Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1806-04-03
N E w P O r r..
THURSDAY-ApKlL 5, 1906.

R<warks xpos Mr.. Raudslpbi Sptef6.
SINCE the publication Of our remarks upoa
an abftrset of Rsndo ph's fra !peech upon Mr..
Gregg's RefoIution for fufpenGon of our COM
mcrcial intcrcourie with Great Britain. we have
received the fpeech enriie, and arc forry 20 FAY
it 10 more infolcnt and ridiculous than the ab-
ftrad which we had before received. For We
find that this fpeech not only condemns our
trade from the Colonies Of 4 bclligerent to the
mother country ~ unjof aud fraodulent, but
declares in the moa unqualified terms, that ia
attempting TO defend il, we fhooId plunge our
felyes into murdcroas and ofsyfve war. Bot
why does he FAY !uch war wonid be ofcn6ves
Merely brcaGic the trade 10 fraudelenti No Z
hut becaufe the Contribution Of ihefe United
State, has given Coagreis nojorilditiion over a.
ny objet beyond our CouuIy's fixed and eaab-
lihcd boundaries What an ignorance of the
pIzincA principles Of OUT ConRitution he has
here difcovercd Is il pofible that Mr.. RAM
dolph who has dlplayed 70 much <kgatsee ia
praifs OF his own knowledge in politics, fhould
be 70 ignorant of The Contribution of this Coun-
try, as not 90 Know that the third claufc Of the
f-cond feetion OF the third article expreisly pro-
vides, that whenever q crime fhall have been
committed nor within the limits of any State, il
fhall be tried aud puniffcd W here Congrefi fhail
by law have difettcdi Or did he Imagine thar
his opponsns were a. igoorant as had defcribed
them TO be; and that coniequently they would
belevs the nonienfcal jargon he had uttered
Is Mr.. Randolph 10 ignorant Of the political hif-
tory of his country a, not to know that this
slaufe has ever been conf dered as giving Con-
ercls juriidietioa over the citizens of thcic Uni
ted States when beyond the limits Of our Coun-
| cry 's'trrritory Docs he NOT know that this
confruttion was given to tie Confi,ution whca
the whole Of It's trainers we're alive! And did he
ever hear that ene Of them difpnted the propric-
~ of fuch a contraction When the whole of
the territory belonging TO this Country comes
! TO be divided into States, what pcfible meaning
can this clauie of the Con6i,ution have, unleis
il be the one we have hare given il. If indeed
neither this nor any other clauie of the Conaito-
.:...-has given Conarels iurifdiefion over ths
citizens OF this country when beyond the limit,
Of its territory, what right had they TO make
laws TO regulate their conduet when apon the
high feas and in foreign ports: What right had
they 20 make laws 70 regulate their condo6t in
our very rivers aud harbors II they have no Ia
| rifdittion over the citizens of this country when
one hundred miles at fcs. have they any jarifiic-
100 over them ~hsn one hundred yards from the
fhorc? Who hzl. draw the line and fsy that Con-
greis lhaIl have juriidieion toa certain ditance
6cyond the limits Of this country aud o, furfh-
We. Shall Mt. RAadolph draw i, He darss not
do it. That great mamnofb Of eh5nenee will
never venture his carcale beyond .he waters
edge. He has told US 70. He i, too we'll ac-
qdanted With the kind Of food which marks
prefer 70 trult his proboicis TO their ravcDous
gripe. Has she Conitiu,ion drawn any fuch
line No; for it our contraction OF il be cor
seet, Congrcis has an abfolute jurifdiefioo over
the citizens of this Country when beyond its
limit,, aud not within The jurild;t,ion Of any
otacr government. But il on the other hand
Mr.. Raodolph's contribution of il be the risht
one, thc jurifdittion of Corgrefs 10 ccnfined to
the limits Of the territory OF this country and
thofc limits can never be conlidered as cxtend-
ing bsyond the margin Of the fea which wsfhcs
them becaufe il you extend them one yard from
the fhcre. you maysexseHd them acrofs the
Atlantic. ~ f
i Wefay with Mr.. Randolph, we are afhamed
Of having faid 70 much upon 70 plain iubjcet ;
and no,hing but an apprehension that tho bold
alertous Of this bsllyiog bluRerer, might mill
lead the Judgement OF fome of our honef fellow
citizens who are not particularly acquainted
with the CopHitu,ion of their Country. could
have induccd ~ to notice bis contemplate To-
phiary. We will thesefore clofe our remarks
upon this part OF his fpeech by obferving. shae
the confequences which would follow the adop-
tion cf tks contribution which be has given 70
the ConHisution, are TOO obvious to require an
explsnstion, and too abfurd to permit aay rae
fissai being to acquie;ce in fach fophiaicaI con-
ar0ttion. F,s who is there of common undef-
Aanding, Who Is not able to perceive, thar fhould
this contraction Of the Coniaitusion once OBJ
tain, the moR attrocioss crimes might then be
committed with impanity withis Eight Of our
ihores. And YET Mr.. Randolph has the mslsey
40 tell us. that the Conaisssion vas made ios
the PRorscrsoN Of the people Of this Country,
and that IL we sdops be contraction Of il, ~s
ihall find that fecurity which its ef}sb!ifhueus
was intended TO infsrl What . fool be ha.
made OF him felf. in attempting TO make fools
of ofoshen.--(Ts be CssfisssI,j
| Our readers have no doubt obfer-