Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-10-15

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supposed 10 be engrafied irto il, aud the
sense m which we originally adopted IL.
| IL all these amicable appeals should
prove unavaliing II we can do nothing
| ny renohsirance or argument, then il may
become question with us, whether we
! viii submii To the usurpailoB, or whether
! WITHIN orr own jurisdiction we shalt levy
such tax upon the national bank as may
\ restrain It's influence or drive IN beyoud
| our borders.
| u Is impossible. indeed, 10 submit uui-
| elk 10 HE eucrnachOen,s that are inv DIV
| ed IN the OPINIONS of The supreme court.
! They are fatal 10 the principles or which
| The constitution was established They
wohid sacritic" The greatest al IN ase bene-
his which we aItaGed 5y the repu blican re-
voiuiion of 1910. Tie doctrine which
! they support would sacrifice The mos,
valuable state rights al he Ievi of tl,.
general government anh ia" states ili..n.
J selves WOULD windle into petty and con-
! tempiible corporations.
| We candid!y think then, that ia the fra
instance, from the respect we owe 10 the
| genrrhi government, for the sake of peace
aud OF harmony, those STATES, which are
displrased With the u. STATES Bank, ought
| I" refrain ;iom ievyiHs Il general lax, up-
| on rs capital
! th;S IL M, 10 be understand az DENY
ing The ab$irac, rishl 10 IT,. II; Tor, 1t the
Bank law Is unconstitutional, there is no
validity IN the ground sci up ,x Tho Fe-
/ d"rai COur! and even admitting II to be
! constitutional, Then IL remains TO be
! proved whether reasonable exercise Gf
| the ri2ht of iaxatiou, not Tor iae purpose
ui Destroying the baaA, bat for The sake
| a. RAISING "A revenue, Is moi perfectly con
Hsieni wiihihe ground lakenby The court
I - he couri themselves admit that their
| opinton does not cNtend Ia q tax paid
| by lite real property OF the bank ia
common vim The oihrr real lr ..lvriy
WITHIN The state nor 10 Il tan Inp0s-
ed on The Interest which The ciiIzrns
! al Mary lani may hoid IN this institution,
IN common with other property ni the
| Saine description throughout lhe siaiP.
| -bn'. irr oar own parts, wc cannot
see Why tie rue sh0uld be confined
10 ihc slOvkli"liers IN HE stale alone.
! IL HE tax upuu The Bank, or lis pro-
| ills, bc only The .a;nc wish The tax L.
| vivd by The states upDa their own banks.
| - MOI i!i' evidence rnnusiI that The Tax
| : mean, Tor revenue alone aud not Tor
| the purpose ot -" destroy in, :" The bank
We repeal, however, ti!ai the States,
III The firs, instance, ought moi 10 throw
| themselves inir direct col sion with The
government al the UniIed States, or the
decision CT HE Supreme Court. 1Dey
should not, therefore, levy "atax on The
operations o! the BANK They Should
first appeal, "a Virginia ditl'iu IS, ~ her
sister states FOR redress.
Should this eXprdicnt fail should our
sister states say, "Thp bans law and HE
opinion OF the Court but exprcss the sens,.
III which we interpret The words Of The
constitution :" then ought Virginia 10
! proceed another step, 10 propose an
explanatory amendment 10 The consliiu-
ton, or prevail upon iwo thirds Of The
states by an application to Congress,
10 obtHin Convention for the same
object" Report Of Vyg.nia Lcgiyiat3ye. }
When these rxpcdienis fail, ii will then
be lime for Virginia to decide whether
she tctH levy a lax IN despite Of ,iie opin-
ION ct the court.
| Virginia may lake these steps, Ohio may
take ihem-TenneSsee Kentucky, q cor
| Sa, or any other STATES that are vet dis
posed TO rally around the genuine prinri
pies OF onr government may TAX. them
ONO Is, therefore, pr"cipi;aie III laying
d tax of S lO0, 900 in The first instance. H..
this respect she is 10 blame bal she has
got Tire money. What ought she To do
with IT Restore IL bu, Ill such IA manner
| as shall mol coHpromit one aiOm of her
| sovereign rights. Resior, it with n pro
| lest against the establishment OF The Bank
| and against lie heresies Of the court
Restore II for The sake ri harmony bur
resrrving to herselfthc right. lin case other
more amirable cxpctlients should fail } OF
| deciding hereafter whether she should
have recourse 10 similar measure. Lit
| her call al the same time, ii she pleases,
Tor Convention 10 settle the principles
! OF The constitution, and 10 adopt some
tribunal lorad justing all disputes between
| HE general aad STATE governments No
! such tribunal yet exists.-rhis is The ONLY
course which appears 10 us 10 reconcile
her respect for the general government
| with her resolution 10 maintain her state
rights.
-rhe Federal Government have taxed the
! state Banks though upon The principle OF
| the supreme Court they had no more right to
| TAX tiem than The States had right tOtax the
| United States Bahk because . tue power of
taxing them might be cytaily" exercised so
| aS In destroy" them. The State Banks howe
yer, cheerinily paid The tax, or rather COM
| mutation Tor tie tax.....A teir have indeed
contested the right of state to esia-
biis Il bank. Alexander Hamilton himself
however, explicitly admitted this right There
Is nnihng m The federal constitution truly
! understood liz the sense in which IL was meant
al The period Oi its adoption, that bars this au-
iuoiIiy to The States.
II IS an authenticated fact, that the
Florida treaty was moi ratified on lie
oath August, the day limited for It's ratifj-
cation. Whal next ! What step shall
the T.. s. lake We wait Tor the facts of
ne case. They may require deep con
fidrrailon. II tie rights, the honor, and
tie interests OF our country require her
10 take The cause INTO her own hands, TO
draw The sword, or 10 occupy Florida. be