamberlin,
Clagett, Conrad, Davenport,
Dwight, Earle, Elliot, Elmer, Pindley, Cod
dard, Gregg, G.. Grifwold, r. Grifwold,
Hanna, Heiiter, Hose, Holland, Hunt, Kenne-
Lewis, Jun. Livingston .Lowndes, Lu-
cas-, M Creery, Meriwether, Mitchell, I. Moore,
Morrow, Mott, Patterfon, Platter, +. M. Ran
dolph, Rhea, (of Tenn Root, Seaver, Sloan, I.
G. Smith, Southard, Stedman, Stephenfon.
Stewart, Taggart, Tallmage, Tenney, Tbbits
Van Cortandt, Van Horne, Verp!anck, Wadf
worth, Whitchil, L. Williams, VIM, Winfton.
and Wynns-66.
NAYS-Mefrs. Alexander, Bedinger, Bovd.
Boyle, Brown, Butler, Clark, CroweinrbieId
Dawfon, Dickfon, Early, Eppcs, Eufis, Good.
wynn, Griffin, Haibrouck, Holmes. Iones
u .Vrral - u