Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-12-23
THURSDAY, DECEMBER %, lsi

whether this be amongst the powers reserv-
ed TO the states or not Z If it be not-then
it is to be found, either in the enumeration
of powers expressly delegated to the fede
raj government in the constitution, or
amongst those expressly prohibited to the
states. On the most careful perusal, which
have been able TO give to this instrument.
1 must say that / cannot discover a trace OF
such u power. either amongs; those so deli>
gated to this government, or amongst these,
which are declared to be prohibited to the
states. Some gentlemen, in the course Of
the debate, have denied, indeed, that these
states do possess such power. and have
contended that the qualifications of Repre-
sentatlves are fixed and determined by the
constitution itself. 1t has been commended
that these qualifications are fixed ana estab
lished by these negative terms, "no Person
shall be representative, who shall NOT
have attained - the age Of IS years, have
been seven We T. q ciiiz y, 0r who shall not
"be ar inhabtant of the state in which he
"is elected" / cannot by any means assent
to such an Interpretation of this Clause in the
constitution. do not under stand this clause
as fixing any qualification at all. 1t does,
indeed, declare who shall not be Represen-
tatives, but it does not declare who shalt be
Representatives. / have no doubt in my
mind that state has as much right to fix the
qualifications f it's Representative under
the existence OF this clause, as if none such
had ever been inserted in the CONSTITUTE n ::
provided the qualifications, equired by the
state, should not be incompatible with the
restrictions cont aimed in this clause that is
to say, provided the state should not admit
the election OF persons, WIN are expressly
excluded by this clause / cannot believe
that by this clause the states are prohibited
from requiring that their Representatives
should be 80 years of age, or have been for
10 year. citizen ii he states should think
proper TO do SO: and so there is nothing in
it, which | can consider rs intended to pre-
vent any state from restricting the residence
oi Representative to particular district
for which he shall be elected. The opposite
doctrine is in my opinion totally repugnant
to the genius of the government, and predi-
Gated on principles of consolidation. Indeed
it has been plainly and unequwccally as
serted that the Representa-, ives from each
state are the Representatives of the people
OF all the states, as essentially as they are
the Representatives OF the people of their
own particular state. Against this doctrine
l must pronounce myself TO be Thoroughly
decided with all NY heart and with all NY
soul, as well as against that, winch has been
before stated, IN relation TO the denial OF Il
right in the states TO fix anv qualifications of
their Representatives. They are, indeed,
Intimately connected, and i'll their operation
must have dangerous and alarming ten
dencv--.a tendency towards prostration of
all state authority, and an ultimate consoli>
dation OF all the states into one vast expand
ed empire.
49,
mean by the term consolidation. In order
to convey to you All appropriate idea oft,
will FIRST premise what understand by the
term, states"-what understand by the
terms, "pcoplc of the states"-and what 1
understand by the appelIation, +" federal
government" BY the term, &" states"
l understand the several political societies,
as organized into the particular govern
ments, which we call state governments
BY the terms, people of the states" uH-
derstand the people composing those several
political societies, so organized into the par
tlcular governments within the several Sec
tons OF territory occupied by them respec-
lively. Each one of those several societies
and bodies of people forms a seperate soci
city and body distinct from all the others.
The basis of government in each society is
representation. BY the appellation. " fede-
raj government" l understand a govern
ment extending over all these several DO,
litical societies. and connecting them tnge-
Their. Representation is also the basis Of this
government In this system of representa-
ton each of the several political societies,
called states" and people composing that
society, taken together, form one distinct
entire constituent. II so, the several socie
ties and the several bodies OF people com.
posing them must be represented, as such,
in this federal government, or else the es-
senlial character of this government will be
changed: for the essential character of a
federal government is to connect differen,
political societies together But, il il be adj
mitted that the REORGANIZATION in the House
Representatives Is grounded on the broad
principle, which has been asserted, III. n il
will not be a connection Of different political
societies. IL viii merge all Of them into one
entire society and the essential properties
of the states, as separate distinct societies.
will DC taken away. This is what here
mean by the term, consolidation
Perhaps some persons may be ready tc
say why should there be any alarm on ac-
count of the assertion of this principle
What just cauSe for any alarm can there
DC in il! VIII not the liberties of the Amc-
rican people be rs secure under recogni-
ton of this principle, as il it were totally
dsclaimsdl Ifthe people have their Rep.
resentatives in the Congress, can it mat
ter any thing whether they are represent
ed as the people of oil the states IL their
aggregate character, or as the people
OF the several particular states, to which
they respeC..5ely belong PIT might be a
sufficient ans ser TO questions Of this sort, II
raised LaVgfy ~ qot- fIaf ttt.