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


:he committee, becaufe il appeared 20 be ~:
habit of members to afiien rea;ons for voting
! without expecting to make any imprcifion ,p.
on others. He coniidered the prefent qneftior
| OF the cr-atelr magnitude 10 The Urted States
ncraily; and. Of peculiar importance to his
| immediate continents.
| He thought he ihould be able 70 thew to the
'rtisfaetinn of every member prctent, that the
removal of the feat ofgovernment, which would
be the con!cqueDcc of receiiion, was not oniv
inexpedient but alto unconstitutional. If he was
fucceisfal in making ont his point, that it WIS
unconstitutional, he preiumed the Guettion of
expediencv need not be argued the meafure
would be fet at ref, and not member would
he found to give il his fuPPort. But if he
| ihould prove unfortunate in this refpeGf, which
however appeared to his mind rs trne rs that 9
and make :, he might have reference TO the
queftion of expcdiency.
| Previous to an enquiry into tie connitu,ion-
ality of the propofed project, he would inf Oh
ferve, that contributions themflves were things
of recent date. Before the American reyolu
1 tion the word itfelf was never fully underfootl.
photographers who attempted to define it
never could agree. There was no practice
whereuPon TO try its meaning. No rover on
earth had contribution before the American
ftates. True, England has long boafted of pof.
telling contribution, and 70 fatisfied were her
ltateimen and politicians of the reality of this
imaginary being, that they have cxto,led it to
the ikies. The glorious contribution of Eng
land, her pride, and the envy Of the world =
Fine words truly, but where is the thing itflf
to be found Is it reduced TO writing No.
Who has feen ii ? No man. = il known TO any
man IF it be, no two agree as TO what the
boafed contribution of Britain is. How diffe
rent, how honorabiy different is the American
,tptfA - D
ing. 1t is in every mans hard--it is known 70
the whole world, and every citizen agrees in its
true and Legitimate meaning. Re would take
this opportunity OF expecting his voice, and OF
holding up his hands i'll reiiitnC the doS'riue OF
contribution and inference formerly ct I'D.
whereby the tenor and efee} or that Invaluable
infrnment was likely 20 b- changed. He knew
that artful ard ingenious men might twiG and
turn, and make it. ike the word republican, TO
mean any thing or nothing, as bth fiited thsir
nelanous deiigns. Put this declaration and
theie attacks upon the bod OF that facred
work, were Introduced by irhuusting and art
fdi lawyers, aided BY the viilaiuy Of judges, and
accepted by men employed in the sdann ~.
ton of our public and moi important national
affairs.
! He law nothing to juiify the prefent motion.
Gentlemen had attempted to thew not only its
| policy, but alto its confitutionality. He, how
ever, could not difcover any words on that d.
| per that warranted the proief in the mot re-
mote degree /; perhaps il had efcaped his .earch,
fuetSetii EeTaiic relied fliore
/. upon an inference than on either the letter or
.pirit of the inhrument itfcIf. But he here
wou.! repeat, that no man was authorized 10
! infer Or contrue from the contribution any other
thing, than what The plain fenfe of plain words
wou'd juftify.
| H. ,g,ip decl,r,I 4La roe,c,,. ,,-,a.- Ill.,.
onal, and would prove it. The Sth fiction OF
tie n article authorized Congreis to exercife
the power of executive iegilation in all cafes
whatioever over fuch diitrict as may brcomc
the feat Of the government of the United States.
Now, he aiked, if this feClion did not mean
that he dltrct coded by particular Ratcs, and
accepted b. Congrefs, f,ould ever thereafter be
corGdered and deemed to all intents and nur-
Pofes the permanent feat Of Congress, what did
If mean For what other purpofc could the
words be uird. The contribution to be fure
does not fay that this particular ditri6t Glal be
the permanent feat Of the government but it
iays Congrefs ihall have the power of legfatior
over iuch diitri6t as may by felton, of particular
nates become the feat Of government, wifsly
leaving it TO Congrefs, who had more time and
eiiHrc to contemplate the place proper for the
purpoie, to make the fcleGtion. Congrels have
done this, and the people have fauctioned the
! meainre. The contribution prevents the reno
! val true, COngrefs have powers to Dafs laws
Tor the regulation of the general concerns of
the nation, but in this cufe the contribution has
fet up barrier which neither we nor our flc-
cehors have any rjgh. 20 OyerIcap. The accep-
lance Of this territory by Congrefs is the Gna!
fcal to the Compact and no power on earth
can dnnul its binding Obligation. We cannot
lay our unhaIlowed hands upon the initument
in order to cancel it, iniunGtions.
COngrefs could not under the terms Of the
contribution aiIume the iurifdttion at fevcral
times /; it is made bat one act, and that being
done cannot be uadone. II muf therefore be
conidered rrepoferous to propofe to recede a
part Of the iurifl+ton and refrain part vet
iuch is the intention Of the end refOlution or
the table.
VIII gentlemen contend that the contribution
may be altered on this fuhie6t in virtue of TIE
5ih article II. did not deny the foyercigr
power Of tic people 10 make, alter, or abohli
the corfitrsione az their government hut IN
I'll that va done TIE con6j.utior mos remain
as we End il. md We would ool, IL vain foI
the power OF rcceaj1r in that inarumcnt.
4 Ii bad been argued, and well argued too, anc
the argument IS difficult 90 aHiwer. that &c oeo
, pie ofthis diGrtti are placed in degraded fta
ation. That they have ro immediate voice IL
;he choice of rsrrctrta'yes--tta. their eivi
aud political rights arc proGrated II tie fee
of Congrcie. nc did not, hOwever' ackaow
I ledge that nc arYu'9e'' 10 It's utnio9 eVtenfo-