Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-13

been already pointed out by experience. 1t
| " may be added that without this supplemental
PROVISION, the great and essential power of re-
l"gulating foreign commerce would have been
incomplete and Intellectual. Anaterial object
Sc of tins power a relief of the stases which
"cxport and import through other states from the
"mtprUper contributions fecied on them by the
&C latter. We're these at liberty to regutate The
trade 6etueen state and state, must be forescea
''Hat rays tcoud be joun out To ioad The articles
"cf importanderpo'f,d during Tie passage through
"heuj jurisdiction, Nth duties, trltich could fail
son The makers IF the iatter, and The consumer
"g' The former. We may be assured, by past
g experience, that such practice would be in-
"troduced by future contrivanccs: and both by
that, and common knowledge of human af-
fairs that it would noursh tntce tsia., ar,mosi-
&c ties, and not improbably terminate in serious
6 Interruptions IF the public peace" .ur. Ham
ilton, IN the same volume, in pointing out the
advantages and objects of this power, is equally
strong. "The Interfering and unmeigtboriy re-
"gutdtionsof some states, contrary tothe true sp;
"rt Of The Union, have, in different instances CIV
sen Just cause of umbragc and complaint to o.
theirs; and 1t is to be feared that theeXamples of
this nature if not restrained by national
control, would be multiplied and extended till
they become not less serious sources of aniWiCSi-
''ty and discord, than in;,,rious i,pediments to
''tae Intercourse between different parts of the
g COM ederdcy. The commerce of the German
&c Empire is in continual tramnell from the null
" tipliCity of the duties which the several princes
&c and states exact upon the merchandise pas
''sing through their territories, by which the
&C fine streams and navigable rivers, with which
&c Germany is so happily watercd, are rendered
"almoSt useless.-Though the genius Of the
"people of America might never permit this des-
crption to be strictly applicable to them, yet
/ w q ma from, fbD y,,ol
"coaascts Of state regulations, that The citizens of
each toouid at length come to be considered and
"treated by the others in no better light than
&C that of foreigners and aliens" In the con-
vention of Virginia, when this clause to ere
gulate commerce between the states, was I'M
de- consideration, Mr.. Madison said, ".4U a.
giee that the General Government ought to
have power for tie regulation Of commerce. 1t
will be principniobjcct toguard against SNUG
! Cling, and such other attacks ON the revenue as
other nations are subject to. We are now OBJ
ligcd not only sto defend against those lawless
attempts, but, from the Interfering regulations
of different states, with little success. There are
regulations IN d: ferent strtestphich are ufdror-
able TO the inhabitants Of other states, and which
initiate against the revenue.-Ncw York leyies
money from New Jersey by her imposts. In New
Jersey instead of cooperating with New York.
the legislature fovors violations on her regula-
uOns.-I MS VIII not be the case when u1t1fOr
regulations will be made"
Grayson, (who was second only to Patrick
Henry in the bold stand, made in Virginia, a.
gainst the constitution from fear and jealousy of
the powers of the General Govern
ment, and especially those dcrivable by i'm
plication,) said 'dhat he willing to give the
general Government the regulation of trade,
as it would be seryiccable in regulating the trtt
among the states" This is all that was said in
the convention of Virginia upon the subject of
regulating commerce between the states.
Again, Mr.. Stevenson said, the Articles of
Confederation contained this term '','eeulafe, :"
In relation to other things. CONGRESS had the
power of ssreguia,ing" the value Of coin struck
by the respective state governments. The sense
in which it was used here was obricus and limited
similarity in the of the same phrase in the
two charters, might, therefore, Justly be consil-
cred as rendering the meaning less liable 10 be
rnisconstrued in the latter instrument. If the
meaning OF this word '',eguiGte,n therefore, was
used in limited and restricted sense in the in
stument revised and rernodelled, il cannot be
supposed that, when it is copied into the present
constitution, different and more enlarged mean
ing ought to be attached to 1t. Here, Mr.. Ste
yenson referred TO the report i'll the Virginia
Legislature, of '99 and 99, to the rule of con-
StructlOn.
| Now, Mr.. Chairman, said Mr.. s. appeal to
every candid and unprecedented mind and ask,
whether the motives and objects in giving this
power to regulate commerce between the States,
were not those pointed out in the extracts and
speeches which have referred to.
lift was intended, as my friend from Della
ware supposes, to give the power, under the
term regulate commerce) &c facilitate,' " carry
on" cut canals, make roads, &c. (besides the
other poloerS of Jurisdiction, &c. which have
pointed out in the first point of nv arrumcnt on
thesubect reads, would not some of the friends
ofthe constitutionhave urged them in vindication
ofhe power, or its foes have seized on them for the
purpose OF objection and denuuciation, LIE tany
candid man, Mr.. s. said, read the proceedings to
which have referred, and the debates in the
state conventions, compare the character of the
power now claimed with Others which were seiz
: Cd on, as strong grounds of objection, and say
) whether, if it had then been known or suspected
that such power was given or intended to be
granted, the constitution would have been adopt-
ed. Mr.. >. said in his own State the constit,I-
ton was carried By majority of only ten votes
Ii the rules ofU1tcrpretTtOn and construction of
the present day, had then existed, it would not
; have received, he believed, ten votes in its IA
vor.
Surely, then, such a cotemporaneous cxpos-
ton of the meaning md objects of the Constitu
ton, ought not to be dsregardcd.
: Mr.. S. said, that this word 'regulate' was
pushed by his friend from Delaware, beyond its
fair and legitimate meaning. He did not mean
to bubble about words, but its meaning ought to
be limited. He would illustrate by familiar
case: The Speaker Of this House has power to
"reg,tlate this f1H.n What is the meaning of
this rule? That he shall have it kept open for
ingress and regress of the mernbers-and made
comfortable for the purposes of legislation