Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-08-24

gress possess this power and attempt t.
prove 1T by referring to "the appropriations fol
extra pay tn the military for making roads,
the employment OF Typographical engineers il
surveying rivers, with a view of ascertainina
the praciicablity oftleir Improvement, and t.
the creation OLA pension list, under the power
: To raise and support armies"
Though they cannut concur l., this rev
plan, they are pleased to see it tau, proposed
IN the Eaq"rr, because conflict of opinion
viii produce hight, and because this saiis n tenn
from one ert,eme to anoticr--tiom extreme icai-
oRSy q .Jederai Pouer, 10 ertreme confidence a.,
1t, she,cs that The principle is not considered fired
ecen an Trginia, bit get impendiag." And
though 1t gives them . pleasure TO obs erve
symptoms like the present, they "do not
mean TO inlpnte tcrgivcrsation or INDIGESTION to
us personally.
We are, indeed, much indebted to The gene
ros'ty of tue Inteiiigcncer for It's humane for
bearance on this occasion. Exposed as we
were, To be struck dumb, if not entirely ami
inflated, for the grievous sin of granting the
jrseGom Of The press TO correspondent, who,
either inlest or III earnest, advocated doctrines
adverse To those zee had held, il certainly re-
CURED the most godlike magmanimity in the
lnteiliSencer, to permit us TO escape ,tnhurt.-
we feel that the rebullc we have received was
as mitd as il was courteous and as apt as our
tergiversation was apparent. AS we admire
ana ann at conssstency we cannot but be proud
OF having so viglant and excellent monitor
az the Inteillgcncer. Would it were possihlr
b9ore we take another g sudden leap" in the
dark 8 from one extreme to another" we could
be adnlonished Of our danger
We marvel much, that among the many CO.
ianns which we have written and published
on political subjects, and particularly, on the
subject of state rights and congressional pocer,
we should not have departed from our prnc-
pies lii more signal instance, than in the sim
pie publication of communication, written
four or five hundred miles from us. But that
communication, fOrsooih, advocates a measure
1T war with the federal constitution, and with
Our former exposiions of that Instrument
True. II Is the plan of one of our cores
pondents. and not of ourselves but then it
is placed conSpicuouSly under the E9itoriai
head, without comment, and may, therefore, be
said, il not TO have the tacit assent of the Ed
itor, at least net 10 be vEHEMENrLY opposed Jy
him"-thus making us responsible for everv
communication which we publish without
protest nay, for the place which our foreman
chooses to give it in the paper.
This sort of logic is, no doubt, irresistible to
the mind of the Integencer. We trust it is
from such well founded conclusions, and such
duced to say, " that the denial of this power
to Congress (the power to make roads and
canals) is involved in SO much of inc0nsisten-
cy that we are fully impressed with the belief
that, IN a few years, il will be matter of as
constituent how doubt could be entertained
on the subject of its existence" Where is
the evidence of this inconsistency?
Is it found in the 90 pension list z" Now, it
strikes us at the first blush of this matter, that
the promise OF pension upon certain con
ungencles is one of the inducements which may
be held out to the soldier TO enlist in the ranks /;
operating upon him like the bounty, or the
promise of monthly wages and clothing.
The intelligence is pleased to rely for the
power 10 make roads" upon that clause OF
the constitution which % expressly saws that
Congress shall have the power TO establish
Post-roadS." Here the InteSenccr overlooks
the manifest distinction between making a
road, and designating on which of the roads
already made the U. S. mail shall travel The
last comes up sufficiently to the letter of the
constitution because it is the establishing of
a post-road.-But how will the Intelligcnccr
contriye To smugslc under this clause of the
constitution, the power which he also so gene
rously gives TO Congress of making cunals?
The argument Of authority, on which lie also
sustlins himself, may cut both ways.-If Con
gress have sanctioned the erection of roads,
why not cite on the other hand the principles
ofJefierson, and Madison and Monroe? These
three statesmen have denied the constitution
81 right of Congress To encourage that general
system of roads and canals, which the Intel
llSencer sanctions.-I saying there is high au-
tnonty against us, 1--WE presume he means the
present President the u. States but trust
ing = that a revision of opinions not uery de-
caSaUety expressed may yet lead to different
result lntelligencer is asked, how it can
call that opinion not very decisive" which
the President boldly ayowed by way of anil
cipdtion.
In arraying dSoOn authorities upon this oc-
cason, 1t relies upon the money aporopria-
ed for extra pay, TO the military for max
ing roads" Ii is strange that the lntelligcncer
will permit itselfto fall into such loose repre-
sensations. The iao certainly is silent upon
this matter.
The pay of the ARMY is fixed by act of Con
gress, and the appropriation made in the gross,
for "pay of the army and subsistence of
the officers !" but an additional allowance
for the performance of fatigue duty is
granted by the regulations of the war de-
partment.~ The fatigue duty here alluded to
was, originally, intended to embrace the cree
ton and repair of forts, and bridges, and such
other manual labOur as might he found ncccs-
sary for the convenience, comfort and safety
ofthe army, whether stationary or on the
march. Il may in time of peace have been
extended by the officers to the opening of roads
notiinmedately necessary for the use of the
troops, and if we mistake not, the measure was
sanctioned bya vote ofCOngress, upon grounds
which may, perhaps, involve the very question
in dispute.
DO we find the power, now claimed, in the
tul e 81,
employment Of the principal Typographical
engineer OF the u. s. tnder fhe srnclion Of