Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-25

v, he
disposed OF in consequence of The inability O: the
Jadse OF any court. -
Il DISTANT ConREspoNDENr.j
me iohoHihg communication reached Ms nv
'he thursday Mail. The author is a gentleman
whose researches into the true theory of our row
ef'h'eht are extensive and profound. His quota
'o"s !" inc ioilowine article are most happy and
conclusive How different are the views of Ar
Adams at this day, from those of MIR. Madison a,
the time OF the adoption of the Constitution. or in
NE year 80! 10 The hands of these diiTeren, noIi'
uc'ans, IT really does not appear 10 be the same
form al government
- FOR THE ENQUIRER.
men 'he constitution was under the discus
s'ohs "nish preceded It's ratification, it is we'll
known, That great appIehensions were entertained
by many, lest the omission of the excen,on 80
the powers delegated, of certain rights m;ob, ov
pose them TO the danger of being dro,cn 6v CON
siruc'ion within some of tie bowers wasted in
Congress more especially of the power 10 make
ali laws necessary and proper, for CARVING ,boir
o'her powers into execution. In reply to this oh.
Jec''on' II was nrarlobiy urged 10 be fundamep-
ID ana characteristic principle of the Constitution.
tha' all powers nor given BY it, were reserved: and
that no powers were given beyond those eu,,mera,-
ell IN The constitution; and such as were f,iyJv in
cident 10 them" (a) "a
AZ IS PAINFUL TO remark, how much'' the now
ers now exercised by the general government. or
Claimed ior i. ..are at variance with she rr,u,i1o
which then justified the Constitution and ;,,,tcS
ITS ratification. (b)
In the ALY No. of the FederaIist, Mr.. Mad-
son oid the people while they had the constitution
before them. for adoption rejection, that
" The powers delegated by the proposed con-
sttuiion to the federal government are few and de-
hned. Those which are to remain i'm the state
governments, are numerous and indefinite The
former Will he exercised principally on external
OBJECTS, as war, peace, negotiation aud foreign com
merce, with which last the power of taxation will
Tor the most part, be connected The no,,.,s
reserred 10 the several states will extend 10 oil
| the objects, which, in the ordinary course of af
fairs, concern the lives liberties and oronertes nj
the people; and the internal order, irnproyemen,
and prosperity of the State
The operations OF the federal government ,ciIl
oe""st erltnS'oe IN times of tcar & danger those
oil the stale governments, in times of Deoce and
security As The former periods will probably
pear small proportion TO the latter, the state go
vernments Will here enjoy another advantage ove,
the federal government The more ADEQUATE in
deed, the federal powers may he rendered IN ,bs
national defence, the less frequent will be Tins.
scenes OF danger which might favour their as,e,-
dancy over the government of the particula,
! states"
" Ii the new constitution he examined with ar
curacy aud candour, II will be found that the
change which il proposes, consists ;puch less in
the addition oil NEW POWERS TO the Union than
| In the invisoTation oiits ORIGINAL. POWERS The
regulation OF commerce, ii is true is ,c,, mower
but that seems to be addition VIII oh few mae
and from which no apprehensons are entertained
The powers relating TO war and peace. armies and
fleets, treaties and finance are all vested in The
existing Congress by the articles of confelera,ion
me proposed change does not enlarge these DOW.
1 ara nj L. H.uaaf
administering them. The change relating TO tar
alton, may be regarded as the most important: and
yet The present Congress have complete su,hori.
ty TO require OF the states, indefinite supplies nj
money Tor the common defence and general vel
fare, as the future congress will have TO require
them OF the individual citizens; and the latter will
be no more bound than the states themselves bav,
oeen pay the quotas respectively taxed on them
Had the states complied punciually with the arti.
| Giles of confederation, or could tbeiy compIiapc.
have been enforced by as peaceablc means "a ma,
foe used with success towards single persons, on,
past experience Is very far from countenancinp an
opinion that the state governments would have lost
Their constitutional powers, and have gradually un
dergone an entire consolidation. To msin,ain tina,
such an event would have eDsued would be TO saw
at once that the existence of the state govern.
nents IS incompatible with any system whatever,
that accompanies the essential purposes OF the
Union" (c)
II as above stated The powers relating 10 the
internal order, Improvement, and prosperity of the
state were reserved TO the several states" and II
these reserCed po1oers be ilched from them by the
/" nqttopoI' government: II this is not consol-
id'tion of these states, should be glad to know
what is.
ITO consolidate the states into ono SOVEREIGNTY.
nothing more can be wanted than TO supercede their
respective sovereignies in the cases reserped 10
Ihen, by extending the sovereignty Of the United
states 70 all cases ofhe general '0eifaye,' that
is TO say, to oil cases whatsoever" Ie)
e" That the obvious tendency, and inepitabIe
result OF a consolidation of the States into one
! sovereignty, would be to transform the republican
system OF The u. S. into monarchy, is poin,
which seems TO have been sufficiently decided by
the general sentiment Of America. In almost every
instance ofaiseussiou, rela,ingto The consolidation