Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-09-20

,ba, whenever the government us,irps the right te
every piece of property in the nation, so far from
Sustaining. il annihlates the social compact. II
obli,erates the rights of party, and leaves but
one party to the social compact. 1t takes from the
governed all rights, and gives all to the governors
Il thus makes the government every thing, and the
,.onle nothing. Let analogy be now. drawn
betxeen the utter destruction of the social compact
upon the authors principle Of usuip ping the par,
NJ the practical government, the right to every
niece of property in the nation; and p. AS notion
of n common social compact. in its application to
the practical government OF " This Union,' as ex-
nlaned in his Ohio letter. The writer thinks il
will be found that the destructive results will
follow from the use made of the term, ' general
cIfare' a, from the author governmental usurpa-
lion of the right of every piece OF property in the
na,on for the public good. p. A. in his political
5;sr,is,tions often writes with ambiguous alb
s.rac,ion, which could not be proper, if it were his
o,er, TO be clearly understood. II, therefore, any
mistake should take place. in the application OF his
abstract proportions, p. A. ought not TO complain.
His Ohio letter is remarkable throughout for its
abstraction. But the writer conceives, there can
be no mistake in applying the words. ." in forming
their common social compact as arowedly for the
purpose of promoting their general welfare" TO
mean the foundation OF their constitution, as avow-
edly for the purpose OF promoting their general
welfare: md it would be difficult to account, for this
abstract expression, unless T. A. thought IT an OPP
perfume occasion for proclaimng his opinion to the
American people that the Constitution OF tire u >.
was their common social compact"
Nor does the writer conceive that there can be
,nv mistake in applying the words have per-
formed their work so inehab.y stupid, as 10 deny
themselves the means of lettering their condition.
that it would be ineffoby stupid on the part OF the
people TO impose any limitations whatever upon
the practical government, in Judging OF the means
of tiering their condition; or, IN other words, TO
introduce into their constitution any specific Ii
mutations upon the powers OF the practical govern
ment, which might limit If, in the choice of means
to promotc the .'genela we!flre'' '' This expo
stion in substance, is rendered unqueslionabe, as
tile writer thinks, by the explanatory words imme-
dia.ely following. Admit This TO be the plain,
common sense Interpretation oil L. AS abstraction;
and does not the term general welfare" produce
precisely the same political results The usurpa'ion
of the right 10 every piece ofpropery in the nation
for the public GOOD p A. cannot believe the
American people " so inefably stupid,'' as 10 I'M
pose any restraints upon the practical government
in the choice OF means TO promote the general well
fare or, according to his own abstraction, better
ing their own condition. Now contrary wise; The
writer thinks, tie people would have been most
inetfably stupid" ns to have imposed some res
trants upon this d-cr elton in the choice OF means,
as safeguards TO their precious, retained rights
and liberties. So thought the American people:
and have done so--whaever p. A may think oil
the wisdom or stupidity OF the act. Its wisdom
will be found in the knowledge OF the love oipow-
er, which has at all times stimulated governors,
when feeling power to forget right. But ii 'hs-be
p A's rule for interpreting the Constitution OF the
U. ST. although enveloped in abstraction, the wri-
ter anxously and -olemny addresses himself to his
fellow citizens, and asks them; if the time is not
come to interpose their own authoritative inter
r-eiali.s 10 save their own constitutions; and thus
to demonstrate to the world, their own capacity
for self-governmen,!!!
September s, 1925.
ITO be coninuedl