The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-08

eion ielt irong prediction in favor OF the refo-
iu,ions, and contemplated TO give them my wsrmeh
ipPport after The matuIeit deberaton have chang
ed the opinion had partially formed, aud with the
Permdiion of the committee will proceed to explain
the resfons which to my mind have been concluiive
in influencing that opinion.
he queition depends upon Two propnf;ions. IT..
he right to cede9ndly, The policy Of the ceiiion
Upon the FRI point. am free to declare the caule in
the contribution which has been relied by the gen.
tlenen who have preceded me, does nor prohibit US
from adopting the reiolut0ns; The nerds, Congrefs
ihall have power to exerciie ex:iuyc les .=ton,
not imperative grant of power does not imply
coercion TO piun,e its exerce; lift ddwe ihouid be
N n,oniirous dilemma. Co,Srefs, The contribution
lays hall have power to declare wsr, lay and col
lccs taNsS, to borrow money, TO rae and upport ar
mics, &c. yet will contend t;iat we are bouud
10 adopt thetc meaures indiIcrrniustely-W fearch
the contribution in vain for the authority TO- rereal
laws tits an inherent right incident to I'll overr eut
the right TO repeal unlets ex-e,sy prohibited or I'M
iels violating or mPairing contracts growing out Of
our laws,is co-exeniive with the power Of enat4ing
them, and this power TO exercile executive leglation
IS conceived m the fame with the other powers
given by tlie sth fiction to Congrei5.
MIR. Chairman-While admit there isrothino in
the contribution directly prohbtory Of the retrocei-
on; believe the fpirit o. thst innrment would II ere
oy be violated IL IS predieated uron the fovereenv
add individuality Of the ates and the inpoibility of
dividing them, of transferring or extending their ter
ri'ores or o. ever exercing any aa of fovereignty
over the people without their content BY the adop-
ton ot de contribution the people the United States
oon'ented tat partis transfer il,ould be made 20
Sorgreis OF territory eyceeiipg miles q,,are
WITH ITS CITIZENS for certain fpecEed purpoies; but
W d0'S e they did no; a'hori!e Congrss to dpose
o. them ashley n'ighspk ST. An inference has been
made by the tTesds of Tie reoIu;iens st the right of
= Yc m, -: = Y -
MISUNDERSTANDING contribution CT our charter
IF It is, then indeed the greatcare expended in
defining the powers OF this government has
Been Forfe than pielefs; becaufe il held forth
anidea TO the fatrs whowere invited to adoptit,
that IT was limited in Its objefs. Iftke right to
cede the jurfdiction over the diRrt of Column
bia inferred, becaufs no constitutional barri-
er exits, the right TO ccie portion of any
ftate IN the rnion may be exercifed likewjfe--
If the contribution did not repcl this idea. there
rs natural and inherent right incident to all
governments which rciess 1.-THE right of the
people to Be coniulted as 70 ttc propricty of
transferring the iovereien power over them is
icciai and natural right 2nd focial and natural
r'gnts iuTyiye the didolufion and wreck Of
Itates-by adopting a fYftem ofcivil politv we
give up certain naturaIrights; but pm act Of the
government transferring tt.e rovers;snty oyeru
"a others, without our coaGent would be total
y lueveriiye oT the fundamental princples of
the local compact, t|raoe'cai, null and vcit'-
We have been told Ivy gcptlensCE TIN. ureee
dents may be found il our fatutes, for Ere
transfer ofterritory without The content of .h..
peoPie-and have we indeed arrived at that
epoch, when precedens once eaahihed are 10
much power? Precedents fomewhat analo
gous, made without oPpoition w'heR the prn-
cipies involved III them were not examined. =
hnT ~ nd I.
then alden - Li5ery ssutt che i,Tece,ic,,ts
quoted are not in poiut--the transfer Of upper
Louiiana To the government ofthe Indiana ter
rltcry is net iimilar cafe.-That country was
acquired by treaty, the principles of the con-
contribution do not apply to it; it was not a
par OF the Unlted States, and did not com
prehend any portion OF the people who were
parties to the ComPad-and | do not believe
that 1T CAP even he admittedin,o the union uoon
an equal footing with The original ifates without
an exPreis amendment to the contribution for
mat purPoie II would coBtravsne the objects
or the contribution, foF Congrefs TO ai1ume the
fght o. admitting LcaIhana into the union,
unItiS authorized by an amendment for thai
pofPoie. as E1uchas TO admit the ifland of
Ceyiol or any other ifisnd, or Continent.
Whole population would be lofiiciently nure,
rous to de!troy the very principles of the 90
ye'nment-thcrefore the diipoftion of upper
Loulilana by the a6f Of ,ait felton, docs not af
ford an analogous cafe.
Thus mach for the conGitutionali.y OF The
quefion--i VIII now examine whether it is no
iit,c to make the receffou. IN approaching
TINS part Of che enquiry, gentlemen lament 10
INC mott pathetic terms, the degradation of hu-
man nature; and the profTation of the princi
p!es1ncuIcated by &C the rights Of man." in the
unwliinguefs Of the peop,e,of this diftri6t 20 ac
cePt The Proflered biefiirYs of free govern
mept.--8ir, am difpoied to think charitabIy
OF thefc people, anc if pciIibl. 20 find an apo
logy fcr their condu1l; in preference TO de-
nouncinB the terrible denuuciaiion that they
are at engines of political defpotifru, and ] do
not believe that their oPpoftion TO = recefIion
is corciuiive evidence of political depravity.
The people ofAlexandria know that their in
tuence ~ the Rate of Virginia would be as
drop IN TIE ocean. The privileges extended to
them womb b merely nominal, they would be
an integral part oftbe county of Fairfax, which
IS authorized to fend Two representatives TO the
tate lesiilature, and whole experimentation could
not DC controied by Republication 90
yerned by population and taxation are the fun
damental principles offreedom. III contempia-
ting thefe they would recollctt the county Of
Warwick with z white population Of (I think
0S6 white inhabitants, which has an equal re-
pTeientation in the Dobniafhranch Of the legi1a-
lure with Frederick containing "a or $4,000.
Warwick charged with land tax of $40
Dollars 8 Cts. which has IN equal reprefcms-
tNn.. 4 r. D ~