Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-06-11


TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER.
BY means OF letter to you, sir, beg
leave 10 address my fellow ciiizens lad
dress them on most momentous subiecI.
address them with di6idence, and with
respect; with the respect which is due
TO Tie most favored, if not most respecta-
ble section OF the human race and with
the dIihdence which ought 10 feel, when
i Compare The smalness of my means, with
tile greatness OF my undertaking. | adj
dress my fellow citizens. without any dis
tincti0n of parties. Although some of
ihem will, doubtless. lend more willing
car than others, TO Tie important truths |
shall eHtcavor 10 inculcaie, none can
bear them with indifference. None of
them can be prepared to give Carte
Blaache to our federal rulers, and To obi
tcrate tue slate governments, forever,
from our political system.
II has been the happiness Of the Ameri-
Can people 10 be connected together i'm "a
confederate republic : 10 be united by a
system, which extends the sphere of pop
ular government, and recomclies the adj
Vantages of monarchy with those OF "a re-
public: system, which, combines all the
internal advantages of the latter, with all
the force of The formers c)-It has been our
happiness to believe, that In the partition
ofpowcrs between the general and state
Prnments, the former possessed only
suchas were expressly granted, or passed
herewith as necessary incidents, while
all tie reSlduary powers were retained by
f'ie latter. II was drcucd by the enliglii-
fned founders Of The constitution, as es.
senllal 10 the internal happiness aud well
fare OF their constituents, 10 reserve some
Their external safety, TO grant Others 10
the government of the union. This, it is
believed, was done by the constitution, in
It's original shape but such were Tue ma
-iural fears and jealouSies of our citizens,
III laiion TO This all important subject,
tiiaiil was deemed nect ssary Ia quiet those
fears, by tie 10th amendment 10 the con-
stitntion. II is not easy TO devise strong
er terms io eject thai object, than those
u 'ed IN thai amendment.
Such however is ihc proneness Of all
men 10 extend and abnSr their poweT,-tV
feel power and forget right, that even
this article has afforded US no security
That legislative power which is every
where extending the sphere fits activity
and drawing all power into lis impetuous
Vortex,(d) -has bilnked even tie strong
words at this amendment.-Ti,at judicial
power, which according 10 Montesquicu
10, III some measure, next TO nothing :"
and whose province this great writer Ii
Tnlis, 10 " Furnishing criminals aud deter
mining the disputes which arise be-
tween Individuals" :-iIrat judiciary
which, in Rome, according to the same
author, VAS not entrusted to decide uues-
lions which concerned "the interest Of
liir state, in the relation which il bears
10 IT'S citizens (e); and which, in Eng
idnd, has only lnvaded the constitution in
tlic worst ol times, aud then, always, on
tlie SIDE at arbitrary power, has also deem
cd lis interference necessary, III our cOun-
iry.-li will readily he perceived that I
allude ioilc decision Of the suprcnec0urt
OF he United States, IL the case of M'Cul-
lob against HE stale Of Maryland.
The warfare carried on by tie legisla
lure OF fhe union, against tile rights Of
Tie STA es" aud OF +" the people" has
been with various sNccess( II aud alwaS 8
by detachment. THEY have not dared 10
q. (al " The powers not delegated TO the Uni
Tea otates by the constitution nor prohibited
ny u 10 Tue sidtes, are rcSerced to Tie states
TeSPeclIVtly, or 10 The people" COust.
C.S.-tOth amendment.
(b) Marcus Butus la flie tragedy Of Julius
Caesar-act2d
(c) Msnlesqnieu. vol. pa. 81. a-5-'rhis form
OF government IS eulOglzcd ia Ist Federalist,
pa ~.
(dj 2 vol. Of FederaIst, pa. II, 10. Jefer-
sons Notes, pa 2iJ.
yG Mont~q. pa. 2S2, 22s, $50.
" Witness the memorable aud uuconstiiu-
toDal alien aud sedItion la~s, which were put
LOW ny We general fisins OF the people aud
the second bank bill, which, was lost bs lie
casting vote OF the venerable Clinton.