Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-01-25

10 reflect his consitu ional duty; but as il was,
he felt equally unable and indsposed to go into any
nice discussions on that subject. He was not
lawyer, and his opinions, If ever 80 decided, were
not to be relied on " here nice legal distinctions
were involved Blu, be felt, whether from sympa
thy some other cause, strongly impelled TO vote
in favor of this bill when he h. d La, nigh, re-
turned from the smoking ruins OF Alexandra, and
had laid him down at nigh, upon his bed, he could
not but reflect on the situation oil many OF his Tel
low beings who had the night beote slept in secu-
rty, and this night had not where to lay their he DIS
who had tina, ven morning risen in comfortable
perhaps afdient circumstances, and al night found
themselves without dollar in the world. He had
seen beautiful edhces, equal some oil them to al
most any in this metropolis, tumbling into ruin-:
he had seen delicate females, as well bred and as
yell dressed as were any Where TO be found, throw
ng themselves Into the ranks and handing water
till their dresses stitched with ice, and their
limbs with the col and " no refused 10 retire from
their post, though reveae eddy urged to do SO. After
witnessing scene OF suffering and distress like
hts he Unable 10 refuse his assent TO the bill
He had listened with attention 10 the objections
urged. II inclined TO pin his faith on the sleeve
of any man, he would choose the gentleman from
Virginia, Oh his right Mr. Stevenson) but he
! could not in this instance coincide 18th him In
sentiment. He had asked for distinction between
he District OF Columbia and other Territories un
der the control oil the General Government Mr.
c. would answer he inquiry b, observing, hat all
the territories had delegates TO re their wish
es aud TO take charge OF their interests on this
floor hut the people of the District of Columbi.
had none to represent them but The represen iativ
! OF the People a, large. The latter, therefore had
the strongest claim upon the aud liberalitv OF
the House. Alexandria, that in thu case the
sufferer, had already lost much by the operation of
the Federal Consii;u ton. She had lost her we I.b
and her commercial standing. Under the General
Government this city had sprung up by her side as
| a powerful and successful rival. She was already
sinking, when the fiji of yesterday hid given al
mos deaths blow. In such circums,a nces could
the House ihink OF refusing to the wre,ched suf
ferer- such 20, 900 dollars? sum scarce
sufficient 10 purchase beds for all who were with,
out any?
Mr. Archer would ob'rude for a very short time
on the attention OF the House. He had been mo-,
unwilling, conceding 10 the rapid prsgre<s desired
Tor II by its friends, to have given a silent vote on
| the bill. This the course OF the debate, however
had now rendered impossible. He should vote for
he bill-yield il his cordial support--but not on
the grounds which had been s,ae,l and esneci,Iiv
by the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. BrentN Ii
those were To be considered as the real grounds of
! lis vindication, his rer.obaion Of the measur.
would be infinitely more cordial than his support
as the duty he owed TO the Constitution superseded
any claim, however imperative, which could be
! founded on an Office OF humatity He owed H.
therefore, 10 his political principles, and TO hi.
personal consistency, 10 explain the real ground.
on which his support was rendered. Tha, this
Government possessed authority 10 arpIopfia e The
resources o. the Uion At disc; eiion he utterly de.
MED. lie pro csed against 1t doctrine which
| involved in its plain euIls the absolute subver
sion Of all the limitations Of the Constitution.
| " I'm an unrestricted authority respected the
application of money, the idea Of circurn.crip,,o,
to the objects and scope of this u,hority, was il
iusory and null. There might be limitation as
| res rtpfl ti,a b,,,
would spread every wheIe-be as iiIimitabIe "a the
wind. This Government had not control over all
| Objects which the Stale Governments controlled
| Tins would be inconsistent with the yery u,.ure
| AMI name OF Federaiive system, which was se;
up l. r particular specific purposes only, as every
one acknowledged These purposes il might be
SAID, were not susceptible of accurate and unores
toned ascertainment. Admit this 10 be so: We,
there were lines which it was impossible, wiihou,
| gross abuse OF reason and deviati,n from f,,,
conduct TO transcend. Functions could not be
inferred as appropriated 20 the specific authority.
winch tie state and constituent authorities were
competent, without question, to Discharge will,
equal or greater facility and advantage for them
selves This would be outrsging an acknowledge
Ell principle In relation Individuals and poli,c,I
ueposhoties Governments were more Jealous of
their authority than individuals The State c.
"ethHeHts did not require an auxiliary; there was
| not new and further auharty, a twent,-f fifth po
vernmeD, to exercise the function of d .bu,semen,
! oil tie public money. This, surely, the State Co.
verhments were competent 20 do for themselves
ana The iunctioa was not, therefore, to be consider
ell a transferred generally, for all purposes, with
out reserve, without restraint. This was no con-
ciusion OF metaphysical suble,y, but Of common
| understanding. ms 10 the precedent NbicI, hal
been mentioned, how precedent TO operate ON
question OF constitution: It's operation was on
opinion and judgment, not principle and CON
SCIENCE No mans opinion could bind anoiher,s
principles PIecedents operated in judicial trim
nails because the object of this Indication was 10
obtain uniformity of decision. In IesisI,,iv.
jurisdiction, they had no binding operation, be-
| cause inc purpose In these was not much 10 fix
as to vary decision, till it was supposed to have
attained correctness, and even to conform 10 the
perpetual fluctuations OF opinion. Preceden,s
then, IN these jurisdictions, were nothing "a re
garded their authority. The precedents relied
o. In the present instance, would be of no force
even IN courts; for the point which was nov pre
senied had nor, as Mr.. II. believed, been made;
and 1t was the rule OF courts, in this tespect tina,
the question In dispute must have been apita,ed.
to give to The decision the character of preceJeni
The argument from precedent proved nothing.
therefore, IN this case ii could do so in anv of
the same kind. The right 10 give the monev
which was now asked from our humanity. was
not dependent, Mr.. A. said, on any such un,vaf-
rsnted doctrine as this he had been examining. If
IT were he would be behind no man in renounc-
ing and denouncing, instead Of acceling to il. we
had no power to bestow the money of the Union
on all objects and occasions, at our discretion
however strong the appeal these objects and &c
casions might address 10 us. We could onlv be
stow this money for the clearly defined objects of
the Union. 1t was not that the preservation and
sooi order and prosperity Of this District as of the
Territories or Other places in which Congress exer.
else exclusive jurisdiction, was one of the clearly
oil a f,, n =