Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-11-09


| advocated the obnoxious powers, We're h,rl-
I'd from their seats.-But the snake, it seems.
was Only scoiched, not killed. The monster
now rises up IN a more venomous form and
more wonderful still, il is cherished in It's ma
iiSnity by the cline of Charleston.
The Patriot sees the force of the over
whcninS quotation we made from the Fede-
ralist; and attempts to elude what il cannot
resist. e The writers of the Federalist taxed
heir ingenuity to the utmost for arguments 10
recommend the Constitution to popular ia
vor They reasoned as accomplished advo-
cafes, bent on the attainment Of AN imporian
end. Now, grant this, for arguments sake /;
strike out on this ground almost every other
part of the work this part ,ciN still remain
Tins part at all events is stamped with the IL
neainents OF truth and nature. This part AT
least Is Conscientious for the writers of the
federalIst arelndlgnant at the sophistry which
iiad been used To pervert this part of the
constitution; and conclude by treating the at
tempt to give it such a construction rs almost
too absurd to be refuted. Ii there be any
truth IN style, here they are in earnest.
Butt does not follow (says the PATRIOT
that their private opinions as to the Consiitu-
ton, We're To be Judged of by their sentiments
expressed in the Federalist. Mr.. Madison, it is
now understood, wished a stronger govern
ment than we Obtained. So did general
Hamilton. Admit this last to be the fact,
what follows! Admit that their private o.
pInions leaned to stronger government than
we actually obtained, would il follow, that
Their private opinions as to the Interpretation
OF the constitution which ,cas actually obtain
ed, were different from the commentaries of the
Federast Certainly not. They wished for
more but having obtained only SO much, like
honest men, they would have claimed NJ
more than the people granted-wating for
time To make such additions us might be found
necessary.
But tsays the Patriot) /" the people of the
U. States would. we are confident if new
Convention We're called, yield more than they
nave, and be under no apprehension for the
safety OF their berties." Indeed and if the
Patriot be right us to this sweeping clause,
What more could they yield ? If they have
granted all, what more could they grant ? If
Congress can do any thing which touches the
general icelfare, what greater favors could
they grant Why call new Con ention to
do that, which the old one did d le only fs-
vor indeed remains, which was tosweepotl' this
cumbrous and subordinate machinery of state
governments Z; and in fact, the Patriot comes
out at once, boldly, upon this branch of the
subject. We will not trust ourselves, with Civ
me any mans ideas upon this alarming here
sy, without letting him speak in bis own
words:
:" Our deliberate opinion s them that II the State
governments were annhiiuted once (allhough we
should lie sorry To witness such Il rcsut) liberties
would he us safe then the. are now thought 10 he.
by the continuance. Are all the checks and mi-
tations on the Agents who represent Wasington
as efhcacous as those which restrain our poica ser
wants nearer home Can we not mpeach and punish
n Federal Judge Executive M siSratc rs soon rs
State Judge OF MagiStratc Can we not recall the
| power we give 10 Federal Representative as Ger
| In Ntat
Is not the irai by jury, the writ of haras cOipus the
rights OF conscience the power of retaining arms,
perfectly enjoyed under The Federal as in,lcr the
state Governments Is not some of these rights,
more amply secured under rle former than under the
latter FOR some OF the States have founded civil
diSqua!ihcaiions, religious differences distinction
aborrent both 10 the letter and spirit of the Federal
Constitution let we repeat, that should deplore
the day that the States were tespoied of their inst
| influence aud authority. Oar system is not complete
without them, but III tremendously within IT, they
| u instead oi exercising many OF the sovereign pow
/ ers OF Governments assumed no more than To effect
Their local ends, the duration OF that system would he
prolonged An mperium IN inperio has hcea consi-
dercd as political anomaly in all ages, and unless
The Staes VIII bc content TO subordinate part IN
cases where their pride induces them to struggle
Tor supremacy, or TO share If, nothing prevent III,
glorious fabric from falling sooner TO pieces than we
wish even TO think Of We have now explained on
views TO the Richmond Enquirer. II they arc he
reuca, they are those OF sincere though pervcrsc
militant To the doctrines of that uoiiticaI church
whose creed the Enquirer conc elves none can denart
fromwIthout running into dangerous heteroLohy.''
We pass over every part of this paragraph
except the first sentence. The Patriot is moi
content with assigning a 90 subordinate" station
| to the State governments he could even see
them annihilated without experimenting the
least danger to our liberties We confess we
feel some alarm at the boldness of such senti-
ments. We suspected there were men in this
country who entertained such anti-republicai
opinions but we did not expect TO see them
ushered thus before the public: They are in
deed step beyond the hghest-toned fedora
| doctrines which we have ever heard
Our liberties would be as safe" !-Wha
| more can I've add on this subject than ha.
been so powerfully said in Mr. Madson's Re-
port Rer,tm, iterumque-again and again
we lntreat our countrymen to read, and to stu
dy it.-But the following is the passage which
more Immediately touches the point at issue
). That the Obvious tendency and inevitable re
suit OF consolidation Of the states into sovereign
ty would he 10 transform the republican system o
the United St1tes into monarchy, is point which
seems to have been sufficiently decided hy the gene
| raj sentiment of America In almost every insidnc,
oil discussion, relating to- the consolidation IN question
ITS certain tendency to- pave the way Ia monarchy
| seems not to have been contested. The prospect 0
| such consolidation, has formed the only touic o
controversy ii would be unnecessary therefore Io
the committee to dwell long on the reasons which
support the position OF tlie General Assembly Ii may
"o' I'VE improper, however, TO remark two coDSc-
quences, evidently flowing from extension of the
federal powers to every subject falling willintbe idea
oil the general welfare"
One consequence must he, to enlarge tie sphere OF
dIsc eton allotted To- the executive magistrate. Even
within The legislative limits properly defined by the
constitutions, the difficulty of accommodating iogn
regulations 10 country great in extent, aud va
rous in iis circumstances, has been much felt and
has led 10 occasional investments of power IN the cx.
ccuiIve, which involve perhaps as large portion o
dIscI elton, ds can be deemed consistent with the ma
ure OF the executive trust. IN proportion us the OH
jccs of Legislative care might be mutplied would the