Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-25
THE SLAVE TRADE.


Slave Trade he instructed TO enquire into
The expediency Of establishing a registry
OF slaves, more edeciually TO prevent the
importation of slaves Into The United
Slates ar The territories thereof
MIR. 4. observed, that IL WAS known we
iiau "a, existing. law on this subject; ibo
eXecutii'n oi his law depended priuci-
paiiy an Tie ationai vessels, but from the
great extent Of the coast Of the United
States, slave slips might frequently e!ude
the vigilance of the public vessels, and
thro" Their cargoes amongst our black poe
pu.a'ion, and thus escaping the possibility
oi beng discovered, The law might beyio-
la'ed with lripuiiity. By register of
lie slaves OF the country, under proper
equations, Ill appeared 10 him, M c.
SAID that IL would be practicable. more
ehecinaly 10 enforce the acis prohibiting
The slave trade, and preserve The charac-
Ter OF the country from reproacI
Mr.. Raadoiph wished To- know Of lie
gentleman WHO offered this resolution,
whether the object was, that the proprie.
tors of slaves in the u. States should be
obliged Ia furnish 10 This govrr,imeut or
to Any officer thereof, register Of their
slaves, and 10 repeat ihi. register annu-
ally, or al any other periods---ihus keep.
ing tins property under The supervision
oil the governments
Mr.. CuthGer observed, in repiy, .hafibe
Constitution had authorised Congress 20
prevent the importation OF slaves: and.
having given this Authority, they had the
power To use the means necessary 10 eNe-
cute atauihorily. Ii the las already
enacted, depending chiefly OH the uaiIG,i-
al vessels tor lis execution, appeared. in
sniiIcleni, II WAS proper 10 enquire what
other measures were necessary 10 effect
lhe object. II had occurred TO him that
II an office were established To- register
ana identify the slaves belonging 10 the
country, The Government would De able
Deiier TO execute the provisions Of The
law. The government, Mir. C.. said, had
right 10 taXliis property, and for this
purpose, an account aud return oi them
WAS necessary; nor would there be any
difficulty IN furnishing such descriptions
as wohid sufficiently identify them. Such
a descriptions and registry vscre sade 10
identity soldiers, when enlisted in the
service. and no difficulty WAS found in il.
ms, however, was proposition iur
enquiry merely, and if il we're not mani
testify foolish or mischieyous, il ouaht 10
be granted. In this Stage OF The busi-
ness, he did moi conceive il proper 10 en-
Ter further into the subject.
MIR. Randolph had not tie slightest dis
position 10 impute 10 The mover nf the
resolution any object either fooIisI, or
mischievous-h would be The last man
TO do so. MIR r. said he Trusted that
his zeal for the suppression Of this de-
tesiabie traffic Was iloi surpassed by that
oil any man IN the nation Ii was trtf-
Inc United Siates possessed tile power Of
putting all end TO the slave trade; but he
could not so with MIR. Cuihberi, quite so
Tar as TO admit that The United States
were completely AT lbertV TO select their
means. He WAS the last man willing 10
slifie enquiry; he had never refused a;,
enquiry, when asked for; bur Mr.. Il.
sad he could not iielp thinking that This
may be, III another shape, a question
WINCH had unfortunately too often agi-
ia,ed, and might again agiia,e flis BODY
he meant the dehniilveness of the
powers oi tins government He denied
that the government had power 10 do that,
under the plea OF means, which il could
not under That Of cHdS Ii was be this
legerdemain, that the government found
liseli enabled To create a great bank, the
happy consequences Of whicli We are now
reaping. Where Was the use, he asked, Of
any limitation al all! Tor when we want to
DO amy thIHg, not authorized GHfhe cOnStitu
ton, we have only 30 call il meaus necessa-
ry for authorized purposes. In other
words, that government OF specified and
Hunted powers is unlimited in the means
OF executing those pOUers-ih that We pos.
sess all the pOWcrs enumerated in the con-
siIluieg and any other power which We
man choose To consider convenient TO The
exercise "t any enumerated power, no
mailer whether agreed or MOI as 10 the
speclhc power IA question Thus, one
mDer VII! take The power as appuric-
nanl 10 that of making war ;-anoiher as
necessary TO that of collecting and dis
bursting the revenue, &c. A loop hole 10
hang doubt on Was aIl that was vanted.
and no instrument could he so worried
as TO guard against this. The English
OF tins, said Mr.. Il. is, that we may hrltJ
ourselves TO as much pow er as We please.
| Against ,iilS doctrine and this practice,
| ne protested; THIS was d government 0i
limited powers. Ii Was true, This Geserip-
| ion OF property might be taxed, ban iu
what quality was u taxed Z As species
Of property convenient To- have a lax inc
posed ON IL whcna direct TAX y as asses ed
III The United Slates-ii Was not an eN
elusive tax upon this properly, and iit.
| government had no TIghi io tan il cHsr-
| sIvely. Under his present imprrssinus
MIR. X. SAID, he could MOI 20 further thai,
TO consent TO the inquiry being made.
aud he cid some violence TO his feelings
~ going so tar. IN discriminating The
slave trade, Mr. Il. said he wOuld ioin heays
and band with ihe gentleman ron Geor-
| gla, so long as they confined themselves
10 thr means which the constitution gave
them nc would io,u him, il be chose, in
carrying ihe war INTO the cnemy'S coun-
| try u HanHibat c0aM no uhere be c0sgper.
Ell 6m az 4fjicd he vaS citiipg to meet hin.