Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-10-05
RICHMOND, OCTOBER 5. M
RO.4DS. C.8V.4L,S. BE-

The Charleston Patriot of the 22nd ult. ad
mits, that the late writer in the Franklin Ga
zettc ofPhadelphia, successfully combats the
National lntclligencer in some of the positions
taken by that paper."-'Fhe Patriot adds the
argument which Pounds this right in Congress
on the power to establish post Offices and post
roads is, we think untenabe, and successfully
conluted by the Philadelphia writer."-We
should have been particularly pleased with this
concession Of the Patriot, If ut the very same
moment it had not fallen into far more dan
gerous, because more sweeping, error. The
Patriot denies the position of the Philadelphia
writer, who contends that this power cannot
be drawn from the following clause of the CON
stitution:
The congress shall have power TO lay and collect
taxes, duties, imposts and eXcses TO PAY he debts and
frOulde for ue common deRce and general ireitare Of
The United Stdtes."
After combating the argument of the Phila-
delphian, the Patriot thusgoes on:
" To avoid this evil therefore, the convention en-
la'ged the sense and meaning of the clause, so to
give to Congress, with regard to the application of the
public money, the widest scope imaginable, for what
can be otIarger Specification than the words " pro-
VIDE Tor the common defence aud general welfare of
the United States 2" How then can tho " amendatory
words he restricted the objects TO which the mo-
MES arising from taxes duties, inposts and excuses
should be applied" when perceive that there arc
no objects which will not fall within the meaning of
the words TO provide for the common defence and ge
neral welfare! The power, therefore, in Congress,
apply tile public monies is comprehensive as Ian
guIge can render IT,"
Do we then understand the Patriot as posi-
lively advocating this most comprehensive
power in the Congress Of the u. s. Z?
We read these assertions with the profound
est establishment and regret. We scarcely be-
Iieyed, there was one citizen in this country,
much less Republican (spcaking technically, J
vino would fall into SO gross a mistakc.--Surc-
y the Patriot has not read, or has utterly for
gotten, the grounds which were taken by the
Republican Party in 1913 and 80, on this article
ofthe Constitution Surely, he does not see
the effect of his doctrine in changing the We
ry spirit Of the constitution itself IL his CON
structiOn be correct, it is this clause which
ought to be called the sweeping OUe-for, il
would sweep Oft every limitation upon the gen
eral government, where money was concern
ed and vest that government with powers,
which laugh to nought all the intentions Of its
| adopters, and all the restrictions which they
have attempted 10 specify.
We can have nothing new to urge upon this
lpOint--Every thing which need be said upon
| it was so much better said more than % year.
! ago, that we must content ourselves with tho
humble task Of quotation. We beg leav,
! therefore, TO cite the following extract
| from Mr. MadisOn's Report of 1900 And /
we may take the liberty TO advise an Editor
for whose abilities we have such sincere res
pect, we beg him 10 read aud to reflect a little
more, before he gives 10 sIch errors tbs stainI
Of authority