Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-08-15
RICHMOND, AUG UsT I6.
pERSoNAL-pOLlTICS."

'' PERSON AL-pOLlTICS"
ehave embarked in the present discussion with
unfeigDed reluctance. However s'oppugnacious''
the Acknowledgment may he pleased 10 consider Us,
we really take no great pleasure in writing read
Ing long and elaborate prouctions-still less when
they are of d controversial description least
oil all, when we ourselves are parties to the
test. The reader will. therefore, excuse Tor
dislnissing this subject with as few words as pos
sibfe.
The Inteligencer first charges certain politicians
in the State q South Carolina Sc with a scheme
10 DEFY the Government; and 10 dissolve the Union
and then charges as with having contributed Dy
(ou) anti national doctrines, this state of thinps
" hav" overthrown the first assertion-and we
now dedicate few lines to our own vindica,io,,
What proofs have they produced, None, but
those which are stamped with utter cis;nyenuo,ls-
ness. Instead of letting us speak for ourselves
they choose to speak for us They quote about Sc
yea :a-sages from their own paper written seven
ears SINCE, in which they prolessed to answer
'he opinions We expressed, and thus palm of
upon tie world their 0icn versions for our real o.
pln'ons. We protest against all such artice
we disciaimed at the time the statements which
the inteiiigencer had put into our mouths III we
are Judged, we ask to be tried by own declara-
IONS, not by those which willy adversary is pleas
ed to attribute to us. We have never shrunk from
| me avowai OF our opinons-And we shall frankly
repeat what were our sentiments in 1921 and
what they are in 1923. Sc Ii there be treason in
| them, let the lnteligencer make the most of it,
we have always maintained that the Copstit,-
tlo'; OF the U. States is an instrument conyeyiny
limited powers-tlia, the powers which are con
veyed are specified in It's various clauses, and no
implied powers are granted, but what are nsces-
sury and proper tor carl yng into fleet the .peci
ned pc" ers-and that all rights which are not civ
en- are retained to the States OF the people respec-
uVe'y. We have uniformly, therefore, stick Ied
Tor strict construction oil the powers of the Gov
eminent.
| lha s,,s,-s If 81.
course, 1t is no less supported by the history of the
| it.uum power 10 grant charters of incorpo-
i"uo' 10 erect an university 10 dig CANALS to es-
| tabllsh public instu tons, rewards and immunities
Tor the protection of agriculture, commerce, trades
| and manufactures" severally proposed 10 he
granted in the Federal Convention-And what he
came oil them! They were all expungea-,he
last being narrowed down simply to the power OF
promoting science and the useful arts by securing
Tor limited times, TO authors and inventors the ex.
ciusive right 10 their respective writings aud Disco
\ veries -
| The soundest Interests OF the CO, ntry seen, TO
accord perfectly with the spirit and history of the
Constitution. The "Federaiist'' decai es the pow-
ers delegated TO the Federal Government to be lew
| s 'u uehhed Those which to remain in the
| rv"'' Governo,en,e ----.~r~. -, i,d.t,,;,
The former will be exercised, principally on es-
| feraGf objects, war, peace, nepociation and
lJore'sn commerce with which last, the power of
| tdrofton will, for the most part, he connected
lie powers reserved 10 the several states will ex-
tend to all the objects which, in the oyd binary
| course oi affairs concern the lives, liberties and
properties OF the people and tbs Internal order
| Improvement, and prospertty Of the States
But overlook this d,inction, Overeap the barriers
which have been erected against the encroach-
nents III the Federal government, and make its
powers commensurate with all the great inte rnaI
| concerns Of thu States and what will be the re-
sulE Either the States will acquiesce in this con
| solidstion, or they will not In the former case
all those consequences will follow in the wake
| which MIR. Madison has 30 well depicted in his CO.
iebrated Report Its &c obvious taniency and inevi-
table result would be, to transform the pr sent re
ia1lican system Of the u 5. into an absolute or at
oc''," iutAeh monarchy " For, one CONSEQUENCE
must nusl De, to enlarge the sphere of discretion
| 'no'ted TO the Executive Magistrate Even
! w'tnln the Legislative limits properly defined by
the constitution, the difficulty OF accommodating
'egai regul aiions to country so great in extent
ana so various in its circumstances, has been much
ieit; and has led to occasional investments of uoyy
er IN the Executive, which involve perhaps as
! large portion of discretion, as can be deemed
consistent with the nature of the Executive trust
IN proportion as the objects of Legislative care
might he multiplied, would the time allowed for
Haen DE dlm:n,shed. and the difficulty Of provd;
ing uniform and particular reguiatie., r" an, DC
to the sge 1S of thst dc
Pa'Uhtht winch Is always in existence, and which
could best mould regulations of general nature so
as 10 sVit them the diversity of particular stua
uons ANA 1t is in this latitude, as supplement-
70 ule dehciency OF the laws, that the degree of
'AecuuVe Prerogative materially consists.
The other consequence would be, that of an
excessive augmentation of the Offices honors and
emouments depending the Executive will
had 10 the present Legitimate stock, all those of O.
very description which consolidation of tho States
would take from them, and turn over to the Fed
crd' government, and the patronage of the Execu-
i've "ouid necessarily be as much sweied in this
case. as its prerogative would be in the Other.
inns disproportionate increase of prerocatiye
Smu patronage must, evidently, either enable the
-, Ste. NIngisuate OF the Union, by quiet means,
10 secure bis re- election from time to time and Fl
na'Iy, to regulate the succession as he might
Please, or, by giving so transcendant an Importance
10 tne ONCE, would render the elections To il IN
violent and corrupt, that the public voice itself
might call for an hereditary, in place of an cleo
i've succession. Whichever of these events MIGHT
follow, the Transformation of the republican system
OF the United States into monarchy, anticipated
by the Cen Assembly from a consolidation of tho
states INTO one sovereignty, would be equally ac-
co'pp'ished; and whether il would be into mixed
or an absolute monarchy, might depend on too ma
ny contingencies to admit of any certain fore
sight"
Ut, II the people should not acquiesce i'm These
continued usurpatons, the ether horrible extrene
"ouId nc dissolution OF our blessed Union. For
we repeat IN the strong words of an active and sa
gacious statesman (writtcu on the 22d ultY 4" Nv.
PsHence has convinced me, that the permanencv
OF our Government depends, upon rigid Limitation
OF Its powers. In consolidated form IL could NOT
iast ten years. So extensive is our territory our
soil and Climate varied, that no human sseac;tv
cou'd frame any system of laws, that would equal
~ affect the different, and sometimes conflicting
interests OF our country And under the fedora !
i've principle, every approximation to the consult
dated form cannot fail TO be productive of the n,ost
serious INJURY, and II carried too far must end i'm