Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-05-07

couthil'ea 20 onF cnsrSe-woojd be IeacheYv to The
most sacred of usts In the succeeding paragraph h,
goes on to say that "the spirit OF imp row
upon the.earth"-that he poscr ofa mali 1nrooor
onio its liberty; and therefore thai III - {3tch is
most free, possesses the most ample mean -.
its condition--hc then suboins. "While fdr
less blessed with that freedom which is mower ,b.n
ourselves, advancing 18th gigantic strides in tbe
career OF public improvement, were we IN snnb.r =;
mdoience or fold up our arms and proclaim, 10 ,be
world that palsied by the will of our const;tu
ents would not be 10 cast away the bounties of Prov
idence and doom ourselves to perpetual nerorilysv
Then paying well turned compliment 10 Virr;n;. for
her University and to New York Tor her canal ard in
c'ung Congress TO public improvements by their ex
ample he concludes itb stating his belief that
ecFoachtng upon the pocers reseroed 20 The aufhories
Of the repect;rc states 10 Mc people they would
efficacy TO the means committed 10 them for tie com
mon good.n
when MR.. Adams wa. making thi, animated ,,,s,,
TO the patriotic feongs Of the legislature of tina II MON
to advance the interests of the people and the aoId clio
~ of the nation, how little did he dream that II would
oe found to contain the most dangerous and xccp,on
able doctrines; when stepping out his w,v 10 re
mind them that their powers do cool were nj
limited character, and 10 warn them apa,ns, on :
croachiag either tie rights critic suie or ,,ose M
"e people, that this very passage should be relied on
aswe have all seen ii again and again, to prove tina, he
considered the pow or tie ede, government tn he
without constitutional restrictions,
But perhaps you sill say that although Mr. Adams
recognized the restrictive authority of tue
lie asserts doctrine equally odous and resp e.n.ihe
VIII teiyo what appears tu be meant nv this
much quoted phrase, when interpreted hy cotnmou can
dor 4 charity. lie to say to the Legislative body
that if they agreed with hum & Gen. Jackson1 a. TO te
construction OF the Constitution, they would be false
to the most sacred of trusts If they failed to exercise
the powers given that constitution either from sheer
indocnce or under the plea that the peuDe either did
not desire Their own advancement were not wiling
10 oetray the cost -! it, lie meant warn the rcpre,
seha'Fes against that fear of expenditure whic con
'ounds money spent on the most valuable national
obJec's with that which is uEprOGiably wasted. Mr.
Adams seems 10 entertain opinion which yyo or in
lded, mas been held by 'napy of tie pu,es, reput
iicans among us, that excessive and mstak en- econ
omy Is an 10 which we are peculiarly cxpossd
That men, from the fear of losing their pnpuartY
and mean men, because they Judge of their consltt-
cns oy themselves, Will often vote against icndture.
tha' are proper, and such the People themselves
You'd approve was this sOrdd spirit SO unfr.ndy
to The improvement of the uaiionso dangerous even
tn us safely, which MIR. Adams intended TO rebuke
6n'h IN TINS message ard is letter 10 mr.. Levitt
ttarrs spirit which all had occasion to dspreca,e
IN Tie heginnng %! the :ae war and which The nation
so etn2hatcally condemned in the es,ab ishulen, OF
Divy.
beg leave TO give gentlemen illustration Of
'h@t 'aie economy, br which legislatures as well
as ind.s'nala hy refusing incur a small expcuce
are rlade &c incur greater. Some years after the
close "i the war of the Revolution, a io egper petit
toned the Legislature 81 Virginia for the sum of 81 90
winch he bad formerly deposited in the Treasury In
paper money before il had jspr cciatrd. The commit
zee I" "h'n The claim was excessively referred. al
ways reported IN favor OF il, but before bill could get
]
Oh an occasion OF gaining credit for saving The pub
tic money would make plausible sp.s 1h apainst G.
emping foreigners from loss which citizens he'd been
Obliged 10 .nnni, ami .ne h,,l was r,:sc.cJ. ad
with these IrrT!ess aI,pt,canous he brouoh amt in
Chancery against The Communw alt!l ma ing the At
torney General tho present hartman of yo,ir Commit.
tee = n,rtv The case ,ros ,-;s1 hnf,o- a., 49,, AZ
" vtia ,yho ,y,, csycr ,,Is,,l -. 49,, iii r -
! et;:ro,,.s ,,o. b. 49,, -. -! ' " " ms eoh-
! =, b., ,o . -! 1 80 80 " ~ P'.9u' VI Jus.'ce'
- -, ~ Nv, e ~ 'S ~, '"e Pf"!ctpa', twhich
WAS al! that had been ca,med of tie icgisiaure but
I INTO fran Il.ot Il
!i''h we ne {" epnsf. so as 10 raise tie sum
'" u K" ''Sf 'eS 10 nf'ts'Tai amount or upwards OF
S'"'--i OF ii's suns se :tsSiae inaie ape. opri-
anon al ils socrceoing 81 ssiun.
"t:e lac need n" Comment. presume !hav are
s''ii wEh'p the recollection Of The thy Gu airmau
whom never expect ed to embrace The znil,fntg
that Is, 20 barrow +puu=) quit tie cllf side Of te
question. l lender him lie re specis of
& FREEMAN
---
From m. T. nr, Of ,T.,,,soi< -, ,,;, 1,,y.,r,I
see SGos Narulron.
.-------
R,,,ne,,;r g:, oo-1