Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-25
CONGRESS-.
IN SENATE.
RANK OF THE UNITED ST.aTES.
TMr. GILES Speech in continuation

At the time, and antcccdentlv 20 the eStaD-
lishment of the present constitutions the eA-
listing state governments were IN PoSSossioh
of ali the powers Of sovereignty, subject only
{ 70 feeble and Inefficient articles OF coniedera-
ton, without the means OF executing their
| own will and resting for Its execution soi0iy
on reouisitions upon the respective states,
which might either comply or refuse TO com
p,v with such acquisitions at their discretion.
! noncompliance was almost invariably the
rcsnIt Of state deliberations; and hence the
feehleness Of the old confederation. The pre-
sent constitution was adopted as the remedy
for this great and alarming evil Without II,
disunion and ruin to the states "ouia nave
been the inevitable consequences; because,
| upon actual experiment, the states we're touho
utterly incompetent to the due administrators
of all the powers of sovereignty entrusted 10
their management. The reason Oh thlS ID
competency was, that some OF the most I'M
po,tant bowers of sovereignty inherently pos
sessed a geographical influence beyond the
geographical limits of the several states indl-
vidualiy; & their jurisdiction could not trans
cend their geographical limits. Vi thus de-
scriptioa of powers is the power to declare
war, sc. to regulate commerce, &c: &c. and
all the other enumerated powers OF the con-
e.it,,tisr. In consequence OF the conflicting
svstenas adopted by the several states IN reia-
ten to some of these powers, which were
then in practical operation; particularly N TIC
conflicting operations Of commerce; the states
were petting into the most serious COLLISIONS,
Sc, SC. Tie formidable evils necessarily
growing out Of this state Of things, required
a Formidable and competent remedy
The great subject Tor the contemplation OF
every rejecting raird IN America was what
that remedy should be! The wise trainers
Of cur admirable consultation, after great de-
liberation, conceived and executed the oMy
practicable cxpcdicGt. Il consisted IN sopa-
rating the powers Of sovereignty Ill estao'
fishing general government, and cohfeFfshg
on it all the powers OF sovereignty whose ge-
oeraphical influence was found co-extensiye
with the geographical limits o. the y States
and reserving to the state governments re-
sncctiycly those powers which were OF more
local character, and which possessed no nllu-
ence bsyond the limits CT the states respec-
tivcly. An,, also to confer on the general 60
ycrnmcns all the means necessary and pro-
per, for executing its own laws IN relation to
these enumerated powers, without any de-
pcndcrce upon acquisitions rom the respec-
tive stare governments for this indispensable
object The idea vas a grand ore, and exc
cutcd with an admirable simplicity, ard the |,
most consumiDate wisdom. Hence 1t appears
that the great object of the trainers OF the con- /
stitution was, to establish general or federal !
government, and to confer on it all the pow
ers Ct sovereignty, which in their nature and
,>o,c.,..J IN ipA ro-extenciva
with the o. States and to reserpe to the pre- |
yiously existing state governments ali the !.
powers Of sovereignty ola more local charac- !
ter, and whose influence did not extend be- .
yond the geographical limits OF the states re- !
spectively, and therefore could be rendered !
completely sabservient to state jurisdiction !
and management. These are the n1ca1s pre-
scribed in the constitution, for eHecting the
ends expressed in the preamble. TO th> adj /
nlinstra.ors of the general government, the |
trainers of the constitution have said---We !
give to you all the powers OF sovereignty OF |
general character and to the administrators
of the state governments, they have said-we !
reserre TO you all the powers OF sovereignty !
of local character; verify believe, that !
if those various governments should be adm
nistered with the wist,on with which tins Sc /!
paration of powers was made in the body of
the constitution. the people of the .. States
will not be disappointed in the great and inter-
essing objects proclaimed in its preamble
But cannot help expressing some apprehen-
sions, that from an incorrect understanding
of the constitution---from an anwise spirit Of
jealousy disposition to strip the government
Of its necessary and proper energies, &c. sc.
the administrators Of the government may not
only disappoint the Just expectations of the
people in this respect, but may lead to meal
culable political mischiefs and disasters. This
arrangement was in my Judgment indispensa-
bic to the preservation oi'the republican prin-
cjple, and all important to the dearest into
rests of the people of the United States. AS
far as the practical experiment. has been car
ricd, it has been attended with the happiest
effects. l still hope for the best in its future
operations but also hope shall be pardon
ed for expressing some fears, arising from
various manifestations Of imbecility i'll mea-
sures relating to oar Internal as well as erter-
nal concerns. From this short history OF the
y