Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-09-02
FOR THE E.N,Q ULRER.
POLITICAL DISQUISITIONS-NO 6.
tcOncludedl
M .ddams's Letter resDerf;,g Internal II,

~''-
prouements.
! From accidental causes the writer of this com
munication, did the following letter said to
be written by MIR. Adams, until within a few da S
past.
The opinion Of John Quincy .fdnms, OF. the sub
ject Of Internal Improvement.
\ The questions of the power OF Congress 10 au-
thorize the making of Internal Improvements, is,
In other words question whether the people of
this Union, In forming their common social CON-
pact, as avowedly for the purpose OF promoting
their general welfare. have performed their work in
a manner so inefabiy stupid 10 deny them
selves the means of lettering their own condition.
l have too much respect for the intellect of my
coaniry to believe it. The first object OF human
ASSOCIATION IS the Improvement of the condition of
Tie associated Roads and canals are among the
most essential means of improving the condition of
nations, and a people, which should deliberately
by the organization of its authorized power, deprive
Itself oiihe faculty of multiplying its blessings
would be as wise as a creator who should under
take 10 constitute a human being without heart >
| Ohio National Crisis.
The writer differs in opinion with MIR. A. in
every statement contained in the foregoing letter
He thinks the people of this Union have not in the
| formation oil their Constitutions, performed their
work., so ineifably supid;' to deny themselves
the meas of bettering their own condition; and
| yet, have not authorized the General Government
TO make Internal lmprov ements: But, in the exc
cution oil their work have disposed of the means of
tering their condition, in manner, much wiser,
and better for that end than is the plan proposed
by Mr.. A. Although the writer might Justly pre-
sumo from Mr.. AS. long course Of diplomatic
education, the refinement of his taste would be SUCH
as 10 assure he writer that Mr.. A. would himself
be entirely pleased with the comfy he has dealt
to others, yet lie cannot prevail upon himself, TO
pronounce Mr. AS. letter the most ineffably stupid
ne has ever seen from any man learned, unlearn-
eds he will however confidently express his belief,
that there is not one assertion, nor principle con-
tanned in the letter, which is not either unfounded or
misappled The letter commences in the fellow
ing words "Tbe question of the power of Con-
gress To authorize the making Of Internal Improve
menis, Is, In other words, question, whether the
people of this Union, in forming their common
social compact, avowedly for the purpose of pro-
noting their general welfare, have performed their
work 30 ineifaby stupid, deny themselves the
means of lettering their condition." The writer
orily denies tie assertion that the people of
ihis Union were forming their 8 common social
compact whilst engaged in forming the Constitu-
ton oil the U. s. That Constitution, is not |" com
mon social compact" 1t is very uncommon fe-
deral compact: So uncommon, that such an one
exists not, did exist, in this world unless
recently imiiael by of the South American
States. The Amphictonic league perhaps was the
nearest resemblance of it. The people of this u
Mon, We're in previous existing state OF govern
ment, when they undertook TO better their cond-
tioas. by adding government TO their pre-cx-
listing governments. THIS, of course, could not be
common social compact, formed by people
emerging from state Of nature; but federal com
pact, formed by people i'll pre- existing state of
government. The great object of this federal COM
pac, TO better the condition of the people.
The means for effeciing this great object, con-
sisted in distribution of the governmental powers,
be; The pre-exsiing state gov and
MT then he ed Tie
pie OF distribution was, retain 10 the pre-exising
state governments, all subjects of local, Or inrnci-
pal chararter and togran 10 the proposed additional
government, all subjects of general charace r.--
Nor is the question statedby Mr.. A the true ques-
| lion by which TO test the power of the General
Government g 10 authorize the making of Internal
Improv ements." Nor has it the least affinity TO the
| true question. 1t is question in disguise. The
true question is, whether the people of the pre-
existing states in their sovereign character, when
forming the federal compact did, did not, take
| from their pre-existing S ate Governments, the
power of making Internal Improvements, and grant
it 10 their General Government or according to the
urbanty of Mr.. A., whether the people were so
g inefably stupid to have done SOP They GER
tainly were not, and did not.
| III they had done so, where can be found the
| terms of the grant in their federal pact? Mr..
A. pretends not to point them out. Nor does he
seem willing TO rely upon Mr.. Ciay's nor MIR.
| Mcl-ane'S nomenclature LOT the der1vatlOn oil the
power--to wit, TO CREATE, "to construct -" to
build up to fix firm Post Offices, and Post Roads;
'to facilitate commerce. &c. but gets at this OBJ
ect at once, by the obliteration of the State Go
vernmerts altogether. The whole letter is founded
upon the false hypothesis that the people had formed
| but one &" common social compact If the pre-
existence of the State Governments be admitted
then the whole doctrine founded upon oRe 50 com
mon social compact, is either uniounded mis-
4 aD,iied RecaiIse m act the hav cd
twenty four distinct common social compacts, as
the basis Of twenty four state governments. One
distinct common social compact, for each state go
| vernment. Mr.. AS. mode of usurping this power,
| is bolder and shorter than either Mr.. C's Mr..
| McL's. and would be much mo eifectual, but for
one difficulty in its way--his principle OF usurpa-
ton is directly opposed by matter of fact too stub
born to be removed by argument. Their mode Of
usurpation, is founded upon an ingenious play upon
suggested convertible terms 1t is easy TO see, thai
| by this play upon words, every other usurpalioi
may be effected when wanted. The power OF max
ing Internal Improvements, is distinct substantive
| power, and according 20 MIR. A. it affords NOR
important means Of lettering the condition of tn
people, than any of the granted powers. 1t is also
the most susceptible of definition. Ii is then th'
last power, which should be inferred, as an acces
sorry. If this power be the most important, and th'
most susceptible OF definition, why was il not ex
pressed in the grant ilsellS 1t could not have beer
front nadgertency in the trainers of the Constitution
. 1t could not have been from sny difficulty IN tie
definition. The importance of The power. would
pefenporily forbid the one inference, and the iac
~ of tie definition, the other. II must then have
been omitted, because ii was not intended TO bs
granted. II must have been omitted, because y
ought not 10 have been granted. The usurpation o.
the power, therefore, is as directly opposed TO tho
spirit and intention the words Of the INSTRUMENT
The real question then is not a question; % whether