Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-03-15
SATURDAY, MARCH IS

SATURDAY, MARCH ID
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The following is the message Of the
President. transmitting to the H. of Re-
representatives. his objections to the Bank
Bonus Bill i:
To the House Of Representatives of the
United States.
Having considered the bill this day pre-.
sented to me-. entitled =" An act to SCI
.pa-t and nledge certain funds for in.
lternal Improvement :" and winch sets
spart and pledges funds " for construct
ling roads aud canals. and improving the
navigation Of water courses, IN order to
facilitate, promote, and give security to
internal commerce among the several
states, and to render more easy and
less expensive the means and p DIVISIONS
for the common defence :" | am con.
1strained. By the iusupera5le difficulty |
Heel in reconci,ing the bill with the con-
stitution Of the United States 70 return
it, with that objection 70 the House OF
Representatives in which it originated
The Legislative powers vested IN con.
rress are specified and enumerated in the
9Th section of the hrst article of the
constitution and il do"> ma, appear
that the power, propn>ed 70 BE- exercised
By the bill, is among n, enumerated
powers or that Il falls, BY any JUST IN
depreciation, witkin the power 10 make
laws necessary ard proper, for carrying
Into execution thase or other pnwer.
vested by the constitution III the g."
vernmcnt OF the United States.
81 The power to regulate commerce.
lmong the several states" canInt include
Ia power to construct roads and canal,
and to improve the navigation OF wa'e.
Icourses, in order To facilitate, p7o.note \
secure such commerce., without !a'i
l,ude Of construction, departing from III,
lordinary i,upart Of tie terms, strengthen
led by the known incOn,eniences which
doubtless led 10 the grant OF this reme,l
Ial power of cOHgress. IL refer the pow,
Ter in question TO the clause +" to pro
wide tor the common defence ard gene
/ al welfare" would be contra v TO the
Established and coniSfart rules of II
lterpretation as rendering the speclA
land careful enumeration OF powers whicl
follow the clause nusatory and inpra
Such view 81 the const,tuti,
would have the effect Of siVing 70 con
gre,s general poweC vt legislation, IN
Stead of the defined aud Ii nited one hi
lJherto understood to belong 10 them
| The terms, !|conn N defence and gene
lral wellare,' embracing esefy MIR
and act wiihn pu view OF the sgl la
live tlust. 1t wOd,l have The eife,J .
subiectiug both the constitution aud la
lof the several states, in all cases M
specifically exempted, to be suPerccde'
Iby the laws OF congress F.; II being x
II Dres,ly declared, " that the cnn, ttuaCr
n of the U, States, and laws made in pursu
d lance thereof, shall be the supreme la.
e Iof the land. and the judges Of every 'tao
lshall be bound thereby, any thing in III
Iconstitutian OF laws to the contrary uot
Iwithstanding such view OF the COZ
lstitution finally would have the ct ct o
lexciuding the jadlcal authority OF III L
Estates tom its participation in gaardio
1.-THE boundary between the irgr,iali,
Ipowers oil the general aud the states Ga
I've, ument; in ., nue. as questions relat
lag to the aeacra relfare, be. : "a IS
!. ;ioas OF policy aud eApedle%cy, are i
susceptible OF judicial cosnlzauce aud He
lesson.
4. restriction of tie power " TO pro
vide for the common defence aud genera
welfare" to cases which are u DC pro
Ivided tor By the expenditure oi mune
would still leave within the icglslativ,
power Of congress all the great aud mo-
Important measures oil government nj
ney being the ordinary and necessa J
lm!aHs o. ear wing ulem into execution.
II a general power to construct oa0
ami canals, and to improve the navigation
Of water courses, with the train OF pow
ers incident thereto, be not possessed b,
congress, he assent Of the states, IN ne
mode provided m the hlii, caanut confer
the power. The only cases IN which ths
Conse0t and cesSlon Of particular states
can extend he poye. OF congress, aie
those specified and provided for in the
consttutiou.
avn otunaware ct the great ilspor.
Itanoe Of Dads aud canals, aud the im
proved navigation Of water courses; and
that power in the national Ies,slatu. c
TO provide for them might De exercised
with .ignnl advantage 70 the genera