American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1827-02-16

thing upon their attention. ne supJcca ne iuse"o
ed to bring TO the consideration OF The House, was
one in which the Commonwealth was interested
IL became The honor, dgnity, and morals OF vir.
einia 10 cease 10 complain, If her complaints be well
founded and her consistency required that sne
should act. But he wished her to act with the great
est circumspection and present TO the worio inc
whole Of her complaints clearly and fully explained.
Ii was not mis- wish that his resolutions snouio DC
acted on, on that day, and in,imsted his intention TO
c all them up on Wednesday. He thought tina. eve
~ one who had marked the proceedings oil the led
eral Government mus, see that they are at variance
with our fundamental laws. He had thought much
Of the course most proper in bringing the subject 70
the consideration Of the House and had concluded
that reference ought to be made in the hrst place
to Fundamental principles. Such reference was
enoined by the Bill Of Rights as duty lie would
refer 10 them, not TO abroIatc, but enforce them
He remarked that he did propose 10 20 into the
me rits Of the subject at that time nor dd ne know
that it would be necessary TO do so when IL was tax.
en- up again, a. il was mere inquTy-out should
it be necessary he would be prepared to sustain MS
proposition. He then offered the following, and
moved that il should be laid on the table and print
ed:
Resolved, That Committee be appointed to in
ouire and report, whether not, the exclusive urls
diction over all the territory, persons and thngs
within the limits OF this Commonwealth, was not
secured to the Government OF this State by hs Con-
slution thereof, and whether private properly, was
or was not, hereby, secured TO the owner, against
ths power OF the Government SO tar, al least that
The Government could rot, rightiully, take private
property from the owner, and give 1t TO another
person, neither rendering public service
That the Committee be Instructed 20 inquire and
report, whether not, any portion o. this exclusive
Jurisdiction territory, persons and things, has
since been granted to the General Government by
the Constitution of The United States; and, II so, TO
specify particularly, each, and every portion OF such
jurisdiction, which may have been 50 granted.
That the COMMITTEE BE- particularly instructed to
inquire and report, whether any power has been
granted 10 the General Government TO violate the
rig hts OF private property at is discretion and,
more particularly, 70 take private property from the
owner and give it 10 smother person, neither ren
dering public service.
That the Committee be instructed 10 inquire and
report whether the several laws, passed BY lhe Cen
eral Government. for the purpose OF Internal In
provemerts do not assert or involve Jurisdiction
over he Territory within this Commonwealth, be
yond the grants 10 that Government, specified in
the Constitution oil the United States.
That the Committee be particularly instructed to
quire and report whether the law, generally cal.
led the Tariff law. does not violate the rights Of
private property. by taking il from its owner and
giving il to nao,her person, neither rendering pub
lie serves.
That The Commute. be particularly instructed to
inquire and report, whether, under the operations OF
he said Tariff Law, q portion OF The proceeds o.!
the labor OF the inhabitants Of this Commonwea
is not transferred TO other parts OF the United Staes
IN violation OF the two grest principles upon which
the Constitution OF the United States is founded, TO
Wit: generality and equality and, IL so 10 report,
a. far as practicable the smount or the value Of
such proceeds thus transferred.
| II the Commitee should end all or eny Of these
Unauthorized assumptions oi power, on the part oil
he General Gosernment--then, that the Committee
be- also instructed 10 report s1ch measures for the
adoption Of the General Assembly, as they shall
think, will most eHeotullly iend TO arrest these
usurpatons; to stay tho hand Of sys,es and des.
potism; to reinsa,e the good people OF this Com
monweath in sll their essential rights and liberties
and The Government thereof in allshe righ,s grant.
ed and secured TO it by The fundamental laws.
Alter reading his resolutions, he remarked. !ha
u would be perceived that the great object was to
look FIRST to fundamental laws and then to TIE
federal Constitution, and by comparison OF the TWO
see how much OF ou jurisdctlen had been partec
with. He said he wished the nsestig 10 be made
i by The Committee, and, that Whatever measure,
should grow out Of it, should proceed from them
aud Aot from him. He desired that gentlemen o
all parties might be put upon The Committee, tha
the inquiry might be traly q Virginia inquiry ant
thai the State should present undivided front ii
opposition TO the General Government. After
lew further remarks TO show the injurious operation
Of the tariff upon Us, he laid the resolutions on th
table, and the House ordered them 10 be printed Z
Thus, il seems 1t is quite clear and settled air cad
according to Mr. Giles, at the very moment he
moving an inquiry VI that the acts Of The federal gov
ernment have been at variance With fundamenta
laws. But the instance selected, (the Tariff mig
make the unskiful laugh, if It did not make III
: ludicious grese We make the policy Of the Ts
riff no part Of the question; i, disappears quite i
/ the sweeping attack OF MIR. Giles on the powers
the government, Of the conlederacy, when he hint.
s in broad terms that il cannot make law unless a