Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-14

| hlr. .. sad, read the proceedings to which
have referred. and the debates 70 the Stat. CON
ventions, compare the character of tn. power
now Claimed, with others which were seized
on, as strong grounds of obiectinn and saw
whether, if it had then been known or sus-
pectec that such power was given or intend
ed to he granted, the constitution would have
been adopted. Mr. S. said, in his own State.
the constitution was carried by a majority ,f
only ten votes. IL the rules of Interpretation
and construction of the present day, had then
existed, it would not have received, he beley
ed, ten votes in its favor
surrey, then, such cotemporanpous rx-
position ct the meaning and objects of the
Constitution, ought not to be disregardrd.
MT > said, that this word regulate was
pushed by his friend from Delaware, beyond
It's ta'r and legitimate meanng. He did not
mean 10 bubble ahom words, hut its mean
ing ought tn be limited. He would illustrate
by familiar case The Speaker of this
House has power to" regulate this Hal."-
| nat IS the mraning ofthis rule z That he
shali have II kent open for ingress and rrgrrss
~ me meinhers- aud made uincbrtable for
the purposes of'egisatnn. But. can he pull
down the columns, or change the shape ar
construction of the room, without our con-
sent? Ii would not be pretended. So. in
me case at regulating Commerce. 'rhi, gu
Vernnen may be considered as the friendly
third power 10 decide between the statesmen
TO participate herself, hut with the power to
regulate the manner in which IL shall he car
RED on. She stands as the umpire "a secure
/ Il free interchange upou principles ofeGuaiity
between the States of Ih.. South and ne
| North, the East and The Wrst-to ensure to
each an uninterrupted and unfriter.d inter
conrsr-tn protect each state from Fraudulent
and unequal prohibitions, " hilst carrying ON
trade through the Jurisdictions of one anoihrr
| to prevent smuggling gulata the con
dnct nf sramen-rstahlsh ports fix on plarcs
al ad'ng aud unladinG, as might be most Goa
j venient for the merchant, On the one hand
ami for the eIfec,, corcrinn of the revenue
on 'Ge other. All thes" objects and many O.
thers ot Ike character, fall within the power of
regulating commerce. Again If we ha,"
| the power, under This word regulate In do
every thing which shall facilitate commerce.
u 've cannot only regulate. hut carry il ON.
why may not the government build Sims al
me expense at the nation, fur the purpose OF
transporting commodities Ia and from on.
! port I" another, especially whore small nnrt,
may be too p"or to buid vessels tn transnnrt
their products? Why may we no, Ipgi.late
upon the subjects of bills of exchange and
PromIss6ry notes? WholrsGnle laws and RI.
gula,lons. IN relation Ia these objects. might
facilitate and aid commerce and trade between
The states. Why not, too, incorporate agIi-
| cultural, manufacturing. and commercial COM
| panirs These may be subservrnt and use
| til IN relation 10 our commerce. and wouId
teHdt7 facilitate and foster it. But, would
such powers be tolerated in this government
or even claimed nv the warmps, advocates of
Tins bill Against this power of the general
| government. To make internal improvements
! ny means al roads and canals under any part
at me CONSTITUTION, MIR. 6, said, he wuuId
! hrlng The sanction "f high na0Ie in III. an
nails of our poliIicaI history-the authority Of
a man, whose principles had been as uniform
| W steadiast as republican, and whose virtues
were as pure ms ms genius Was splrndd-a
| man who had justly been considered ms The
"Aposte of Liberty" Ii was unnecessary ia
say that he alluded 10 Thomas jefferson. I'm
his message to Congress in 1906, he denies. in
terms, IN" power IN this government TO exc
cute system of internal Improvement nv
| roads and canals, and recommends an amend
mfnt of tie Constitution in this respect;
Here Mr.. S. read extracts from the Mes
sage.
! deny, then, (said Mr. 81 any power in
ms government, under the clause Ia % regulate
| commerce among the states" tn make roads
and canals IN any part of this Union
| Mr. ). said, he had Intended to have gone
at large int" an examination OF Il third source
from which this power, he knew. was claimed
| by some "f the friends Of the hill, Though not
| by the Speaker and the gentleman froIa Del
! aware and That was the power If unlimited
| appropriation Of money" But he was
sensible that he was irrspassing ton Ions, upon
| the attention. of the Committee (w no had so
kindly attended to him Throughout the discus
| sInn,) and he would, therefore, content him
self with few general remarks.
This doctrine of unlimited apnrnnriation bv
! this pTDmPnt. of ftIe r,,ona,, or a..
was first asserted by Mr. Hamilton. whilst ~,
crrary rf the Treasury in the wear 179I.-
/ IN his report ofihe 9Th of Drcemher. 17gt h.,
! nantaincc That il belonged 20 the discretion
! Olthc National Legislature Ia " pronuuncr up
On me Objects which concern the general
! welfare and to appropriate the money of the
| Dnon To whatever concerns " the general in
tefrsIs nl learnlng, utagrculturp of mgu,Il.c-
lures and 0fcnmmercs"
| ", SAID Mr.. S. You have thu. power Of the
purse un'lmitrd, you destroy the effect nfany
| particular cnumrratIOu uf pnwrra in the Com
sHu'lnn' l'Ie effect IS precisely the same as
| u tne Constitution authorized every measure
| lhere WAS not power which might not have
some reference To the common defence and
| general welfare, nor one of any n,a0uitudc
WHICH IN its excrcisr, did nat Embrace an ar.
! preparation OF money. Any Governments
! therefore. which possessed either fine uo,vpr
| ~ lrglsatlng fer the public welfare, or the
/ r'ght oi apprnpraflng. At PLEASURE. flir public
! money, was, in"ifpci, absolute and unlimited.
SIR SAID MI. >. IN pur general system Of
! fnliIicAl Economy, having for its object the
! "atI"nal welfare, every thing is related imnp-
'ihltly or remoiely, To every othri thing, and
consequently, Il p0wpr over any one thinu. If
! not limited by some Obvious and precise aim
| ny, may omount tP power over every other