Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-03-09

the other granted powers for, il can scarce
ly be doubted that every one of these would
carry with it, as an Incident, the power of APP
propiIating the money necessary for its exc
cu;i@n. That can hardly be- Just cnnstruc-
hon, which would thus cuuirovert the lead
ing Clause OF the Constitution toto mere sur
plusage.
The Honorable Speaker seems To he
alarmed al the idea ofa discretionary power
IN Congress To appropriate money to pro
mote the general welfare" and has reminded
us OF the saying of a military cheftain, who
certainly understood the elements of human
power, as well as any man who ever welded
them;" Give me money, tssid that celebrated
man, and will obtain boyonets - and, con
'erseiy, !" give me- bayonrts, and I will get
money ?" Now, If the Hon. Speaker had
examined the bearing of this military maxim,
with the sagacity which usually characteristics
the operations of his mind, think he would
nave found IN IL an answer 10 his own argument,
and perfect relief from all his apprebensun.
" the combned powers of money and bayo-
nets, of the purse and the sword are so fearful,
ask II they do not exist, without limitation,
IN Congress, by the express grants of the
Constitution That the power Of appropr-
atIng money is unlimited in reference 10 all
the elements OF military power, is IA PROPOSE
ton which am sure Will not be- questioned.
gers OF the bay"nei can be increased by the
power 81 approprlaiing money To other OBJ
l"cfs IL IS not, sir, The power of apprnpriai-
InS money, but the other powers To which it
gives motion, that can he regarded ne danger
Gus. Against the wasleful expenditure Of the
puEbc money, the Constitution furnishes an
ample srcuiiy in the provision, that no mo-
ney shah he drawn from the Treasury but hy
the consent of the people, through their i'm
mediate representatives. Ii may at least he
said, that if this is not u sufficient securit,,
there can be nonr; for the field Of expendi-
ture - wide enough for all the purposes of
extravaganza" under any construction which
can br given Ia the Constitution.
Sir, II the view have taken of the mcnev
power OF tins gnvrrnmeG, h,. not correct. e,-
cry Administrations, and almost every Cot,
gress, have been guilty of habitual ioln,i,.n.
uf the Constitution. In the administ, atior 4
Gen. Washington, an appropriation MAS mad,
To relieve the suffering people of ST. Don.n-
go, "ho had snusht refuge on our hnspila-
bic shores; and, in that of Mr.. Madison. y
similar appropriation was made for The relic
of the wrrtchrd inhabitants of Cara ccas. over
whrlmrd Ivy the disasters of AN eaFihgnake.
Neither of these appr"pr atoms have the
r"motes' assisnai'Ir re'atiOn TO any one ,f
t"e o'htr eurmrrhtrd powers, and chal-
itnSe any T"nt man To Justify them under
any either clause of the Constitution hut tha,
which conirrs the revenue power. In fact.
SIR, We carn"t perform those every day acts
winch az" essential To the existence. and in
VOWED IN thrNrry notion OF gov.rrInrnt flour
power Ia appropriate money il regarded ne
merely suhscrrient Ia The other grants al
power. The monuments we have erected t,.
illustrate the gratitude of The naiinn and the
memory OF her distinguished citizen, lin.
works ofgenius and pnIriniism by which ve
nave decorated the halls of This Caritoi; and
The very snpplications winch are every morn.
ing sent up to heaven, inv liking IFS smiles urou
our deliberations for the general welfare. arr,
So many emblems of usurpaiOn, ii the aiuu.
ments ofgrnilepieu correct on this nuini
We cannot look around us without h,hold
ing something To rrrnind us that we have YIN.
lated the Constitution.
But, sir. there are much stronger prccrdrnis
than any have yet stated, on the point under
considerations
Under the administration nf Mr. Jefferson
one of the most distinguished advocates Of
hunted cnnstfaction, Congress appropriated
money for the purchase ola territory sufficient
Iy large for an empire. Ii will rot be prr
tended that this was authorized by any = f The
specific grants of power To Congress. If not
rom that TO appropriate m0nry. Whence
then, Is the power derived If the purchase,
from Lnuslaua, whom Trust we shall hear
upon this question, has no right IN raise hi,
voice IN ii'is assembly. If il was constitution
az as believe IL was, il is IN VAN 10 spesk
oi any security against The waste of the bubble
Treasure, derived from limiting the objects at
expenditure. For the same pripciple " bich
authorized the purchase of Louisiana. Womb
equally authorize that nf Cuba aud the Island.
IN the Pacific Ocean and if nature did NOT in
trrpnse an insnperablc barrier, we might 90
with the Hon. Speaker 10 the planets above
us ana there embark IN sovereign Speculation.
but u VIII be saId that the purchase of Lou.
ls'ana was made by virtue of The executive
power tn make treaties. Granted. And
what follows That there il an unlimited
power IN the executive government, not only
10 ahtlinTlZe Congress to appropriate n,nupy
hut to impose upnn il all ne obligation whirh
can grow out the treaty, 10 make The au-
prlatI0n. SIR, tins pnis au end Io the argu-
mPnt which limits Tie power nf arrrnrriatip.-
money io the other Specific grants tn Congress.
embraced IN The enumeration az its nov pra.-
And, must say, IL woud be- an rHt'aurd,parr
supposilDn, That the trainers of the Consfi-,
tuition inten led +" limit, Icy ,he most iranrs
restrictions, the pow rr nf The rnppi4r nanrh
OF The government, IN selecting the nii.c;s
calculated 10 promote The grnrrI writarr.
ana ~ The samr Time, io test iu The Eyrru.
tive go'rrnmrnt the mUst unlinited discretion
on the same sublrct.
But, says. ih, hnnnrnhlq Speaker. n w.
can derive the right of fnaIIing road through
= STATE, fruui the conseut of The State, W.. ca,,
derive from it =o,errign powers not ronfrfrrG
by the Constitution. II il were conicr,i, Il
That the power frpproPririi"G mop,B c"rild
be derived from the consent Of = SLATE This oil
lection would, admit, h,' unanswefah.r. Tht