Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-12-20
2S6etosegoauu ggNqD5m,
TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 90 laos

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c'iS'S. The alarm has been seriously sounded, and
many sensible men seemed so panic struck, with the
Presidents Message that have been induced to OK
anime the stale OF public affairs, unfodcd by that
document, with view of detecting ourselves in an in
voluntary errorof opinion Blu, the examination has
resulted as before; and we are inclined to think that
since The Senatorial election much of the pa;roti so
ciiude manifested for few DAYS previous to that evcnt
has already evaporated. Mr.. Giles BEING defeated
mere is no longer 2arcnla necessity for calling this
c'iss II is no longer necessary TO any object that GER
tam politicians have in view TO impose upon the under
standing plain No high office is vacant al
sent anu we shall not have another crisis until the
election of Senator President of the United States
l'ue notice Will be given of IFS approach BY gentlemen
aku an interest in the election either for themselves
or otherscspeciay if Mr.. Giles shall be dsnosed 70
stand another contest for the Senate of the United
States We shall have no more "Political D;soue;
TONS" until few months antecedent TO the next Sepa
toral eectiou-unless Mr.. Randolph declines in which
event the tocsin will be immediately rung again.
The lmagnations ofgentiemen being thus quiescent
Tor the present. we deem the time favourable to call the
attention of our readers TO the constitutional questions
about to DC acted on in Congress The Road and Ca
ma! making fear is about TO be constitution
ally vested in the Congress OF the United States The
State of Virginia ought at once TO decide ,,,on tba
course to be pursue and instruct her Senators ac
cordIngiy The questions presented to her conside
ration arc these--is she willing TO give that power
oy direct constitutional grant to the Federal Go
vernrent Is ii not morally certain that Congress- will
exercise 1t, whether granted by amendment of the
constitution no? Ii So is il better TO Weld n noc
sty and oy granting the power, rescue the constitution
from the rcproach of ncessant violation; or bv itIbI
ing the power submit TO the unconstitutional exercise
OF IT. by the General Government, If il be determin
ed 20 make virtue of necessity and Weld what cannot
0e Kept Is II De Ter TO grant the power uncondionaIIy
Or uhueT the notifications proposed by Mr. Baileysres
ouhons-'he most important of which, is that each
state shall draw and use it pIeases its Representa-
i've proportion Of the Revenues set apart for
Improvement?
he hr5t question admits Of an easy answer. Viro;
na Is not willing that this power shall belon ~ tho r.
Government She considers il integral part Of
'o'"'e sovereignty She fears the great accession
oi power that 1t will confer on the Federal Governments
he breads the severe taxation direct and Indirect that
' may draw after 1.-THE increase of Executive noron
Fge-'tS partial and oppressive appicaton-he unprin
PpIed combinations TO which it will give rise-and she
a6hors the injustice of raising a revenue in n Co,;,
10 establish road from st. Louis to The mouth of Co
lumbia River. She deems all these inevitable corse
quences of the grant ofthc power and she cannot there
io'e sanction absractedy the proposed anendnen, r.
"'e constitution. But to these objections it may be
ana is rephee-that Congress after Congress have de-
ciared themselves vested with this constitutional pow
err and have exercised ii accordingly on various mn
casions-that by law Of the last Congress extensive
surveys have been made or are now MAKING pre,.ro
tory TO general and regular system of Road and r.
uai imProyement-that the principle is considered nc
nna'iy seuled--that large majority Of the present,
Congress are known to be in favour of it-bat nnbI
opinion even IN Virginia, every DAT going over TO that
SGelat oil hope of reversing the principle is extinct
'Hi that hir Jefferson himself foreseeing the povver
was 10 be exercised or thinking ought be possess
ed by Che General Government long since recommend
ed ITS grant 70 Congress by an amendment of the
stItutlon 10 fact the only question now is whether
Congress shall exercise it with or without oonstitp-
uonaI sanction For parts being satisfied that all
effort TO prevent it is unavailng we are prenared to
say that the present Congress manifest the same sp
t and numbers 10 favor of the doctrine that were dis
played in the last the constitution be amended and
that done honestly and egitimaely which is TO be- done
at all events-nao an honest woman of the consti,u.
ton and by regularly marrying her to this debaucbnp
power restore her to selfrespec and the respect of the
Union.
Undsf this view Of the subject, Mr. Baiey,s resolu-
lions published in another columDl will be read with
great interest Who Mr.. Barley is, cannot be maera!
TO the matter in bandit is sufficient that his PROPOSE
tons are before the National Legislature and are speed
Hy 10 be acted upon. Coming from one, who we SUD
pose belongs to the class claiming this power from the
Constitution as 1t stands, the propositions are liberal and
enlightened They claim the consideration of the
apo are OF loo serious nature for uptmey efforts
at wit. If we must give mp this power to the General
Go7ernmen can we do more favorable conditions,
WIN not, indeed, the privilege allowed the several
States of drawing and aPpropriating their respective
quotas Of the Internal Improvement fund. striD the