Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-28

sumed TO have been laid before the President and
OF course, to have reces ed his appreciation and
sanction. These views arc exhibi'ed here, as the
adopted views of the President, and to shew, that
he claims powers for the limited general govern
ment, no, only unlimitedi in themselves but powers
beyond the limits OF all governmental objects, and
capacities, whatever may be the theories OF their
constitutions.
But IT further proof were wanting upon this point
the writer thinks il is abundanily afforded in other
parts oil the Presidents message--Hear Its owl
words:
Bu', if the power to exercise exclusive Ieeis-
ia,ion IN all casts whatsoever over the District of
columbia; 1t the power To lay and collect taxes I,
duties, imposis and excuses, to pay the debts, and
| provide Tor the common defence and general ell
fare of the United States; if the power to re.u-
late commerce with foreign nations aud among the
several states, and with the Indian tribes to Fix
the standard OF weights and measures; establish
post Offices and post roads; declare war; TO raise
and support armies; TO provide and maintain
navy; to dispose OF and make all needii rules and
regulations respecting the territory or other pro-
perty belonging to he United States; and to make
all laws winch shall be necessary and proper for
carrying these powers into execution: II these
powers, and others enumerated in the Constitution
nay be eilectualy brought into action by laws pro-
fnoting the Improvement of Agriculture, Com
Pnerce, and Manufactures, the cultivation and
Encouragement oil the Mechanic and the Elegant
AAr's, the advancement of Literature and the pro-
Press OF the Sciences, ornamental and profound -
70 refrain from exercising them Tor The benefit of
fthe Peopie themselves, would be to hide in the
Aeafth the talent committed 10 our charse--would
be 'reachery to the most sacred OF trusts
This quotation furnishes a qnizzical ,hypo,heica,
process o! ratiocination, bu, its object can be no
more mistaken, than II il had been explicit and un-
! equvocal. Ii is mos, ngeniously arranged as the
writer thinks, Tor the purpose oil presenting the
,o2ect, and avoiding the responsibility of direct
Implication. The git of this ratiocina,on consists
n the amsigamatioh, and consolidation Of certain
iiected specified powers taken from the constItu-
tion, forming momentum by their union which
|ouid not be produced by single specified power,
las medium Tor the derivation of any Other incl
lnentai power, when taken -ingy, and unaided by
The amaieamation of other specified powers with
II, and from this consolidated momentum. makes
this Hypothetical deduction If these powers.
and others enumerated in the constitution, may be
etectuaily brought into action, by laws promoting
the Improvement OF agriculture, commerce. and
manufactures the cultivation and encoura % men,
oil the mechanic, and the elegant arts the advance
ment OF literature, and the progress of the sciences
ornamental and profound, Ito refrain from exer
cisng them, for the benefit of the Peome them
seices, iCotftd be to hide in the earth the talent
committed to oar charge toould be treacherv 10
me most sacred of trusts Terrific thrustsli,
NOW, 1t should be first, and necessarily asked, here
what talent az as, which is committed TO our
charge! The answer would necessarily be- the
powers above enumerated, and those h pothetcally
dedueed thereirom. In The next place, it should
De asked, II all these powers to be exercised
by The general government, what powers are left
TO be exercised by the state governments, The
writer knows of none. The general Government
then VIII have swallowed up all powers and left
none 10 the state governments. But suppose these
specifications, and deductions should not have
swallowed upEal the powers, may not all the
resi- be obtained al pleasure, by adding another
INK TO ihls chain OF sophisticated ratiocinaiion
lf or IT The amagamaion, and consolidation of the
isPecihed powers, can produce all the foregoing
ldeduced powers, add then the accumulation Of
flpoweTs thus de'luced, to the specified powers and
vine momentum OF the whole, being greater than the
momentum OF the part deducing them; fortiori,
the TWO momentums amalgamaed viIl necessarily
attract all other powers, when wanted This
CONCLUSION is undeniable; and consequently, all
power Whatever Is usurped by the general govern
meni; leaving not one scntila 10 the state govern
ments. The writer has not ov erooked he so;epo,
admonltlon OF the President, to Congress in the
preceding section; " not 20 permit any consiteta
tons TO urge II TO transcend the powers commit
tea 10 you by tha venerable instrument, which " e
are all bound to support-let no consideration i'm
duce you to assume the exercise of powers not
granted you, by the people, But this ad,noni-
",
the attention from the true character of the
practical measures strongly recommended by him,
sell immediately afterwards, described to be n
tafeht-fonmatfed TO orr charge" and 10 refuse
20 use IT, 'acOuid be treacherY TO the most so
cred Of trusts" Soiemny warning Congress
against hiding this talent in the earth, which
talent consists in unlimited power, as The writer
conceiycj, is in direct hostility with this other
solemn admoniion TO Congress-and seems 10 the
writer, 20 represent tie President In the unholy
attitude, OF iondly husgng his venerable belo, ed
constitution with one arm, whilst he is crueIiv
stabbns to the heart, TIE dear object of his love
with he other. There is nothing, in the Judgment
oil the writer, which proves more clearly the Pre-
sident's object. In the usTpation OF Unlimited
power Man the theoretical decoys which uni
formly attend ereyy practical cortrjuance TO eff
feet each usprpation. The President proceeds:
The spirit oEimproyement is abroad upon the
earth. IL stimulates the heart, and shsrpens The
faculties, not OF our fellow citizens alone bit of
the nations OF Europe, and of ibcirrulers While
dwelling with pleasing satisfaction upon the supe-
rlor excellence OF our political institutions, let us
not be unmindtu that Liberty is Power; that the
nation blessed with the largest portion of liberty.
must, in proportion to its numbers, he the most
powerful nation upon earth; and that the tenure of
power by man, Is, in the moral purposes of his
Creator, upon condition that it shall be exercised
to ends of beneicence, 10 improve the condlt on of
himself and his fellow-rRen. While foreign nations
less blessed with that freedom which power than
ourselves, are advancing with gigantic strides in
the career of public improvement; were we to
slumber in incidence, fold up our arms and pro-
claim TO the world that are pasied by the will
Of our constituents, would it not be to cast away
The bounies of Providence, and doom ourselves 10
perpetual inieriorityy"
/, cannot escape observation, that this quotation
exhibits the same quizzical, Hypothetical organiza-
ton, with the other, and holds out a similar decoy