Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-27

the COMMITTEE, were some pathetic ejacula-
tons on the subject of the suferngs of our bre-
thren OF the West. SIR, our brethren of the
West have suffered, as our brethren throughout
the United States, from thesame cause, although
with them the cause exists in an aggravated de-
gree-from the acts of those to whom thew have
confided the power of legislation by a depar-
ture-and we have all suffered from it, hone
no gentleman will understand me as wishing to
make any invidious comparisons between diff.
ierent quarters OF our country-by departure
from the industry, the simplicity, the economy,
and the frugahty, of our ancestors. They have
suffered from greatness of gain that has grasp
ed at the shadow while it has lost the substance
from habits of incidence, of profuson, of ex-
travagance-from an apery of foreign manners
and of foreign fashions-from miserable at.
tempt at the shabby genteel, which only serves
to make our poverty more conspicuous. The
way to remedy this state of suffering, is to re-
turn to those habits of labor and industry from
which we have thus departed.
But, said MIR. X. we have been asked. If nv
some conclusion of nature, this Go, ernment
should be suddenly destroyed, and should pass
away, &C like the baseless fabric ola vision. and
leave moi rack behind, - what monument would
remain of the benefits derived from it in the
West-in other words, what have we done for
the w lest Sir, let me reverse the question.
What have we not done for the West. Do gen.
tlemen want monuments? Unless the art of
printing should be lost, Posterity may find them
In your statute books and in the journals of this
House. They may find them in the Indian trea-
ties for the extinguishment of title to lands-in
grants of land, the effects of which begin now
TO be felt In Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee,
as they haye long been severely felt in Mary
land, Carolina, and Virginia they will find
them nr E,o. c.
minal payment-and, he might almost say, for
the spunging, of the debts due this Government,
by purchasers of the public lands-in the grants.
which cannot be found in the older states, for
the establishment of schools, and for other great
objects oil public concenment, for which no
thing has been given to the states of the East.
In word, they would find them in the millions
which this nation has disbursed and is now dis
bursting, for the acquisition of the navigation of
the Mississippi, and for the purchase of Louisia-
ma. 1T these be nothing, said Mr.. r. then in
deed we have done nothing for the West. II is
true, sir, that these things were done when the.
names OF more than one who now figure on this
MOOR, had not been heard of out of their own
parish. In word-without speaking this in "a
ny lnvldIous spirit: without the remotest inteo
ton of twitting our Western brethren with what
we have done for them, l have stated some of
the benefits conferred on the West, for the pur-
pose OF REFRESHING the spirit of discomfort, which.
beginning at home, never fails to lay hold upon
any external object with which it meets. as an
excuse for complaining. will not add, Mr..
Chairman-from Washington to MiIedpeyille
-1or tttS part of the country, what has been
done?
With these few remarks, continued Mr.. r.
permit me now to recall the attention of the COM
mlttee to the original design of this Government.
1t grew out of the necessity, indispensable and
unavoidable, In the circumstances of this coun-
Try, OF some general power, capable of regula-
ting foreign commerce. Sir, am old enough
to remember the origin of this Government; and.
though was too young to participate in the
transactions of that day, have perfect recoI-
lection OF what was public sentiment on the SUBJ
Ject. And lrepeat, without fear of contradiction.
That the Proximate, as well as the remote cause
OF the existence of the Federal Government.
was, the regulation of foreign commerce. Not
to particularize all the difficulties which grew
outof the conflicting laws of the States, Mr.. r.
referred to but one, arising from Virginia tax
ing an article, which Maryland then made DUTY
free-and to that very policy, said he, may be
attributed, in great degree, the rapid growth
and prosperity of the town of Baltimore. If the
old Congress had possessed the power of laying
duty OF 10 per cent dd UarOien, on imports.
this Constitution would never have been called
into existence.
But, we are told, that, along with the regula-
ton OF foreign commerce, the states have Weld
ed, to the General Government, in as broad
terms, the regulation of domestic commerce.
mean, said Mr.. r. the commerce among the SO.
veral States-and that the same power is DOS
sessed by Congress over the other. 1T is rather
unfortunate for this argument, that, if it applies
TO the extent to which the power to regulate
foreign commerce has been carried by Congress
they may prohibit altogether this domestic com
merce, as they have heretofore, under the other
power, prohibited foreign commerce.
But why put extreme cases? This government
cannot go one day without mutual understand
ing and Difference between the State and Gener.
al Governments. This government is the breath
of the nostrils of the States. Gentlemen NAV
say what they please of the Preamble to the
Constitution but this Constitution is NOT the
work ofthe amalgamated population of the then
existing confederacy, but the offspring of the
States and however high we may carry our
heads, and strut and fret our hour, dressed in
little brief authority it is in the power o.
the States to extinguish this government at a
blow. They have only to refuse to send mem.
bers to the other branch of the Legislature, OF
to appoint Electors Of President and Vice Presi-
dent, and the thing is done. | hope gentlemen
VIII not understand me seeking for reflections
OF this kind-but. like Falstaf's rebellion
mean Worcesters rebellion, they lay in my way
and found them.
But, we are asked, what if little Delaware
should erect her back, or New jersey, s. should
undertake to stop the transportation ofthe Uni
ted States MALI 1t would be something very
like the attemptvirtually made by another State
during the late war, or an attempt to stop the
transit of the U. S. troops through the territory
of State. And this brings me to another branch
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