Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-06

contestible power of taxation. We know that
the imposition oftaxes has its limits. There is a
maximum which caunot be transcribed. Sup
pose the citizen to be taxed by the General Co
eminent to the utmost extent of his ability, or a
thing much as it can possibly bear, and the
state imposes tax at the same time, which au-
thority is to take it Extreme cases of this sort
may serve to amusc and to puzzle; but they
Will hardly ever arise III pr5,cuce. And we may
safely confidc in the moderation, good sense
and mutual good disposition, of the two govern
ilerts to guard against the imagined conflicts
1t is said by the President, that the power to
regulate commerce merely authorizes the lay
ing of imposts and duties. But Congress has no
power to hay imposts and duties ON the trade a
mong the several State. The grant must
mean, therefore, something else. What is
it The power, to regulate commerce "a
Inong the several States, il it has any meaning
implies authority to foster it, to promote it, To
bcstow omit facilities sInlar to those which have
been conceded to our foreign trade. 1t cannot
mean only empty authority to adopt regulations,
without the capacity to give practical effect to
them. All the powers ofthis Government should
be interpreted in reference to its first its best,
its greatest object, the Union of these States.
And is not that Union best myi gorated by an
intimate, social, and commercial conncxion he
tween ali the parts of the confedcracy? Can
that be accomplished, that is, can the tederatve
objects of this Government be attained, but by
the application offederativc resources
OF all the powers bestowed ON this Govern
ment, Mr. Clay thought none were more clearly
vested, than that to regulate the distribution of
the intelligence, private and official, of the
country to regulate the distribution of its com
Inercc; aud to regulate the distribution of the
physical force of the Union. In the execution
ofthe high and solemn trust which these bene-
fetal powers imply, we must look to the great
ends which the trainers of our admirable con-
stituton had lii view. We must reject, as
wholly incompatible with their enlightened and
beneticent intentions, that construction of these
powers which would rcsuscitate all the debility
and incificcncy of the ancient confederacy. In
the vicssitudes OF human affairs, who can FORE
see all the possible cases, III which ii may be
necessary to apply the public force, within or
without the Union' This Government is charg-
cd with the use of it, to repe invasions, to sup
press instructions, to enforce the laws of the
Union; in short, for all the unknown and undo
Unable purposes of war, foreign intestine,
wherever and however it may rage. During
IS existence, may not Government for its e.-
fcctual prosecution, order road to be made, or
{, canal to be cut, to relieve, for example, an
exposed point of the Union If, when the
emergency comes, there is a power to provide
for it, that power must exist i'll the constitution
and not in the emergency. A wise, precaution-
arv, and parental policy, anticipating danger,
will beforehand provide for the hour OF need
Roads and canals are in the nature of fortifica-
TONS since, if not the deposites of military re-
sources, they enable you to bring into rapid &C
ton, the military resources of the county,
wherever they may be, They arc better than
any Notifications, because they serve the double
purposes OF peace and of war. They dispense.
in great degree, with Notifications, since they
have all the effect of that concentration, al
which Notifications aim. l appeal from the pre-
cepts of the President to the practice of the
President. While he denies to Congress the
power in question, he does not scruplc, upon his
sole authority, as numerous instances in the sta
tutc book will testify, to order, ut pleasure the
opening of roads by the military, and then come
here to ask us to pay for them. Nay more, sir; ;
subordinate but highly respectable officer o.
the Executive Government, believe would not
hesitate to provide boat or cause = bridge 10
he erected over an inconslcrablc stream, to en-
sure the regular Transportation of the mail. And
ii happens to be within my personal knowledge,
that the head of the Post Office Department as
prompt and vi@ent officer should do, had re-
Gently despatched an agent To ascertain the eau
ses ofthe late frequent yeXaious failures of the
great northern mail, and To inquire if a provision
of q boat or bridge over certain small streams in
Maryland, which have produced them, would
not prevent their recurrence.
/ was much surprised at one argument OF the
honorable gentleman. He told the House, that
the Constitution had carefully guarded against
inequality, among the several states, in public
burthens, by certain restrictions upon the power
of traxation; that the effect of the adoption of
system of internal improvements would be to
draw the resources from one part of the Union,
and to expend them III tIac Improvement of ano-
ther and that the spirit, at least, of the consti-
tutional equality would be thus violated. From
the nature of things, the constitution could not
specify the theatre ofthe expenditure ofthe pub
lie treasure That expenditure, guided by and
looking to the public good, must be made, ne
cessarily, where 1t will most subserye the inte-
rests of the whole Union. The argument is
that the locale of the collection of the public
contributions, and the locale of their disburse-
Inent should be the same. Now, sir, etus car
nv this argument out and no is more capa-
BILE than the ingenious gentleman from Virginia,
of tracing an argument to its utmost consequent
ces. The locale of the public revenue is the
pocket of the citizen and, to abstain from the
violation Of the principle ofequality adverted to
by the gentleman, we should restore back to
each mans pocket precisely what was taken
from it. 1.-THE principal commended for be true
we are habtually violating it. We raise about
twenty millions ofdollars, very large revenue,
considering the actual distrcsses of the country.
Ind, sir, Notwithstanding all the putting, fou-
Iishinig statements of prosperity, emanating from
prts ers who are fed upon the pap of the public
treasury, the whole country is i'll condition of
very great dirtress. Where is this vast reye-
me expended? Boston, Y. York, the great CAPT
tails of the North, are the theatres of its dis
burscjncut. There the expenditure in the