Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-15

the aScendancy ut science, civilization, and
order, Over ignorance. barbaritI, aud anarchy,
cOnSpire 10 invest tile sovereign with this
power. Without ii, government would be u
liteless, anI useless nIAchiEe. Money is the
Sinews OF "A government, and eau only be raised
by The eAerton oil the taxing power. The |
arguments therefore which are urged against /
the right OF the state TO tax this stock, as they
are drawn from the necessity, OF the exercise |
of the taxing power by the nation, are when |
duly considered. but so mauy arr uuIents IN |
favor OF its exercise by the state for II must |
not be forgotten, that the state ana nauOu, are |
Coordinate sovereignS, by each of whom the |
power of taxation is alike possessed, and TO
each of whom II is alike essential aud impOr. /
tant. The state with the exception OF The
power TO lay duties, &c. possesses at least in
as high degree line power ot taxing all pro-
perry other than that OF the nation Within Its
limits, as the nation possesses of TAXING all
property not belonging TO the states, within
ITS boundaries. Whether either can lax the
property OF the other, need not be here dis.
cussed-property is generck term aud
includes moneS-Indeed money is the most
active shape OF property. aud from the con-
slderation OF ITS fitness in hiud tor government.
al uses would he the most appropriate sub
Ject "a taxation uut its difficulty of access,
from the actisity& currency o, lis character,
the conctalment with which il circuates.
aud the facility with which ITS circulation may
be concealed. forbid a reliance upon II aS the
exclusive subject. But in IA state where taxa
ton obtains upon the I'D rdiorem prInciV lie, mo-
nsy when II Is stationary and obvious pres cuts
ltseit among other subjects. with the prefer
encies above msntioned. The right OF the
sovereign 10 TAX money as well as any other
kihu et property, or in preference TO any other,
or u preterhlt IT, canno, be questioned But
~ belongs not 10 coordinate sOveIeiens to
question The right of the acts OF each other -
Nat sovereign that can he questioned. ceases
thereby 10 he sovereign and becomes a va>Sal
Gan the national government question the cor
recthess' or the legitimacy OF an appointment
mace by the executive OF d state, by and with,
or ~ h0ut The advice aud consent OF the senate
thereof, or can either of the states question
The correctness of such an appointment by the
executive of the other. certainly uOt-as little
can The nation question the correctness of the
exercise, OF the sovereign taxing power OF the
STATE The power of the nation 10 Ia> aud cnl-
ect taxes is no more than sovereign II cannot
therefore be greater than that of the state
winch is not less than sovereign Sovereignty
imports the uimOst plenItude ot power and is
OF course irresponsible, aud impasSive-N hot
ever state may do d. sovereign, il does with
as much power, as any other sovereI:u cOad
90 The same tbiDg-suvercIcns MAY. and do
dIh"r exceedingly, III their possession of piy-
sl"hi iofce, extent OF territory resources, &c.
But IN their possession of abstract sovereign
power, III relation to all the legitimate subjects
o. lts exercise, they are eqnal The sovereign
may tax evr subj jet TO which il affords pro-
tecuon " burglary were committed upon
Tue banking house of that office, the proSecu-
tiOn, conviction. and punishment would be IN
the ndtne and bN the authority of the common-
veal n o. Kentucky. For the exclusive light
u ,egISIation can only he exercised by the
Congress over such places as shall he ourchas.
Ell by the nation from the state with the con-
sent OF its Legislature for forts magazines &c
see Inc l2lI clause of the Sih section IF tn LIST
aiucie OF The constitution so IN the case
OF arson. or any Oiher crime committed upon
me property OF that office or it, officers It's
not IN the power of Congress to withdraw eth
er Inc oHlcers. or the private funds OF ndlvidu
ais IN thar office, from the Jurisdiction of the
state, and thereby dissolve the relations which
necessarily exist between the persons and the
property protected, and the protecting soye-
reign Ii affords protection to boIh aHd NAV.
upon established principles of civil policy, aci
upon eltner IN the eNactIOn OF an equivalent.
In proportion 10 thu Importance of the revenue
10 me well beng of government, Us the concen-
'tated energies of the sovereign dlsplaypd IN
I't eAerciSe OF the strengthening puwer-rc-
QUESTION rs followed by diStr.int demand is
succeeded by instant eXactIon and soyerpInu
power Is rXertCd which cdnHOt be resisted or
eludtd. Sovereignty knows no SUPERIOR and
" ~ u'd, IL coHiu not expect 10 find one in ah
eqhdI, Coordinate The attempt on The mart
OF Inc state or nation 10 resist or elnde the Y
eTc!ee OF this power by the other, might be
reclprOcattd indefinitely, and una,hIin Nv for
"hei coordinate, OF what il the same thin.
equal powers oppose each other uerficacN
enSues. Ii the Aaiion can nv a cnrnnr,Ip 10
vice Withdraw the money within each state
from taxation, may it not also b> the same de-
wee ana upon the same principle Withdraw
hon the state, every other subject of taxati a ;
may not me nation Incorporate within each
s'Htt a bank of enormous amount 10 tie SUBJ
,'I'ptu III property, aHd mi chit not The proDer.
y "ithih each slate be- subscribed as stock
lhrfrtO, and become thereby eXempt from
tAAdti"h by lie stae? I hat The nation would
incorporate such banks is very imUrohable
nn' tat she could do it, if by corporate de-
wee sue can exempt money, there can be no
,h.,, Inc lnapltade OF all property, other
man meney, for banking purposes, wouid fur
n'Nil to the states, that secnritN a"aiusf sucL a
measure, which they could not find IN the Al.
ulo"tes OF their own sovereignty. 4 SOVEREIGN
cd""0t ne cnrtesy tenant OF tie taxing pow
v'' ne idea OF making a sovereign banner
urfthulhs upon the charity, and living upon
me Dohuty, OF an associated or neighboriu,
sovereign, Is utterly inadmisSiblr and VET IN
aucn lnendicant posture might The states be |
1870 pS me extension of the principle con
te"ueu 'of. but the states to preserve their
sovereignty must possess tho power of taxation
co-eX,fnsiVe with their limits Itisthe uower
OF Seg preservation which must be posspssed H.,
tnt SoVeIeiSh IN pieiutuhe- But il is said that
we nduOn possesses one Scrfpfh of This storL |
ana that II the state Cah tax the rp,uainirg .,
6"Ncnths thereof, il cannot tax thai uoIt,ou
"hich Is Tie property of the nation. and that
dE the laitrr cannot be distinguished from that !
OF the shareholders, she cannot tax amy IL.
not necessary to decide whether the state ros
ScsSeS tb' power To tax the money of the nation |
"ItnIh us limits, m dRy possible asgact 10 winch
u may oe employed Ihere: iiui While We have |
,o "e,''"iloh I" say, thar The money ct the na- |
ioh employed within the limits of ibe sta,s 40
t"H, as r'reHae, and devoted in that character |
10 us Appropriate purposes, is exempt from |
TAXATION by the state we shnmld have much |
ItSi'aH0h TO say. thar ciubbed with that Of IN.
divdualS, and devoted io ,.iutnt and ,,,, ~ w.
purposes u should enJOy that eSeIpvti we |
should incline TO ihik that thus div, ried fran,
us destination, aud Inns associated with tl,r |
n"n' OF oilers II loses its sanctlty. ceases TO
~ ~ TNg afst
i'dl Character like that with which il is associ
ated' MAY he taxed tor its prottc iion by The |
STATE ~ which, Il is so employed The nation |
hlil SEM lis officers into and through each and |