Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-13

rhile he Is good enough to say. that h" is dspos-
to think me ,air and candid,' is not himself suf-
cn ~ 80 10 ayow distinctly, that the ultimate
kbolnion of slavery in the United States is a part
their scheme and that it is the intention of the
kociety Ia throw itself upon the aid and patronage
\ the Federal Government. While Opitniu-,
Nhose residence is in the environs of the Palace,
nd OF coarse within the influence OF " courfiy
aanners and sentiments. visits upon me all the
read and terror which such a narae, coupled with
the recollection of the fact, that it was Opimius
WHO procured the murder of Gracious, and
himself, the hrst oil the Roman Consuls who ttsayp-
ed the Dictatorship, is calculated 10 inspire. But
lit is not to impressions oi this sort that allow
myself TO Yield. 1t is to the sober, rejecting part
/ OF the community, To which have heretofore al-
dressed IN self And yet believe, there Is a re-
deenins portion OF good sense the country, suii-
cient to restrain every excess of enthusiasm up
on this subject, to check the usurpations by which
the Federal Government would be made tributary
10 its objects. Permit then to leave the " Mem
Der OF The American Colonization" to his own
reflections, and the visitation which he has recently
received from Philo Gracious - and TO pay my
respects to" Opimiis" only, who seems modestly
to have couriei the honour OF Tit in this cru
SADIE Ia the discharge of this duty, my first Office
is to acknowledge he caudoar which prompts hum
openly to confess the truth of my first and second
propositions viz That private charity is made
sociiion and IDLY, that it is the avowed purpose
otthe Society, to rely upon Congress for protection
and support.
This presume, I may be at liberty to consider
clear abandonment o. al! other grounds of re-
lance, and retreat to the last barrier for proec-
tion. BIs th is not all he has had the candour,
still fur ther Declare that the provision of the Fe-
deral Constitution undcr which Congress will lie
called 10 act upon this subject, is the general
authority of that body to provide for the COM
mon defence and general welfare declared in
that instrument This is ind ed what have rea-
son anticipate but did not expect to hear il so
unequivocally avowed. 1t is the result to which
knew the Society would be ultimately driven ;
but in the language Of MIR. Mercer, did not inag inc
that their system wasyet ripe for such me asur C. -
had myself supp osed, that the success at
tending collections for the Society on the 18th of Ju-
ly last, growing out of that excitement of feeling,
which the day itself was calculated 10 produce upon
such subjects, and which is known to have been
greatly increased in The community, by tie visit
which the us,rious La Fa ye,le was then paving US
would hare produced further reliance upon this
fund and that Opimius and his friends would have
persevered in their efforts upon the charity of the
country, until the frequency Of their calls fad con
WINGED them, that there time, after which,
the most Gu husiasc spirits will become, either
unwilling, or unable to give. But il seems that
this nope has been yielded up in despair, and that
the Federal Government is TO be called on 10 do
for the ~oiouy at LIBERIA what the Government of
Great Britsin has already done for similar estal-
ment al Sierra Leune, to take il into their posses
sion, 10 enlarge its lims, to provide for it suita-
BILE government, guarantee its safety, and to hold
out the necessary inducements the free people of
colour, 10 return to the land oftheir athers.' And
this too, under the power OF Congress to provide
for the - comm III dee zee and general welfare az
declared by the constitution. And here, permit
me to express my surprise, that writer so obvi-
ously nellIsent as Opinius, should have staked
the last hopes OF his Society upon ground so Ut
1erly desperate and untensble (: and while we are
lett at no difficulty III discoye ing " the political
school to which he belongs, he affords another ex-
ample To the many already before the public that
in all poic al parties, there will be certain indivi-
siusl-, who are ultra in their opinions and who
greatly outsrip the masters themselves, by whom
they have been taught Few there are presume
who have bestowed any attention upon the
principles OF the two great political parties that
divided this country, who do not perfectly I'M
ders'and that this doctrine of thes general vel
fare" never was considered as a settled article
OF The ancient federal creed --That it may
have been sometimes assumed ground OF
argument In debae, upon other occasions
when the ackno lodged powers of the govern
ment did not afford Sufficient warrant Tor The
projects OF ambition, will not be controverted.
Bu ihlt II has been conceded, - by large propor-
tion OF the wises; and bes men OF our country and
been sustained by the .uGiiom practice of every
aDmlsti alton from the first to tie last il mos,
confidently denied. The extravagancy of this de-
clara,ion might have created some surprise if we
had OF al the time been furnished with the
examples relied on prove its correctness II
the selection OF these Oplmius has heen sadly IN
fortunate. NOi oae, out OF his hole Catalogue,
with the exception of the act Tor he relief of the
80 distressed Ihhsbants OF Caracas - but is known
TO have been placed by their era advocates upon
some OF the enumerated pc ers of the government
f1r Iftnse nae
as hops very satisfactorily 10 shew before take
leave OF this subject. Let US in the firs place see
Wiai some of The &c wisest and best men of o,,r
couhiry," have said and thought upon Ibis subject
OF " the common deience and general welfare -
And Tor This purpose, beg leave 10 call your at
tention to an authority upon this subject, which in
the construction oil the Federal Constitution has
always beenlooked to By the Amerlc IN politician
as work OF the first merit. / mean the numbers
OF the g Fejeraiisi, wruenby Slessrs Ham lion.
Madison and Jay. In the 4lst No of that work
VIII be found the following exposition of those
terms. :" 1t has Teen urged, and echoed, that the
power r" TO lay and collect tares, duties, iaOosts
and ercises, to pay debts and Jrovide far the
common defence and general lcei)Gre of the u.
states, amoInis 10 an unlimited commission 10 ex-
erclse every power, which may be alledged TO be
cessary for the common defence and general welfare
NO stronger proof could be given, of the distress
under which these writers labouT for objections
than their STOPPING to sich uisconsructons
Had no other enumeralion or definition Of the
powers oil Congress been found in the constitution.
than the general expressions Just cited the authors
OF the objection might have had some colour Tor
1t though 1t would have been difficult to- find a
reason Tor so awkward form of describing AN au
thorIty, to Jegslate in all possible cases. A power
10 destroy The freedom OF the press the trial by
jury, or even TO regulate the course of descents or
Nne forms OF conveyanees must be very sngularly