Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-24
CONGRESS.
IN SENATE.
RANK OF THE UNITED s7aTEs.
IMr. GILES Speech in continuation.

chairman of the committee, to whom the suo-
ect wns generally referred, excited not Ut
tie srrprize in my mind BY the predatory re-
marks which fell from him in support OF 1t.
The gentleman prefaced his arguments by
observing, that it had lately become the las
sion to eulogise the constitution OF the T.
States and that whenever he heard lavish
enconiums applied to 1t, ne could not heip
anprehending mischief" l acknowledge L
con!d not comprehend the bearing OF this re-
mark upon the question under discussion.
! T. sir. have long been lii the habit OF venera.
tjnfr the constitution and have often express
sed nv admiration at the wisdom oil It's pro-
, visions; and l really had hoped, that might
have oeen INDUCED in these sentiments and
prcpossessons, and even the expression OF
| Them unt,n proper occasions without excl
! ting in the mind of any gentleman iapprchen-
sions of mischief---nor Can divine what spc
! cies of mischief the gentleman apprchends
I from that cause. Mr.. President, when we
Iook over the whole world known 10 us---whcn
we cast our eyes over that part OF 1t with which
we have the most intimate relations when
! we sec the rapid strides which despoasm Is
making over the whole human racc---When
we observe the various and powerful means
, now in use, TO rivit its inlmovable dominion
upon mankind we reflect that the con-
stitution of the u. States now affords the on
" practical experiment upon the republican
principle, and the only and last hope ior the
preservation and extension of the liberties OF
man is it wonderful Or alarming, that we
should feel and express some partiality and
even vcnerat!0n for an Instrument OF so pccu-
liar character, Or should even endes,vor to
teach others TO venerate, to cherlsa, to sup
port il, Al instrument, whose provisions at
least exempt us from the general scene OF
dcspotis.n and MAY eventually extend their
blessings 20 the whole human race ! Or it in
dwelling upon the wisdom and importance OF
its provisions, we might pass over some pos
sible defects without scrutinising them with
an hypercr.ucal eye, might not the omission
be indulged without producing animativcrsion
or censure ? Sir, weall venerate the repub-
iican principle. know the gentleman from
Georgia MIR. Ctawford) does nor do I pre-
tend that my devotion to it is greater than his;
but sir, have given the greatest attention TO
the observations of the gentleman upon the
constitution ; and Can now say, that my We
neration for the instrument, and adrnlratlon at
the wisdom offs provisions, are not It all i'm
paired nor diminished Notwithstanding the
gentlemail's critic isms, SC l viii now, Mr..
President, endeavor to exhibit the general
character of the constitution to point out the
mode for its correct Interpretation; and apply
it to the subject now under consideration. In
doing SO, propose TO follow the course of OBJ
servations made by the honorable chairman of
the committee who reported the bill
The gentleman proceeded to remark, that
:. r.lo t>o3
general as well as incidental powers enume-
rated therein. did not see the precise APP
p.ication the gentleman intended to make of
this remark, but have been induced to re-
view the constitution in reference to this sub
lect, and il does appear to me, that the CLASH
hcation and definition ofpowers is as we'll arran
ged as human wisdom could devise. | know
that nothing is perfect, which IS the work OF
man; that no language is capable Of perfect
definition. But as far rs definition can be
drawn from language, | conceive the consti-
tuition exhibits as perfect and as sound an ex-
ample as is in existence. In the next place
the gentleman remarked, that there was a
number of cases in which Congress had de-
parted from the particular enumerated pow
ers in the constitution, and had resorted to
Implication or construction for the derivation
of its powers. The remark is perfectly COR
rect; and am very ready to admit that there
is no such thing as carrying into effect EMU
merated powers in any instrument whatever,
without the intervention of certain derivative
and implied powers But if the gentleman had
succeeded in showing that there had been alb
berratons by the Congress Of the u. States,
from the enumerated powers of the constitu-
tion---would he think it correct to use those
alterations as precedents for still further alb
bcrrations? Ought they not rather to be con-
sidered as mementos on the part of Congress
to induce them to tread with more care, and
if they find that their former errors could not
be supported by fair and candid construction
of the constitution to restrain the laws with
in its wholesome provisions? Certainly tina.
is the use, to which the history of errors pref
sented by the gentlemen from Georgia ought
to be applied. But before l proceed to exam
inc the subject with more accuracy, cannot
avoid expressing my surprize at another OBJ
servation which fell from the gentleman The
ohe IL, H.,