Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-11

fdueOus commentaries and discussions
which the federal constitution uuder-
"eni, ~ WAS constantly justified sDd re-
commented, on the grpund that i, re-
coghi2eu The sovereignty, freedom and
independence of The states, anu thai the
powers not ceded 10 tho general go-ern.
meni mere withheld from il. And, if
al ANY time rational doubt COULD have
existed on Ibis subject. under the origi-
nai text and genuine >pirii of the tede-
raj constitutions, II has wholly vanished
before the l2 Ia amendment To ihr cou.
sutulfon, which expressly declares that
the powers not deiT gated To The United
States by The constitution. nor prohibited
by II To the States, are reserved 20 the
siaies respectively, or TO the people"
linus, after the independence of The
colonies, each stale, both under the for
mer aud The presen, federalive system,
became perfect independent gation
| and as such, they entered into two distinct
confederaiions by which, they lelin-
quished certain specified national rights,
and ietalued liie rest. AS TO the national
tlghis Retained, the states remain per feet
nations, wholly independent of each other
and oil all other nations. And IL Is per-
feciiy obvious upon the spundest and
only rAiionaithcOry Of national rights, that
apiain specification al The powers granted
by national states, holding all the powers
anieceueht 10 the = ant, Is a positive pro-
hlbillou oi Tie powers moi granted. The
| general government. having no original
primitive rights aniecedehi To the federal
compact, and ing holly made up Of
the volmnlafy tessuhs by the siaies, is
The mere creature OF The rational specified
powers coded 10y the sIsiea.
lie commii;ee, having thus carefully
reviewed the nature anu origin oi lie
| coWpact Ia which The states are parties in
| their highest sovereign cbaIac Ter; from
whence sii The powers OF HE fe itral go.
vrrhniehi rcsnli, and by which these
powers are Clearly limited according 10
| the pidm manifest intention of the instru-
| mtHt constituting thai compact. proceed
nov 10 consider, whether this compact
| gives 10 the Congo SS OF the u States,
| power 60 au,huIl,c the establishment of
Lotteries within the corporation oi the
| Cay 0i W ashlngt"n, aGd to auihorise the
venting aud distribution at their tickets
| 81 hin lie territorial limits Of Stale
| fotbidd;ng II by positive al Of her Ie-
| gis!aimrc.
Undo The constitution Of the United
States power is gwen To C0ngles ito
exercise exclusive legislation, Im all cases
bals"ever, over such district, moi eA,
cetdin% ten miles square, as may hy
sslon at Va'i.Cniarsia eS, and the acceD-
tdhce oil Congress, become he seat OF
~ government OF HE United ST tes.'-
his clause, n Is bciev d, was inserted
III the constitution to be>tow upon the
sen@taI government freedom OF rjvbtIuI
action without IN leslaiion and 10 en-
@uTe security against such Troublesome
'niruslons as might otherwise disconceIt
The order Of business expected from The
iederallPg legislature. For this purpose uas
deemed necessary and pr per HAT con-
gress should have exclusive power of
legislation over the seal OF he general
GOVERNMENT. But the committee cannot
discover from the most attentive cnusifIes
ration they have bCru able 20 besrow upon
HIS and every other clause in the CON
sttutlou, from whence The power Of Com
gress is derived 10 modest Other govern
mcnis IN The exercise of their rIghIfuI
constitutional powers. Because Com
grc-s sn0nit be free, il does not rea.
,onably follow that The state legislatures
should b. slaves or, that mAgnitit ent
capital CITY Is so necessary TO the free
dom of e federal legislature, as chat he
morals, the IN etesls and The Happiness
OF the whole people OF the Unlied States
should contribute 10 adorn It.
When II is remembered that the puwer
OF taxation indirectly affect, all Tie mo.
raj, polI'ICal ant int llcttuai relations of
mankind, II ceases 10 be matter at won,
der thai lie exercisA OF such power. bv
The natural and rig litnl pos essors OF il.
should be dearly valued and u riinaci-
ously maintained against every rucroache
meDt directed against II or, that the ri
valry OF opposing governments should
frequently infringe the rules Of public
lnsi'cr 10 acquire and mOnOpoIize it,
But, as motives are HE governing princi-
pies 81 national actions aud az human
reasoning can scovCr no visible mutive
why the states, being perfect, sovereign,
independent nations, Should surrender to
The general government the power Of lax.
alton over persons and property within
Their territorial 'itAis; so, arguments to
prove the actual surrender ut this pow.
er onght 10 BE- fairly aud reasonably de
ddcfd rem the positive provisions Of the
frterai compact. Ii cannot be expected
that arguments 'ieduced from the lailtn~
diUous and underlined doctrine of inn
piled powers, and from the equally fertile
sources OF pretended necessity in the
general government, will ever prove SAL
lstacioty TO The people of the United
Siaies. The power Is too precious it
cannot pass so Whatever the policy for
getiing II may be-
Yet, II u were proper and iustifable
to depart from the plain manifest iDten
ton oi the instrument constituting the
federal compact, from whence all The
powers OF The general government result,
tor the purpose OF implying surrender
OF This taxing power 10y tie staies. implied
powers proving a retention of this power
by Tie states, might be as copiously de-
duced from The positive undisputed rights
of the states, az from those of The gen.
eral government. The morals, tue int.
rcsis and ihe hannineaa ~ LIZ rnnrIn