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

from their own sufrages, (Which they have, |,
presume the power TO do, and hope some day |
will do how would II be supported? Surely by |
the inhabitants of the District, aud not out OF the
funds of the nation. Might not the States, in
their cesson, have required this to be done, if they
had deemed it expedient, and it had been wished
by the inhabitants ceded? Unquestionabiy! With
such n municipal Legislature, taxing for local pur
poses, and having common Treasury, the rec
lief asked for might have been granted, bu,
not out of the funds OF the nation. Such power
ought not To have been granted
Nor could he yield. MIR. 5. said, TO the eorce
OF presidents, to which were always driven
il the assertion OF any doubtful power by this
House We hear it said that the relief afforded
! TO the emgran,s of ST. Domingo, who sought
refuge here, and 10 he sufferers by an earthquake
In Caracas, were directly in point. ALTHOUGH
he woud not have voted in those cases, for relief,
yet they presented, he thought, very differ
questions from the one before The House. He
would take some fl occasion, hereafter, 10 presen ,
at large, his views IN relation TO them: he should
now make only one or two general remarks
| Might not those cases have been defended under
| the power of the General Government for great
| external objects? The and treaty-making
power, and foreign relations, belong exclusively
20 this. Government, and, IN thei exercise, car
never conflict with any If he ed powers Of
the States. a liberal ex' ensisn of ,he>e powers
for the general safety and welfare, might be allow
| VerHment
was sovereign. May not hose who pa sed the e
acts have considered he iigh, 10 so as br!ongins
| to these great classes of powers? Nav thew no
have believed that the observation of benev Glen
and good VIII towards nations was Tie policy nd
duty dictated by the laws of nations and that, in
! the exc else OF the treaty making power, il wa
IN The power OF this Government 10 conciliate, b.
| acts OF Kindness ami berevolence, those nations
with whom they might be dsr osed TO treat,
lie thought there might be force in these sug
sestons Bat it was not necessary, MIR S. said,
! Tor him TO justify these acts of Congress H..
should nat look TO presidents to exercise power
| here, or permit himself 10 be bound by them He
should discard all srch authority. Neither thi.
Government, nor is Departments, can be intleb ed
tor its powers or faculties, to precedents Ours
wa unlike any other Government and especially
thSt OF Great Britain, from which this doctrine q,
| precedent was borrowed. There they have no
| written constitution Presidents there are a
shelter Tor weakness inIbeciity. There he pre
rogaive has yiel led TO tie force Of presidents:
and the interests and rights OF the people have
been increased and sustained by them. Here this
! can never be the case. We have a written con-
sti,u,ion laid tables, that marks out clearly
che limits OF our powers, and which we have
sworn TO support. Here the danger is that IRE
cedents may be the shelter for tyranny rather than
Tor imoecility! He should. therefore, he said. al
Ways discard them, in the discharge Of his esIsla-
tive duties, and especially upon questions o! con-
stiiutional power.
nor, sir, can admit that The goodness and be-
hefoiehce OF the act is any justification for tran
scehui"g lhc po"ers OF the constitution. l know
very wtll, that the power OF doing good is ofe
wisely w"hheid' io' tear OF Carrying aiorg with il
| a power 10 do evil The greatest ard mos;
abominsble tyrannes and usu pations, originate
often IN DECISIONS OF great good and ben
ne !ioeTues OF no country were ever overthrowp,
that It was not placed TO The account of some -,
posed good. Ii was this intimate connection b.
tween power 10 do good and a power TO do
evil, which Caused the tivi.ion and Limitation of
powers between the General and State G ,.ern.
mants 1t must be preserved or its great Objects
VIII be defeated. AS far as Oh able, shall en-
deavor TO do so. | must resist, therefore the
s'ohs appeal that has been made TO the benevo
ience and generosity of the House. In some cases
oil legislation, the heart may be appealed to, a.
wei as the head. In grea; and unusual question.
OF morality, II Is sometimes the safest and best
ca,uist-Du', upon questions of cons,itu. iona]
power must discard all feeling | stand here,
sworn, 10 support this sacred charter of our Liner
lies and Union; and, believing iha, this bill is in
| violation oil its provisions, / am forced 10 oupose
IL would to God that could feel mysei irsiii ed
IN ooeying the dictates OF my heart, and urged on
by The contagious feeling OF the House, do tba,
""cn oene'oiehce ami charity seem to require to
relieve these undone and wre,cied suffer ers
MR.. MERCER did not rise, he said, to point out a
distinction between The powers OF mi, Govern .
| lnent over The Territories of the IT, S and this
DIs'Tict though between the condition of the Dis
tIict ard the Territories, there was a very striking
difference, constituting very powerful appeal for
the relief sought. The latter, after passing ,hrough
me period OF Infancy, entered upon the full en-
Joyment OF political rights, while The Constitution
consigned this District TO subordinate roliticaI
existence, eternal and imnluabie
| We have excIu i've legislative mower over The
district OF Columbia, and called upon to ex
ercise u iII the benefits OF portion of its inbsbi
| 'ah's' suffering under tremendous calamity The
| power We are about TO exercise, does moi touch
| the confines OF the ofien-contesied doctrines of
State and Federal authority. The power Of thi.
Government over this Distric, is unquestioned &
unlimited. VINO shall The suffering inhabitants sp
ply 10 lot relief, If not here! To Virginia? She
mas ceded their Territory, and themselves TO the
Federal Government. TO Maryland, The Poo
mac was her boundary, till the period of tho, ces
| SION
ANA mas government no right 10 relieve the
dls'resses OF ITS citizens? Is it no: moral ao.p,
sir, among the first speeches made by the elsGuent
predecessor OF my colleague, on this floor In
wb'ch iJoned my feeble voice, was one almo.,
l"s' 10 De uttered, sustaining petition from
par. Oh ue inhabitants OF Richmond, city
WITHIN The district which my colleague now rene.
senis to release the duty accruiog 10 the Trra,nrv
| OF this Government, on organ imported for IN.
Nlonumchtal Church; and the PRAYER of the memo
ralists was granted.
government he not a moral agent whence
lhe power to provide relief TO the sufferers NJ tho
lae war on the Niagara frontier, and the shores NJ
Tue Chesapeake, from the incendiafy torch of a
pHa'lcsi Toe: Whence The mower to DISTRIBUTE
medals OF silver and gold, TO reward the valor
which unInfled he triumphant standard Of AM
ca, on sea and land'
Sir, ] would no be the citizen of \ co,,,.r
could help il, whose Gove,n,ne,, w., ,,o,;,',p