Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-11-11
- GE-NER.fL EIFaRE."
POLITICAL DIs2 uIsrFloNsMNo IT, L.

POLITICAL DIS.l II.
&c ,nr iuie,i3 "
Raymorld's F21eaie,Ifs Of Political fconon1y---
or, The. tert book ofthe nelo Political School.
Rie practical government of g this Union''-far
ahead Of the fundamental laws OF g this u
Mon
% General welfare omnipo; ent---as' Nation
81 ity.''--But let it be supposed, that the writer
IS mistaken in his Interpretation OF The meaning of
the term " general wefare,' and In The intents and
objects, for which il used in the constitution
and that the trainers of the constitution dill mad
family, hy the mere slip of the pen, introduce into
the constitution, general phrase, which sweep
way "a The limitations, recommended to be Or
dained, and es ablished Tor the protection OF the
rights, and liberties OF tie American people: Re-
commentators, flowing from the pure fountain Of
love of country: The results of sound wisdom,
xious care, and patriotic labor II il be possible
II believe, TAFT he Frlne oil the constitution had
committed so fatal an error, il can only be ascribed
to iaadyehence. 1t would be impo,- Idle TO ascribe il
TO intent; because it would be wicked intent Il
would De the most atrociOu- s Ibonnable fraud, that
could have been practsed upon the confding Anne
rcan people, and therefore, utterly impossible and
insdmissble. Ii the term 90 general welfare be
construedn'o grant OF power III it be but atom
il is grant OF all pc yer; because il is an unity -
one and indivsibie;" AID would necessarily des-
tro all the limitations upon the powers OF The prac-
tic,l government. However impro5 bile, let it,
ntf DC SupFo9Sd iidl INC OF tne
colsii ution did, inadver emily, employ general
ptr sc winch efectusy destroy ed the whole beau
1ifi planthey mad devised for he government Of he
IT, s in their complicated relations each other by
an adaptation OF general powers 10 general govern
me1t, local poNers 10 state governments, and by
leaving The people Individual all the rights not
granted, either .oi tie General ,9or state goyt's
and that it had fallen TO the lo of the political fash
ionables 10 make tlis fatal discovery. What obi
cations would such an extraordinary discovery ul-
pose upon the practical government! What oblIga-
tion you'd thereby be imposed upon the President
of tie II s? What upon the legislators! Surely, il
would then become the first duty OF the President
20 communicate so important fact, so important
discovery to congress. ii is his sworn duty, " to
give TO The Congress information Of the state
OF the union" What iniormIton could be more
interesting to the unou than the discovery, tla
all he fundamental laws rendered nugatory
by fatal inalver ency in their trainers? That all
the limitations upon the powers Of the practical
governments destroy ed; tn all the safe guards
sci up for The protection of the rights and liberties OF
the people were annhilated; AID the whole o.
them, left to the cdpricious absolute toW OF the
practical gov'tS Surely, the Pred'l would We called
upon by every motive, which his official duly could
suggest; by every sanction hich the solem it, OF
an oath could impose, by every impulse, which pa
trlotsm, public AID private morality could in pre,
TO give this a>impoftant information TO Congress.
And what would 1t then become the indispensable
duty Of Congress to do, in 20 fatal dilemma?
] Surely, to call upon the American people toreme-
4 dy the great defect produced by The deprecated in
advehency; to make provision for amending the
constitution, so a. to explain the true meaning OF
the term general ellsre; and if il should be
4 found that it had in TRUTH and in fact, prosira-
ted all the restraining provisions Of the conslitu-
lion, deprived the people Of all the great Ameri-
can Developments in political science, and LETT
hem without any protection whatever for their
4 rights and liberties; that the people might thus be
4 Afforded an opportunity OF setting up, safe
4 guards in the place Of those Unexpectedly and
Inadvertently battered down and destroyed. These
\ would be the obvious and indispensable duties Of
he President, and Congress. Surely it never could
1 be expected, that an American President, and an
American Congress, would stoop 20 low, as to
avail themselves Of such discovery, 10 obtain by
stealth from the people, every power they might
fancy would be proper for the general welisrs--and
the promotion Of their own personal sggrandise-
ment--to employ all their forensic powers for 50
4 base purpose, and pride themselves in the unhsl-
4 lowed acquisition. Yet, wonderful as it may be,
have not great advances beea made by the political