Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-10-06

one Oltne OF the CaDnet can
diy supply them. Ii Is not surprising, therefore. that
we so unfortunate as to consirue your - ba-
dnage" rather into a - sneeI,' than into a sober
| evidence OF your ilial respect
! We are sorry, with all the caution which we
gave you. to be under the necessity OF repeating
the " charge of misrepresentation" You say:
" We quoted the EnQuirer's o,cn quotation of
the language which II employed, six months ago,
in reference 10 the Dismal Swamp Canal. If the
Enquirer had been explicit in its reference
TO lis former language, we should not have suppo-
sed that i, &c only said what it actually quoted.
Not being able TO charge memory with every
thing the Enquirer said six months ago, and not
being fortunate TO possess file of that
vaublc journal, we supposed that the Editors
had cuiled' the most decided of their protests if
not the only one. II the Enquirer said, in all its
sayings on the subject, nothing more peremptory
than the passage thus '' culed'' to prove its on
pugnation, our language applied to il, suprosing
Us 10 have full information of all it did say, was
correct
! Now, " it SO happens" that we took the pains,
in our previous article OF placing before your own
eyes an extract from the Tong Essay which we
bad published six months ago. You sn eat down
this ertruct to a single negGtice expression;
| (you discard the pointed protest which we threw
out against the appropriation Tor the Dismal s. Ca
nal; and the appeal which we made to the Senate
oil the u. 3. to arrest the passage of the bl) and
you insist upon palming upon the public this sin
| gle expression rs the only saying which W. EN-
poyed upon the occasion. Yet we presume we
are bound - in sober earnesness'' to receive your
tardy acknow !edgemen, as an adequate comp
saiion tor the injustI e you have done us. You
! al least pleased say Z" The reader will per-
ceiSe that, at er the solemn assurances which the
editors have given, acquit them of any partci-
patton, active or passive, in the transaction They
are guiltess of the sin'' We differ of course a.
bout the character OF the al Vor Al
it a sim. 80 In sober earnesness,' we do call il
so. You ironically speak of the g mischief -
which Virginia Is 10 receive from share of the
6enefcence OF the general government In
sober earnestness," still Insist in prefer
ring permanent principles to temporary beneffs;
and III defending the constitution against the temp
tations OF erpediency. We hold nothing TO be
benefcenl, which strikes at The grea, principles oil
| The chatter. we cannot purchase road or a Ca :
nal, At the expense of the constitution. Amend
II, II you please; appeal to the parties to the cons
pact, whether they have given, or whether they
VIII give such powers 10 the general government:
and their determination will seal our lips Tor ever
Blu! g the experience Of all time'' has fearluly
proved the danger of preccdent.. An acquiescence
IN one power prepares the way foT the assumption
OF another. Grant one road, and another is de-
manded. whole system Of roads and canals
co-eNtensive with the territory of the Union, is
devised. Swarms OF surveyors, engineers, con-
tractors, suo-conractors, and laborers Will q .tber
over the land. Nor does the effect terminate
here. This loose manner OF Interpreting limited
constitution, 10 which we reconciied by a tenn
pofary or local advansg age nsnuates itself into the
other movements oil the government. The warn
ing voice OF old George Clinton in the Senate of
the United States; the voice of the Republican
Party OF '9S; the prophetic voice of Patrick Hen
Iy ana OF Samuel Adams; the warning voice of all
history, Is lost amidst the indictments of interest
w hear of annealS cOpti iiv do, H.
nehcence OF the General O. ernment' - We hear
oil Z" National Universities" OF sc National Oh
servaiories," OF ' Lighthouses in the Skies of
6 Sciences Ornamental and Profound,'' of Or
ganizing the whole labour Of a country who
shall stay the waves OF usurp aon? Is there no
mischief IN yielding to these loose principles Of in
,erprelation,
Twill be recorded for preeeient
ana many erTvr, by the sam example,
VIII rssh into the State be.
We have no greater wish than yourselves to 20
over the general doctrine of Internal Improv ement:
but 1t is impossible for 10 smile when YOU
seriously ask US is there any thing ia the Reoubli
can doctrines of '9S and %, which touches the
question! You say Was the subject then ever
asilaed! The Editors OF The Enquirer canno, nos
soiy be more opposed than are to the doctrines
OF the Alien and Sedilioi Laws, or to the idea of
constructive crimes against The government. -
Can you be serious in this argument? Are Won
the memorable of 9S end $50 brought forth ;
Have you recently read Nj. Aiadison's Repor, /;
Though internal Improvements are moi there dis
cussed, yet the rules Of construction are en-
oraced the principles of the constitution deyelon-
ed with a masters hand; the tests laid down. bv
which any particular poweri is to be tried There are
constructive PoDerS, as well as constructive
crimes and the true rules for testing any parti-
cular power are here exhibited. Tbev were m.
principles of the r. Republican Party: and fr,,, ,b
principles we contend, you have departed. we
contend so with Jefferson G; with Madison the au-
ihoTs OF the X enucky and the Virginia Resolutions
me unwaveriDS opponents of the general power
OF Internal Improvement; the one down to the dav
OF his death, and the other, we know, down 10
| December last.
But you appeal for the principles of 90 and 99.
10 virginia herself" We meet you promptly
| on that ground; and we call for the facts Yon
refer 10 her Act Of 1907, granting her assent 10
the passage of the Cumberland Road through her
ierrIory"--to tie act concerning Curriiuck Sound
| aud Lynbaven Bay (not in 1916 as YOU state. but
IN lSO9) 90 and to the " resolutions Of 1917. soil
citing the aid of the General Government to extend
the Cumberland Road" Sc
| we have several times examined these prece-
dents, and 1t so happens that there i, really
nothing IN them to stamp them with the authority
! OF precedent. The act of 1907 was passed in
conquence of MIR. JeffeIson's applying to the state
TOR her consent in laying out the road ,sithln her
Ooiders--a road, which directed by Congress
| TO be surveyed, under the compact with the State
oil OhIo' We agree with you, that this Compact
cannot convey the power; but the point was not
theD made, aud under the Impression of good faith
towards the State of Ohio, the power tLns exerted
nor was the question of constitutional power
ever made IN either OF the other two cases - We
know that the second Act you have referred ~
fha aIv