Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-14


Of pecaniary Partially. by which all
countries wherein money is power. are
enslaved. A precedent of this kind bores
hole in the constitution, as indians per.
foraie their ears. which is stretched wider
and wider by bracelet after bracelet, until
the aperture becomes wider Than The ear
itself. and large enough TO Crafty every
longing of Indian vsniIy.
Blu, the construction 1T the clause t!ors
not end here. The District mot receeding
Ten miles square. over mich Congress
was 10 have erciusive legislation. was TO
be obtained by ccssion of particular
States. This furnishes us with the trus
meaning of The word erciusire, Previous
10 the cession, the space ceded was sub
ject both to the concurrent and exclusive
state and federal legislative powers, and
bv The cession, the state portion of these
powers being transferred To Congress,
their Legislative powers over the spot &C.
ded, before divided, became entire, aud
ercfus're OF the previous conromiiancy on
The par, OF the particular state. A state
might cede this portion of its OWN power
To Congress. in which i, had a right aud
property. but il could not by This restrict.
ell permission. cede power of legisla.
,icn ever all the other States, in which
II had neither right nor property. The
rights oi states over their respective ter.
rito,ies, being exclusive of each other.
neither, III ceding spot OF this Territory,
coded also The reserved rights of the rest,
bn, only lis own. so as 10 convey lis
right. exclusive of itself alone. If A redes
a portion Of his property, no portion of
Tie residue passes. much less a portion
of the properly belonging TO B. The iD-
finence of apariicular slate, or any com.
biuatlou of STATES over the union, has
been loudly and Justly deprecated but
this 'iansi'ory Influence is nothing, coal-
pared with power In one state perma-
nen,ly 10 impair and destroy the reser-
walton ot powers "io the states or 10 the
people
Ii could moi be 10 evade this argument,
that The learned lawycrs have excluded
in their quotation, Thai hall of the clause
W. arc considering. bv which j, is enforc-
ed. The entire clause Is in these words
Congress shall have power To exercise
exclusive legislation over such distyic,
(not exceeding ten miles sunare) as may
by the ccssl"n of particular staIcS. anil
the acceptance OF Congress, became The
seat OF government OF the u. States ::
aud To exercise tic like outhority over all
piac' $ purchased by The cousent of The
Legislature OF The State in which, the
same shall be, for The erection OF forts,
magazlucs, arSenals, dock wards and
other ncediul buildings" Under The
construction commended for, here would
be al ~hoir neSitu, of eggs for Matching
indefinite Legislative powers. An arsenal
instead OF furnishing weapons of war,
| wou'd send forth the more dreadful wea.
pom of indefinite legislation and dock
yards, Instead of ships to protect our pro
periy, may furnish land cruisers 10 make
prize OF our money. Had no ten mile
square been ceded, but only a site for all
arsenal, slug e state might, according
To the opinion, have enabled Cougress 30
empower SERGEANT and ten men, who
| occupied The spot, to establish rational
lotteries. Neither the u. STATES in per
m:l;lng, nor single state in making
| these ccssiUns, had an idea of such a
| consequence and il so, the construction
contcnded Tor, would be a deception, and
! contrary TO the intention of the federal
| compact. II Is true, tina, the harmed law
! yera have talked OF national capital. but
as the same epithc, is equally applicable
! to these forts, magazines, arsanals and
| dock yards, II il conveys 10 one the mag
ni!icenI privilege Of investing Congress
! with general legislative powers, and of
! taxing 'lie nation for an exclusive emolu
meni, II conveys The same privilege TO
each, anda single folt would have defend
ed the claim. as forcibly as tie ten mile
| square. The construction is evidently
| the sa'he, whether il is extracted from a
space OF ten yards square, occupied by
ten soldiers, or from space Of ten miles
square, occupied by ten thousand citizens.
II the power o! exclusive legislation IL, tile
FIRST case WAS local for local ends. the
same power was Of the same nature in the
o,hercase. And il i, is evidently contrary
to the intention of the clause, that right
OF governing ten yards square, should
| carry with II as an accessory a right OF
legislation over all the people OF The Z. S. {;
ana To The federal court right of abro-
| gazing state laws operating without The
said ten yards square il is evidently con.
irary to The intention OF the same clause,
Thar The right OF governing the Ten miles
square, should carry with il The same
| powers.
But the five learned lawyers, instead of
adierlng risidly TO The text, and detl0c-
ing lis moaning from lis own words. &C
cording 10 the rule Of pleading when The
cause Is good, have abandoned il, and
made different text, according to the
rule Of pleading when the cause is bad :.
as shall prove III the sequel.
STATE RIGHTS.
WESTERN COMMUNICATYON.