Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-07
VOL. XXU...NO. 100.

recommended to your attention, should YOU come
10 the conclusion, that, however des able in them
seNeS' tue enactment OF laws for effecting them
would transcend the powers committed to Won Inv
that venerable instrument which we are all hound ~
sup or; let no consideration induce YOU TO assam
'he exercise OF powers not granted to YOU by the
people. But, II the power 10 exercise exclusive
legislation in all cases whatsoever over the Dis
ir'ci OF Colum a if the power TO Law and collect
sNes' duties, imposts and excuses to pay the debts
ana provide fo' the common defence and general
Welfare OF the United States; if the power 10 re-
Suia'e commerce with foreign nations and amopr
,nr several States, and with the Indian tribes 10
ths andarti OF weights measures to establish post
oihces ana POST Ioads TO declare war; TO raise and
support armies to provide and maintain navy;to
fesBec;ng the territory or other properly belong-
ins TO the United States; and to make all laws
wA'ch shall be neee ssry and proper for carving
u'ese powers INTO execution: If these powers, and
Others enumerated in the Constitution, NAV be ef
iectnally brought into action by laws promo,ipg ,b
Improvement OF Agriculture, Commerce, and Mann
lacures, the cultivation and encouragement of the
Hechanlc and OF the elegant Arts, the advance.
ment OF Literature aud the progress of the Sciences
ornamental and profound,- TO refrain from ever.
csing them Tor the benefit of the People themselves
would be o hide in the earth the talent commit,e5
to our chsrge-would lie treachery TO the most
sacred oil trusts.
me spiri OF Improvement is abroad upon the
esrth' II mulaie> the heart, and slarpens the
Iaeaiiles, MOI OF our fellow citizens alone but of
The nations OF Europe, and of their rulers. While
dwelling win pleasing satisfaction upon the supe-
nor excellence OF our political institutions, let us
not oe unmlndiul that Liberty is Power; that tbr.
nation blessed with the largest portion OF Iiber,v
must IN proportion 10 its numbers, be the most
powerful nation upon earth; and that the tenure of
power by man. is, in the moral purposes of his Crea-
o' upon CONDITION that II shall be exercised to ends
Oh oenehcence, to improve the condition of himself
ana his fellow men. While foreign nations less
blessed viih that freedom which is mower H.,
ourselves, are advancing with gigantic strides in
ne career OF pu lie improvem ent were we 10
siuinoer IN incidence, fold up our arms and pro-
claim 10 the world hat we palsied by the will
oi our constituents, would it not be to cast away
she oou"ties oil providence, and doom ourselves to
perpetual inieriory? Ia the course of the wear now
drawing to It's close, we have beleld under the
auspices, and az the expense of one State of this
Union new University unfolding its portals TO
me sons Oh science, aud holding up the torch of
hnman improvement 10 eyes that seek the light
W. have seen, under the persevering and enlish-
'ehed en- erprIse OF another Stale, the waters of
our Western Lake. Mingled with those of the ocean
II undertaking ks 'hese have been accomplished
IN the compass oil few years, by The authority of
single members Of oar Confederat ion can we. the.
Represe6l ftive Au hories of the whole Union.
fall behind leliow-servants in The exercise Of
the trust commit ted % for the benefit of our
common SoveI eisn, by the accomplishment ofworls
important to the whole, and TO which neither the
authority nor the resources of any one State ear,
be adequatei"
Upon reading these communications from the
president, the reader is usensbly struck with the.
spin 81 enthuslem, and of anxiety, which Gala
forth the whole energie, OF The Presidents mind
upon The subject OF internal! improvements. 1t
would seem inlrnscally 10 be subject Of ar,hmet-
IraIc latlaf 81.
OF Geometry are called in to aid in the execution.
u stu confined within rigid rules of art which
admit no scope wha ever for impulses of passion nor
for imaginary conupons Why then has il hap
pened, that whenever the President presents this
SUBJECT to view instead OF complying with the in
functions OF the constitution, in giving (" to the
Congress info ion of the state Of The Union
and, in ending to their consideration suei,
measures as he shall judge necessary and ex
pedeni, ~ pfatn sample language, he should
c'li into requsItlon. and put upon the stretch the
whole energies of hs mind, decorated with meta.
pnorcal b.trartion, poehcal essence, and meta
physical rhapsody: Aan it he for any other object
til to call The passions into action In a case in
which, il would seem, that jud ment alone ought
10 be Consuled? II ART fcia, mechanical internal
improvements of the country alone were in cues
ton, surely those would not afford any scope what
ever for the indulge of passionate excl ementss
but when they p.tsenl ques'io of % wer; it'll
nope and prospect that political Internal i'm
prOCenents may become -rbstiIuied for artificial
internal Improvements, and the made the medi-.
um OF ehec ing The other, thea ihey open an IN
bounded view to the passions Ambition, love OF
po er, midi dual exaliaiion, governmental splen-
dour, all sTrayed before the enchanted iinspina-
ton, in all their giittering, lascinsi charms Up
reviewing the Presidents message and prece-
dent opinions, can doubt remain, that he is act
INK under this asrn,tng Hope? This gliiterire
prospec? To give him success il is INDISPENSABLE
that he passions should be excited. and kept TN
in fall &C witty. Hence after the military passion
evcired by The late war, had subsidized II became
renewed by The Seminole crusade. and again sub
sided IL was found necessary for the purposes OF
u-urpeuou, that some Other passion should be sub
gituied and that passion has been the passion for
Internal Improvements, the writer beIieres The
oLieci ol this communication then, s TO counteract
the fatal tendencies Of hts p ssion, by proving its
exl- .ss~ and exiib ing o vic its deleterious
edtc. - Ear has this passion Tor governmental
inierna imIro ements been carried such have hsei
the unceasiae tXctements to T. indulgence, so
constantly ha ii been KEEP, before the public, that
seems 10 nave On irelf escaped the recollection,
that here Is any such thing as individual internal
improvements. The great Object appears to be,
10 keep lese under the rose; and like the case OF
the beneficial energies Of society, to give all credit
10 tic government, none to the people; 20 all the
bcsciicia effects Of internal impr3v efnents are as
crbci 10 the goyeuGnett. none to the people
SOL pursuing ihr same system Of making the go,si
ernmen, every thing. aud the people nothing,
whereas in his ease, in The other, individual
energies in making internal Improvements are in
c-icnIabiy greater, and better than governmental
energies exrrted iu public internal Improvements
/ viii be tie object OF this number, to mske a
general comparison cf individual and governmental
itfens al improvements In the hone that when the