Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-06-24
"a dollars per annum.1

carry this power into execution. 1t was not
to execute this power in a cumbrous form.
| but with the greatest facility with which the
power is susceptible of being welded. Now
is 1t possible that the constitution contemplate
ed that the revenue should be collected and
transmitted here subject to all the risks and
accidents and Inconvenience that attend the
transportation Of specie, l. is impossible.
| But ali this doubt has arisen from its bsing e
separate and Independent power, although it
| Is no more OF that character than any other
law passed to execute the enumerated pow
ers Of Congress
In word, Mr.. President, it is admitted
by all who have spoken on this question, whe-
Their for or against the bill under considera-
| ton, that the agency Of bank or of banks
affords the greatest facility and security Of
any mean that can be devised for the collec-
ton OF revenue, and for It's transmission to
your treasury.
1t is admitted that no bank or banks of q
capital or of sufficient circulating paper
| throughout the United States adequate 20 this
| object, did exist when the constitution was
first formed, promulgated OF adopted. 1t is
admitted that u levy and collect taxes is one
| OF the enumerated powers of Congress. It is
admitted that Congress has all power neces-
| sary and convenient to carry its enumerated
powers INTO execution.
It is admitted that there is noexpress clause
in the constitution prohibiting the establish
ment of a national bank.
Ifthese principles and facts are admitted,
| does it not demonstrate, beyond the possibili-
ty of doubt, this unquestionable result, TO wit:
| that as Congress is to levy and collect re-
venue; that as the agency OF banks affords
the most certain, speedy and convenient
| means by which revenue can be collected,
hot al
| stitution was made, promulgated or adopted
banks of sufficient capital, OF with paper ofsuff-
cient circulation existed for the collection ofthe
revenue, & its transmission to your treasury
| that as there was nc positive clause prohibit
| ing natiNnal bank In the constitution that
as Congress was to have all power necessary
| to carry itsenumerated powers into execu-
| ton; that as the convention who framed and
the people who adopted the constitution mUst
have had in view the existing institutions
| and the then general state OF society, it was
the intention of the convention who formed
the constitution and the people who adopted
it, to give to Congress the power of Estab-
fishing e national bank. II at the time of "a
dopting the constitutions was necessary and
proper that Congress should possess it, for
the exercise of any of its enumerated pow
ers; if the foregoing result is undeniable, &
think it IS, / would interrogate, if Congress
on the adoption of the constitution possessed
power to establish a national bank, what
has since deprived that body Of the power
| /, Mr.. President, can discover nothing which
| has. One argument much conhded In by
gentlemen who have opposed the present bill,
! IS not that banks are not necessary to the
| collection of the revenue, but that state banks
will answer In return insist that no state
banks did exist when the constitution was
first formed therefore the power to create
a natidtal bank is necessarily given in the
| power 10 levy and collect taxes. To this it
is replied that to create national bank is to
legislate by implication; it is a separate,
substantive and independent power; to levy
| a tax is one thing, to make a bank another.
/ answer, to levy tax is one thing, to cre-
ate an officer for its collection another. By
| this kind of chop-logic we may prove any
thing unconstitutional. ask, when you levy
a tax, 4 you do not provide officers for col
lecting h, / levy tax and create bank
through whose instrumentality | mean to
collect it from the same authority by which
/ appoint a collector, have right to Gre
l ate bank through whose instrumentality I
| mean to receive and transmit it. There is
no clause in the constitution saying you may
appoint officers for the collection of the rev
enue specifically but the right to appoint
officers to collect revenue is derived from the
power of@eying a tax, from which also may
be deIiyeA the power Of establishing a bank,
| if it be tfeS best mode of collecting the rev
enue. 1t is said you may collect this tax by
! means of the state banks. Very well, sir :
l say you may collect the revenue by means
of state officers; and upon the principle that
| you cannot establish bank to collect the
| revenue, because the state banks can collect
il, say that the state officers can collect our
taxes; and fyour argument is just, you can
not appoint any other officers. The consti-
tuition authorizes the President to appoint
| persons = fill all Offices established by law,
but says Not word about appointing off,
GERS to collect the tax you levy specifically.
Upon the construction gentlemen contend
for, they might say, because no power is ex-
pressly given to appoint officers of the Gus
toms, or for your taxes, and it is possible to
collect the revenue by the agency Of the
state governments, and nothing should be
done by the United States authorities which
can be done by the states, therefore these
collectors of the customs OF revenue should
be such as are appointed by the states, for
state pv-poSes This kind Of reasoning, sir,
caunotbe admissible, and is in hostility with
a moss maRifestprncipl Of the constitution,
as it Is evidently prominent feature Of that
instruments th;t the general government
shouldhave within itself all those powers me-
r