The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-05

tectaal!y provides for that cbieGe. The circum.
itances which pave rife TO the mearlre ar.. too,
recent, and muA be too freih in the minds Of
the members of this committee TO rerder it ne
ceiiary or utcfOi for him to detail them at this
t!ins. Now, whether the convention accom-
PINNED the ooIect they had in view, the confti-
tuition would decide, and whether the obi- q
haa been accomplished by the ceffion Of p5rti-
cular rates aud the acceptance of Congrefs.
ire laws will decide. But whether il IS Wiz
or eXpedient 10 dtfroy work, On which 70
nacf W'ido!n, time and money had been cx-
pended, ire gentlemen forming this committee
! will decide.
The contribution declares that Conrrer, G,ayI
nave power to exoroite executive lsFiaation IN
ny me cehon OF particular nates and TIE, &C.
ceptance of Congrefs, become the feat Of tAc ro-
vernment OF tlc United States. Nhst is tbe
import OF thefe terms, but that there fbsIl H.. a
permanent ieat of government, not ternr,,,ra-
~ one-not N eftate for years CT lives, Int for.
ev'r. Thetr considerations induced The Gates
OF Maryland and Virginia TO cede territory
and CorE-cic to accept it, with view of ma.
king L the permanent feat Of government. Tn.
conttitution never contemplated more than one
ieat OF government. If this is a fair conftruef;.
on OF the contribution, how is it po:IilIe for sem
tieihen to advocate a removal But il is Csid.
lhat the law affirming the jur;fdiction MIGHT he
repealed, as is the cafe with every law rafftd Lv
this body. He did not think that this pen,r,I
maX'm extended as far as fome gentlemen G.em
to inPPoie. Among the enumerated powers
given to Congrets, there were fcveral not liable
to repeal. At ieah the repeal could not aft n +be
acts confeQuential on them. They have nn,y-
cr to borrow money on the credit of the Un;ted
ot"tes II money is borrowed under your law.
can Congrefs repeal it They r,ay ehabliCt IN
uniform ruie Of naturalization, but can they
take from citizen who has become flch under
hat law, his right of citizenii.ip, and reduce
him again to an alien So they can and nav
make and repeal bankrupt law--thev have
done IL, but can they repeal the effect it has
mad on thoie who have been diicharged from
their debts under it? They cannot.
Conerefs might have refmfed to accent , cec.
lion OF this dittrict; whether it was right or
wrong to accept is not the queltion; but hav
ing accepted. CongrefS have given the inhahi
tants lien upon their juftice, and they cannot.
by repeal, deitroy any of the effects PRODUCED
by the public confidence on the value of pro-
perty within and near the dihritt. But If this
Congress were TO adopt the refolutons, what
would be the consequence? Is II contended
that future Congrefs could not hereafter al
lume the exercife of executive legiia,ion even
II the two itates !hould agree to accept the re-
ceihon--He believed TO gentleman would con-
fend this point, and if Conerefs may hereafter
aiiume the jurildittiou, we do NOTHING more
thar merely tie up our own hands. Tit Jaw no
ocSS!'on Tor this, as he bad rot fSen, fei- or M
oer!tood the inccnvsnicncies comn!a:ned &c
Much had been faid Of the difyracefvl Rate
~ which the inhabitants of this diarit9 are DIa-
ed; they are confdered by fome gentlemen 40
vNia!a or iiaves. Now he was willing thar the
people thoIid Judge on this point ther1.Crlves
ii they are iatished to remain under ConercE
honal leg'i!ation, he thosid not do any thing 10
';ii.:.i :hat istissat9iof. tt fat they werr n,
tisfed, he inferred from the increaiirc p0,uia-
ton; ne heard of no comfortable ernpration
from the dLitrlct, he heard OF non Eving to fat
country of liberty acrofs the Potomac. on
the contrary they were fatisfrd with The pe,r.i-
on of freedom they enjoyed in this pjacc .tq+
was fully evinced by the petitions and r.lcyrori-
AIS on the table, praying Congress to continue
to exercte legination over them. H re,ea,sJ
again that TIE people were the proper iudecq cf
their own htCatiou, and he would leave the-, =,
nudge for thenlfelves. lie was not for f,rcio,.
upon them liiS notions IF ibert Y or D ,ticaItap-
p'he's. lie :aid u was true Congref. did not
derive much advantagt from fitting here and
eXerciiing executive legi1ation but the peor,c
perhaps might-ani thar perhaps wouId coz
tole them for fuch depryatiors as gentlemen
mad conceived in the warmth of 1roac innari-
nation. Bst although Conrrefs had MOI 1s VET
derived much advantage from their evruf,~
IegiNdiion, tho time may come when II will p
all important for Congrefs 10 have the foIe in
ntdlctlon over the territory in which the DIb-
lie deliberations and concufons are condua-d.
The time has been, and il is rot impofFi,e h,,t
1t may be again, thar Conerefs have been driven
from the walls within which they were Gftino
He knew nothing 70 likely to prevent ? renewal
OF fdch an outrage as keeping in their own
bands the right of fole and executive iuriCditti-
on.
There were doubts entertained of the confi.
tntonalty OF the meafure of rece(Iiou. and If
gentlemen douSted, il would BE- much G,f.rnot
20 att on the iuhiect than to rfk the breach of
the iolemn obligations they had entered into
at that table. He thought the weigh, of the
argument on the expediency prcponderated on
the nde he had advocated, aud from the n,oft
candid view of the fubi,d he was inclined IN
recommend the rejection Of the ref,lutions AZ
aii events he houId give them his decided mega
tive.
Mr.. CLERK. The queflon before the com
m'ttee is truly of comfortable importance pot
only as It reflects the conRitutionality but the.
poicy OF the meafiIre. lie was forry he I'd
not the talents re1uifte for a full and complete
inVeltigation of 70 great fubied. Bred to an
occupation purely profefTicnal, he had been led
more to t!'e itudy Of detail and practice, than
TO ahltratt theories; hence It was that engaged
III that IqbOrfot,c r.rs,.f,,,s H.. T.