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

of Yrginia and Maryland, are preserved TO
them invola,e on their part. That the cession was
made to, and taken by, the United States, in re
gard TO all the preexisting rights Of property, and
any oher view would sustain the position, tina, the
Sta es Of Maryland and Virginia had the power.
by transfer OF part of their population TO new
Government, TO deprive them of any one of the
cardinal rights which they possessed before,
citizen. of Virginia and Marylsid.
This appropriation eiferes with none OF these
,shts; 1t Is an ordinary function OF municipal
power, and shall vote Tor il, because it liz to be
exercised in manner that meets the hes, feelings
If my own heart.
MIR. Weems said he had not expected that the
proposition OF the gen,lema" from Pennsy lvania,
Mr.. Mner) o'ld possibly have given rise TO so
vide discussion, consumed so much of
the time of the House. - But since such
was the fact, and as the doctrines advanced were
such. might affect his character, and, above all
ais conscience, he thought himself bound to ex-
plain what his views on inis subject He
agreed with the gentleman from New York, (Mr
Wood) tina this was not case which involved
the constitutional power OF the House, all The
u. S. had received from two of lie indvI al
States a cession of part If their territory, 10 be
made the Seat of the General Government. In
accepting this cession, the u. =. had recelv Cd he
soil as their property, and its inhabitants as their
adopted child en-. They were bound To pity and
| to protect these children. To whom coul they
make their appeal In any case bu to CoGgresS?
They have no other legislature, and the Hous. is
not only at liberty, but Is bound tn do for them
all that he State Legislatures uld have done If
tney had remained undo State jurisdiction. This
was he ground IN which he should give his vote
IN favor OF the bill. He should not stop to ask
how this fire happened; II enough for him to
know hat the distress existed, and that humanity
called for its relief II the -ufe ers were his enc
mics, he would feed them, and give them clothing
Alr iirrva to, ~. IL.
TO deprecate Its continuance. Every hour the re-
lief was delayed, the distress was Increasing
MIR Miner said tina, the House had given $50 =
600 TO: the relief OF The Indians in Florida. Sure
ly, they nigh as constiuonally give $50 600 Cor
the relief of the inhabitants of Alexandra
\ Mr. Rives said, it was with great reluc ance he
rose at this stage of proracted discussion; but
he FELT 1t his duty 10 add few words 10 wha
had been said by others, in denial of the
power proposed to be exercised by thi.
! bill. IL appeared TO him that pervadins fallac,
ran through the whole OF the arguments in fay or o.
the bill. Our attention had been directed for III,
derivation OF our power upon this subject, TO {
part of the Constitution which, he thought had nc
appropriate relation to il. This was not cues
ZION OF exclusive legislation, properly so called
over the District OF Columbia, bu, il was a cues
ton respecting grant Of the National funds
The BILL upon its very face, is an appropriation o
80 much OF the public money for a particular pur
pose. Now, whence do derive our pow er O
raising and applying the public money? /, Is from
thsl clause OF the Constitution, which authors e.
Congress " to lay and collect taxes duties &c Z,
pay The debts and pr0uide for the common de
fence and general tc.Jare ofMe United States ,
According 10 The broadest construction ), hich hat
ever been put upon thu clause, it jusili no ap
preparation of the public money, but for som,
purpose connected with the common defence an,
: general welfare Of The Union. For his own mari
said Mr. H., he had always thought that ,hes,
general terms were limited and defined by IN,
, subsequent enumeration of specific powers grant
cd 10 Congress; and that we could legitimate
. vote away The public money, but in execution Q
some oil the powers granted. But. even ,akin.
! Tor our guide the mos, liberal construction whicI
Ias ever been suggested, can it 1e pretended tina
The object of this bill the relief of the unfortunate
, inhabitants of Alexandria, (for whom he Eel, a
much sympathy, and was willing to eyince it, will
his own means, as far as any gentleman \ il i,
any manner, connected with the paymen, Of ,b,
deos, or providing for the common defence an,
general welfare the Union? No sir, il is oureI,
an act OF private charity, which we undertake tt
perform at the public expense, instead of our own
III an application OF the public money like this
can De covered under the power of exclusive leg
isia'lon Tor the District of Columbia, the Consti
tuition has, in vain, sought 10 fix practical limi
10 our powers over the public purse. NV frien,
ana colleague, who how sils near me- ard VIII,
Las advocated the passage of his bill, denies III,
power OF congress to appropriate the public mo-
ney 10 the Establishment oil a National University
Hentiemen, who think with him and me deny al
80, The power OF Congress 10 establish Naiona
CoservaioIIes, or TO bestow gra,uitous pensions
because, we believe that the pow or of this Govern
ment TO grant the public money is limited 10 tho.,
Objects only, Tor which we are authorized IN n,o
'ide' IN The direct exercise of our specific powers
Bu' what becomes of this limitation, if the laii
tude now claimed for the power of exclusive leg
t-IatiUD over this District he ". l..
only to draw these objects within the encbantet
circle of the District, to establish the IJnve,.;,,
ana The Observatory here, to assemble the corns n
pensioners here, and all difficulty vanishes IJpor
this principle, we may exhaust the whole Tteasu
ry oil the cation, here, in the endowment of Gle
mosynary institutions, or whatever other scben.
may please the fancy of the sovereign Legislator.
OF the District OF Columbia We NAV thus enac
system OF laws for every State in the Union. IN
on condition only that the paupers shall come her,
20 rartake OF the national bounty
! Mr. H. IN farther illustration Of this view ~
'he SUBJECT supposed the case of an individual re
| SUING III some one oil the States, applying for tb,
bounty OF the Government, and we refuse his an
phcaHon' because the general powers of Congr es
no no n"' extend 10 a system of voluntary pensions
But u he will remove into the District. the de
iect OF power IS at once supplied, and we ma,
give him whatsoever he asks. But The conse
quences oil THIS construction do not stop here Tn,
same clause OF The constitution which gives TO Con-
gress the power of exclusive legislation over IN,
Disirict OF Columbia, gives them {" like autborit,
over all places purchased for the erection of
magazines, arsensls, dock-yarjs, &C." In ever,
lori or dock yard then, in the Union. Congress
would be authorized, by this power of exclusiv,
legislation, to lavish the national funds in tb,
maintenance OF expensive establishments. WHO'LL
unwanenied by the general tenor of the constitu.
'ion' IN every one OF them, you may have your