Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-14
FOR THE NATIONAL ISrELLIcrscrn.
Eighteenth Congress.
House OF REPREsESrATIvEs, JANUARY 20.
DEBATE

I'm The BiH for obt1tning The necessoru Ssrreus
on The subject of Roads and Canuts.
MR.. STEVENSON'S SPEECH Concluded I
These, Mr.. Chairman, (said Mr.. Stevenson. !
were the proceedings which produced and led
To the formation and adoption of the present
Constitution OF the United States, and beg
gentlemen TO examine these various reports.
resolutions. and proceedings, and they will he
satisfied that the power now claimed To regu-
iate commerce between the states, was not
intended 70 go farther than To place all the
states upon An equality in "A free and uninter
rupted intercourse. That this was the great
ana leading object OF the Immediate trainers
of the Constitution, and the understanding of
uie people, Mr.. Stevenson said. he would he
ao'e TO satisfy the committee by other high
authority. he meant tn test the doctrines now
advanced by those of the enlightened ajyo
cafes OF the constitution al the immediate. time
OF IFS adoption. He alluded particularly to
the writings and opinions of Mr.. Madison. and
VT Hamilton, TO whose abilities the esiah-
Ishment OF the constitution was much attri-
buted. In the first volume of the Fedrralist
Mr.. Madison says, The DEFECT of power in
=" the existing confederacy ts regulate com
merce between the states, has been already
pointed out by experience. II may be added
thdt, without this supplemental provision,
me great and essential power OF regulating
" foreign commerce would have been incom-
pieie and Intellectual. material object of
" TINS power was a relief of the states which
export and import through other states. frsm
" the improper contributions levied on them
Wy the latter. Were these at liberty To rreu-
late the trade between state and state. il,
must oe foreseen that ways would be found
out TO load the articles of import and export.
" during the passage through their iurisdic
II
p" makers of the latter, and the consumer oi
|" Tue former. We NAV be assured. by mas,
" experience, that such practice would he
introduced by future conirivancps; and both
" ny mat, and "a common knowledge of human
" affairs, that II would nAurish Increasing ami
" mosrties, and not improtably terminate in
" serious interruptions of the public peace +"
Mr.. Hamilton, in the same volume. in
pointing out the advantages and objects of
TINS power, is equally strong "The intrrCer
=" ing and unneighhorly regulations of some
s'a'Ps, contrary To the true spirit of the Uni
" on, have in different instances. given i,s,
cause OF uRhrage and compliant Ia others
and 1t Is to be feared that the examines of
Tins nature, if not restrained by national
control, would be multiplied and extended
I'LL they became not less serious sources of
amnesty and discnrd, than injurious i'm
Peulments tn The intercourse between differ
= rnt parts "f the confederacy The rUm
merce of the German Empire is in cnntioua,
" trammels from the multiplicity of the ,,trs
winch the several Prices aud states exact
upon the merchandise passing through
:" thrIr territories. by which the fn. streams
anu na'igahe rivers, with which Germany
" Is 40 happily watere1, are rendered nIn,nst
" useless. Though the genius Of the people
" OF America might never permit this dpscrip
y ton to BE- strictly applicable to them, vet we
may reasonably expect, from the gradual
conflicts of state regulations, that the ciii
" Zens of each would at length come ia he
considered and treated by the others in no
better light than that Of foreigners and ali
" ems In the convention OF Virginia. when
this clause To regulate commerce bet,v..n
the states,'' was under consideration. Mr. Md
Ison said, All agree that the General Govern
ment ought TO have power for the regnIation
OF commerce twill be principal object t0
guard against smuggling, and such other at
'd'kS on me revenue, as other nations are
suhJect TO. We are now obliged not only tn
defend againsi those lawless attempts. bu,
from the interfering regulations of different
states, with little sur cess There are r.ouIa-
tons IN different states which are uDfavorabIe
10 the inhabitants Of other states. and which
HliiIla'e against the revenue. New York To-
vles money from New Jersey by her imposts.
In New Jersey, instead of co operating with
New York, the Legislature favors violations
on her regulations. This will not he the caa.
when uniform regulations will be made,
=, Grayson, (who was second only TO Patrick
'Ienry 10 the bold stand, made in Virginia.
against the Constitution, from fear and iealou-
sy OF the powers of the General Government
anu especially those dervabe by implication. !
saId that he was willing to give the General
Government the regulation of trad. &c :,
would he serviceabIe in regulating the trade
among the states" This is all that was said
~ 'ne convention of Virginia upon the subject
W regulating commerce between the STATES
AGAIN, Mr.. Stevenson said. the Articles or
Confederation contained this term " rspnl,,. >,
10 relsiion to other things. Congress had the
power of " regulating" the value of coin struck
oy the respective state governments. The
sense ln which u was used here was obyinus
dnu HHited. similarity in The use of The
same phrase ~ the two charters, might. there
''''' justly ne considered as rendering Ne
"e""'nS Tess Iabe to be miscOnsrued i'm 4 90
''''e, instrument IL the meaning Of lis
word J" regulate" therefore. WAS used in . /;
mtPd and restricted sense in fine isstrun.nt
revised and remodeIled, IL cannot be suuuos
Pd mat, when Il Is copied into the present con
st'u'i"n, q different and more enlarged mean
lng ought to- be attached toif. Hero, Mr..
stevenson referred to ,hr report in the Virgin
Va Legislature, of '9G ADD '0g, as to the rule of
construction
Now Mr. Chairman, said Mr.. S. / appraI
U" every candid and unpreildiced mind, and
'sK, whether the motives and objects 10 giving
ms power to regulate commerce between tb,
STATES were not those pointed out in tlrex.
tracts and speeches which have referred to.
II II WA intended, as my friend from Della.
ware supposes, To give the power, (under the
t'rm regulate commprce) to facilitate" -" ear