Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-02-15

menfs in the city, which the ordinary
revenae thereof will not accomplish
| but although this provision be found in
an ACT OF Congress, aud an act OF Con.
gress be, primS facie. law of The United
States, YET say that this provision is no
raii of the lars OF the United States aud
therefore is not law in Virginia, and eau
! give the judiciary OF the United States
J no Jurisdiction Of any case arising in
! Virginia.
| Our general aud state governments,
make one compnnnd sovereignty They
make but one entire sovereignty, and moi
| several as has been said. This is as plain
| as that II = part be taken from a whole,
me whole cannot remain. A complete
sovereignty comprelIemds necessarily ali
TIE powers oil a nation. Virginia ia not,
hor Is any other state Ofille Union COM
Piete sovereignty because they have all
surrendered 10 The general government a
portion of their sovereign powers nor
~ TIE government Olihe u. States a com
piete sovereignty because she received
bn, a portion ut sovereign power. lire
CURES therefore the union of these s-ye
raj powers 10 make one complete sove-
reigniy. Virginia aud The general gavern-
meat possess The cntiTe suyereianiy i'm
aud over Virginia: Kentucky anu The ge-
neral government, The euiire Sovereignty
Ia aud over Kentucky aud so of The resi-
anu all The states, territories md districts.
with The general government hold the en-
tire sovereignty Of the l.. S. The laws
oil Que state or district are not binding in
another. The government Of The &
possesses entire sovereignty over the Dis.
trio, OF Columbia aud The territories be.
longing 10 the u. States aud Congress
possesses, H. TO ,h,m, complete le.isla
tive power. The sovereignty over these.
although uoi divided, isneverjh, less COM
posed OF the same divisib!e pnwcrs. as i'm
The states but INSTEAD OF n assessing one
hall, as ia the states, here Congress pos.
sesscs two halves. The Sovereignty of
the District, tbem.h IL be entire and com
.plet", Is still bui The sovereignty of tie
District. Congress. grant. has exclusive
Legislature power over the district, but this
exclusive Legislative power is confined To-
ihe diStrt.t Itself. aud thai by the copsri-
tnlioh Is limited TO len miles square.
ASK then by What sort oi legerdeman can
laws made for The District by an antho,i-
" extending only over the District BIZ
stretched 10 Norf"lk grant that Con.
gress, as 10 the District, has lie IS hole
legislative power. WHICH, as TO The seye
raj states, is divided between CONGRESS
and the several stale legislatures Lu,
Congress can no more make the laws of
The district operate IN Virginia, than Con,
gress anu The Virginia legislature com
binrd, can make The laws Of Virginia o.
peraie III y. York. As the legislature of
Tue Union, Congress possesses tie same
power over tile District, thai she possess.
es over Virginia aud the otl,rr states (:
Ara as The legislature Of The District, size
pessesse the >aMc power in the DISTRICT.
liiai the Virginia legislature possesses in
Virginia. 10 conclude, when Congress.
In exercising lrcr powers oi legislation.
touches any subject belonging particular
W TO the District, ANA which in any stale.
would be Legitimate subject Of stale
legislation wiirn she exercises over the
Dist1l.i any power which, as il regards
The states. I" is mol delegated 10 the u. S.
by tile q asfi'uiion, nor prohibited bv il
t. The states" she aciS az ID state lepisIa.
lure only, aud l., gro ad such exercise of
power, no mare HAN lie local legislature
OF the district itself and no act so passed
can have any binding power beyon, HE
limits OF snch district not erceedtno. ten
miles square
Aud thus. Think. il sppears manifest.
thai ,bIs act OF Congre.s concerning tie
etg V"S"f"St0h, Is no part Of tie faUS o
The U.sStdtes, bn, law of the DISTRICT
merely, and perhaps even there consider
ed AS private act. Consequently, my
second position is established, TO wit
that although the Judiciary of The u. S
have, p'fna Jacie, they have moi IN fact
jurisdiction of This particular case. And
# this be 50, a decent respect for Their in
iegrliy, requires us TO conclude that they
will quash The writ.
And u have succeeded in proving
The two first positions, il follows necessa-
rlly, That The legislature of Virginia, in
speaking upon this subject no,O, will speak
prematureiy.