Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-17

meet the responsibility of those acts, he deems pro-
per for its attainment. This we believe the Ken
lucky delegation did. They were not instructed;
they did not choose 10 shelter themselves from res
possibility, under the cover of legislative recon-
Notwithstanding their own judgments. they
preferred the man thought most capable of advan-
cling the interest of his country and there is no
question, that Virginia then concurred in the opn
ion, and approved the act.
his vote, which, if honestly given, Is an affair
chieny between the representative and his con-
stituents would not have been obtruded on your
attention, had il not been connected with a charge
OF grave import, made upon the purity of the cleo
ton impeaching the integrity of the chief maCis-
trate OF the nation, and the first member of his ca
bnet This charge, in its strongest form, imports
that at the last election, the vote of the Kentucky
delegation was in the market, for the highest bid
der,-that it was offered TO one candidate and be-
ing refused by him, was sold to the o;her-and
that the consideration of the sale, was the Of
nee oil secretary OF state, bestowed on Mr.. Clay
Ii this were true, should not hesitate to affirm
that il stamps iniamy on the characters Of the
guilty, and renders them forever unworthy of
public trust.
This charge, not so strongly, however, as has
been here stated made, for the first time
pending the Presidential election. 1t was promptly
met, and challenged by Mr.. Clay, and deserted by
It's supporters. They rallied again after the cleo
ton, gave it a form somewhat varied, drew 10 its
and some imposing circumstances, AID, last gave
1t the public sanction OF Gen. Jackson's name. Mr.
Clay again publicly denied it. called for the proof
and challenged enquiry. No proof has appeared
to sustain 1T. no enquiry has been instituted, and
now, IN all its phases, it stands reprobated by
body OF proof so strong convincing as TO require
IRON the least charitable, its open disavowal s. IRON
the most suspicious, candid acknowledgment that
they have done injustice in thinking it proba-
bic.
Ii may not be unworthy of notice, as one Of the
means, by which the public mind has been preiu-
diced and infamed, that opinions the most offensive
10 q republican people, have been understandable
& uncandidly inferred from some ofthe presidents
communications TO congress, and prayely irnp,,tcd
to him as, doctrines in his pocical creed. He has
on one occasion, not perhaps with strict rhetorical
proPriety, used the expression, 'palsed by the will
oil our constituents reference TO duties enion-
eo by the constitution. This phrase has been torn
from Its context, misinterpreted, and used as the
authority, upon which, the president is charged
with the heresy, that representative owes no OBJ
ligaton to the will of his constituents On another
occasion, lncautiously taking it for granted, that
every one would understand, that the high obliga-
OF an oath was derived from heaven-he has aGain
perhaps, without much felicity ofphrase, made an
obvious, tho not avowed reference TO his oath of Of
nee, as imposing an obligation above all human
laW,-and this reference Is tortured, into n public
avowal, of the odious doctrine that his political
power, was juTe diuin0. If these had been the
taunts & the railing ofanonymous newspaper scrb-
blers, they would have been deemed unworthy of
this public notice. But when such charges are Sc
riousiy made and reiterated, by men holding high
stationS III the government, and exercising some in
uuence over public opinion, they cannot be too
strongly condemned.
Mr.. Adams it is sad is friendly to regulation of
the tariff OF duties, with view TO the encourage
ment OF American manufactures and this is cla-
nnorousy urged, against him, a serious objection
py those, who support the election of Gen. Jackson
ms objection seems TO have been treated bo-
lore the public, as if Mr.. Adams were the found
er OF new and odious doctrine, and the father of
the measures to which it had given birth. No
thlng can be further from the truth. Not single
act OF the government, this subject has its date
within his administration And SO far is he from
being the founder of the doctrine that it is traced
10 the earliest and purest times of the republic a.
vowed and acted upon, from the foundation of the
government, when the father of his country pre-
sided over It's destnes Before the adoption of the
federal constitution, the power of regulating com
merce and imposing duties on Imports BELONGED
to the state governments; and such of them, as
deemed 1t expedent, so regulated their tariff of
duues as TO give encouragement TO their rnanufac-
lures Inc constitution transferred TO the federal
government, by express provision, the power of
regulating commerce, and of imposing duties An
act passed at the FIST session of the first congress-
held under the constitution, advocated by James
~ naaison' and signed by George Washington, on
te 2olh OF July, 1883, contains the first tariff of
duties on imported goods laid by the General Gov
eminent, aud its preamble recites that it was enc
cessary for the support of government for the
discharge OF the debts of the u. s., and the en-
: enlargement and protection of manufacturers -
L his doctrine acted upon by every succeeding
administration, by the elder Adams by jefferson
oy Madison and Monroe: the policy of protecting
ana encouraning manufactures was recommended
by them all; the tariff was increased from time TO
'me, with view to that object; and yet no cham
Pion OF the constitution, though many and bold
ana able there were, always at their posts ever
challenges the authors Of there measures, as in
Vaders OF constitutional ground-until, during the
administration OF the last president, when the IA
theirs OF the constitution having most of them, re-
urea from the field OF action, member from Vir-
glnla suggested, in congress- the want of constitu-
tional power TO give protection to manufactures
Cn this question, we forbear TO enter the field of
argument; and content ourselves with Sayinp-that
tne power OF Congress TO regulate the tariff of du-
ues, so as TO give protection and encourageme 10
agriculture, manufactures, commerce and nayiga-
ton, cannot be denied without DENYING to the let
Ter oil the constitution its plain import, and to its
spirit Its most obvious and essential attributes
without affirming that those who have administer
ed the government from its foundation to the pre-
sent day, have either misunderstood the charter
oi thelf powers, or wantOnly and habitually vio-
lated 1T, without coming to the extraordinary con-
ciuslon, either that power which existed in the
state governments, and was frequently exercised
by them, before the adoption of the federal CON
shtuhon, was annihated by the secret and magi-
cal influence OF that instrument that such power
does not properly pertain TO the legislature Of any
free people.
The exercise of this power is necessarily re-
ierred to the sound discretion of Congress- 10 be
Justly and impartially employed for The common
oeheh oil ait not to be perverted 10 the purpose of
advancing the Interest of one clas ri Che cOnrnuni-
w. or OF one part Of the country, at the cxpence OF
ahother; ana Whatever some of us may think as 10
us abuses under former administrations or of the
danger OF such abuses under the present all must
concur in he opinion, that the remedy is not
to be found IN the election Of Gen Jackson but if
sought at ALL should be looked for In the vigilance