Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-07-29

! paal. as Camillus has shewn, and the anteceient
tibate would farther prove; but its structure was
I'd admirable, as TO extort at the time, high COM
mediation from the foes, and 10 entitle 1t TO be
remembered by the friends OF Internal Imp, Owe
nent.
MIR. Monroe's view, il this construction of the
Co,s,,u,ion. (which is as ancient as its founda-
ton and was fhat Of it's founders,) is destined,
hereafter, to bear hsname. is incomparably the
safest ground that the friends OF Internal Improve
imcnt can take, who watch, as every friend oil the
constitution should with unceasing vigilance, over
the lust rights of the states.
Itclaims the simple power OF bestowing the pub
lie money. in aid of the authority OF those sta'es
upon Objects Instituted and planned by themselves
and in which, they have common interest. 1t
renores mo wholesome restraint upon the assumr-
zion of unconstitutional authority, by the general
government; il does not supersede the necessity
cf .nv mart OF the specific enumeration OF the pow
srs Of Congress-; it does dispense, and, hence the
greater security which impats to state authority,
sr;fh ne necessity of greatly charging by con-
.frvet;o,,. n,any, if not oil Of those enumerated
potrers. -, L.. NJ ,to,ro. o,as
the public acknowledgment OF bis former error Oh
iopinion, the language OF which, Camiiius distin-
cuisines in Italics, merits for its expression, Ko-
G. h,x..,.r SINCE il was conceip ed and publish
81 70 the world. in the spirit of ancient Roman In
tsgrty. ,,, ..,
But dash of the willy Greek would nave sa'ea
its publication altogether. :. :,
WHY did ot MIR. Monroe content hlmscii' WIN
simply subscribing, his two predecessors hau
done. q do not blame them,) whose opinions are
,read az authority against him, every bill con-
,.,;no concentrations of money, for roads; 10 a
sutscr;n,on In the stock of the u. >. Bank; tor
,arious charitable and other uses; and why did he
not leave it to the exclusive and much lauded
champions of State Rights, to reconcile their COM
mon acts 10 their siiscordant doctrines Mr.
Monroe exercised his constitutional veto, against
the bill au,horisng the erection OF turnpikes Tor the
collection of tolls on the Cumberland road, upon the
pround. which think untenable, that this would be
an invasion of the rights OF the states tlro' whose
territory by their permission, Virginia was one OF
them this road had been conducted. He, also,
iinprudently,I think, though with the best inten-
lions, have no doubt, appraised the Congress oil
the United States in his first public message, that
he could not sanction bill providing system oil
Internal Improv ement, of the same import with
that, TO which Mr.. Madison had refused his sigma
ture, the winter preceding.
As 10 the appropriation 10 public surveys, OF
thirty thousand dollars of the public revenue 1t is
reproach 10 government, requiring tor so many
and such various purposes, the species OF know
ledge which these surveys are designed 20 collect
that much larger appropriation had not been much
earlier made.
e
and Chesapeake Canal, like that, 10 the Bank OF
the u. S. is sustained, by many constitutional
powers, and was OF such obvious eXpeliency, that
ii has wen escaped, though doubtless, II is obnoN-
ious 10, the censure Of Csmillus.
As Virginius has, already, maintained and now
hopes he has proved, the whole erfent, and very
front of Mr. Monroe's offending, consists in this,
and this aone-that he labored and iabored success
fully, to discover, in the constitutions some lawful
authority for acts, which his predecessors, not only
did, but often repeated, without cens,Ire, and with
out interrogation L: is to be hoped, not without
examination and reflection.
The Cumberland road, long one, it is likely to
prove, had its origin, in Mr.. Jeferson's admins
traton ate whom the chief credit FOR it, is due al
though, as in many similar cases, another man, has
run away with it all. 1t extended, through the
eight years administration of MIR. Madison. 1t is a
vulgar adase, / admit but like all maxims, bearing
the impress OF common use, it has strength of lam
guage, as well Us truth TO recommend t-that sc it
is better for some men, to steal horse, than for
Others TO look over the hedge"
The lack of charity, or of the forgiveness of in
juries, against which all taught TO pray, is
not more the fault of Mr.. Monroe, than Of his old
friends, and his new foes. Let all profit by the
lesson, and the example which enforces it.
But, why need Virginius speak Mr.. Monroe's
praise, or seek TO shield him from blame? To me,
no personal advantage can accrue from any such
praise, nor possible injury, result to him from inn
puted error. Seated, on the lofty eminence, to
which he has retired from this world, with his
thoughts, trust, turned towards better, what
availeth it to him, that nists still hover the
valleys beneath him, and sunshine and shadows
checquer the bills and planes al his feet?
The homage 10 his virtue, which his native state
may, for time withhold, South America and E,i-
rope have not hesitated accord, and afflicted, and
still prosecuted, Africa, who has inscribed his name
On hnr Al
which another century will sound, with enthusi-
assn, to the remotest extremes of the habitable
globe
VirSinius has not resumed his pen, under the
most unavorable circumstances, 10 speak the I'M
necessary eulogy of Mr.. Monroe and, had not
Camillns struck, somewhat harshy, another chord
IN the heart OF Virginius, this, would have been al
lowed to rest unstrung, or, if Camiius please, I'm
tuned
Whether Mr.. Gorham, or Mr. Rankin have the
credit OF defeating, Mr.. Nelson the higher credit
oil endeavoring to revive the Maryland resolutions
asking fair distribution, among the old states, for
the purposes of public education, of par, of these
lands purchased by their common blool and trea-
sure, has notc, perhaps. become wholly inmateria
But the late ferment OF passion, 10 the south, hea-
ven be praIsed 1t has subsidized, for the present, as
most tempests do, by blowing out; gives some i'm
portance, to the correction oil erroneous state
nent oi iacts, relative to certain resolutions, long
since repeatedly sanctioned by the of Virgil
MA, as well as to some, of more recent date, in
voiying very delicate topic OF great and increas-
ingiuterest.
Camlus was" apprised," it now appears,
Oh The proceedings of the Legislature of Virginia
IN The winter Of iSl6-i7,'' recommending 10 the
federal government the colonization Of the free
people oil colour. A measure" he says then
mo,tsh indiscreet, in itself, and adop ed toithoui
suDic'ent consideration and which, he is nclin-
cd TO think, the legislature would be glad to re-
cal. We are not Told, by Camlis, for lac ac-