Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-07-26

a mere rome Of sand, and thai it exposed us
singly and severely, TO be destroyed and SUBJ
i.gated, became obvious TO the whole Union.
They all saw the necessity Of giving Up an abb
solute, for "a qualified sovereignty-and form>
ing a Government, instead ofan alliance 81 States.
Accordingly we find this the very first sub
ice, Of their deliberations, (p 49, and after va
rious propositions involving tie same piinei-
pie. and on which they only differed on points
Of form or modification, they adopt it as the ba-
sis Of all their proceedingsIp. So That a Ma
tionsl Government ought 10 be established,
consisting Of a supreme Legislative, Judiciary,
and Executive
And after celebrating for TWO months IN the
details OF a Constitution, when the several pro-
positions agreed upon we're collected to be d.
eested into form, we find the following sum.
mary given for the legislative power Up. 2o5)
"That the National legislature ought to
possess the Legislative rights, ve,ted in Con-
gres. by the Confederation; and moreorsr, to
Iegislare in all cases, FIR the general Interests of
tie Union; AID ais IN hose 10 which the States
are separately incompetent, or in which the
harmony Of the y. 5 ates NAV be interru pied
by the exercise of individual legisla ion"
This is TIE preamble 10 tho 8rh Sec. LIST
Arr. Of he Constitution, hat which designates
the Legislative powers Of .he . Sta'es, and which
prof, .sirg TO have il yisN tia objects there
specified, vests in Congress ne power 10 tax
and regulate
The general welfAre-'he inadequaey Of The
States, sevPraily, 10 promote u, md Their har-
mpnious co-opei alton to ,tai end-ars the con-
siderations held in view, while constituting a
government, with supreme, legislative, executive
and judicial powers.
Now, il cannot be supposed, that so ippor-
tant an object of general welfare as manufac-
lures, was to be left al the mercy of the woild.
If Congress did not mean to assume tie care oil
them, they ough' certainly nor to have stripped
the Srares Of The power To sustain them against
the rivalry and enmity, and jealousy OF The
world. Just emerging from a war, in which
never nation had suffered as this nation, Tor the
wart of manufaCtures-a, least, they would
have left the power with The States 10 promote
them, if they would not assume their protec-
ton, as a charge and a care, upon the whole.
Now what is the fact? Even in The exrcu-
,ion OF this inspection law the States are s'in,ed
| down 10 The ~,ericst morsel Of power And 10
strip them Of every power necessary to give
any ehectual protection TO home industry, APP
pear, to have been to the latest hour, On OBJ
iect no, to be lost sigh, of by the COW. nrion.
j liz 10 pIONFO ny SSNN'u' pi'Ni bS'o''SH
into Mr. BrearIey's report of The Constitution.
Scrupulously restrictive as was the clause l
have quoted in a previous number, on the pow
err OF the States to impose duties under this
inspection law, still the convention was not
| satisfied until they had added O.. 377-S) shut
all dn:ies, imposts and excuses, shall be uniform
throughout the United States" and "no pre-
ference shall be given by any regulation OF
Commerce or Revenue, to the ports OF one
State over the ports Of another. Nor shall ves-
| sells bound 10 or from one Stale be obliged to
enter, clear, or pay duties i'll Another"
Now, can human ingenuity find out a mode
in which a Stale can give encouragement TO ma
nufactures. otherwise than by corporations and
bounlies. Suppose il be true, that, under the
provision respecting inspection laws, Congress
might consent to an impost or duty, imposed
by a State, 10 what effect could that assent ope.
rate, limited as Congress is by these restric-
lions in the exercise Of power over Commerce
among The States? II can sanction no prefer
ence, no Determinations, nor can it prevent
Goods brought into one State, from being inn
mediarcly shipped, duty free, 10 any other
State. And with a view 10 the preservation ci
harmony, how could quiet ever subsist.among
The States, while at carte and liz rec about their
peculiar interests?
If the States are stripped OF this power, 1t is
a positive absureity 10 suppose ii exists no
where.
That it was in Congress, is proved by the
fact of its being the very first duty entered upon
by The very first Congress ever elected under
the Constitution; they understood, and the peo-
pie Of America understood, that il was among
the first Of the high duties which they were
called upon to discharge; and The immediate
-. -. $500.
OF discharging this duly, shr~s the general
sense of the community as to the purposes for
which such means were placed in :heir hands.
In fact, il was the means Familiarity known 10
he world al the ordinary means to be applied
TO that end, and this is a fair ground TO resor: TO
for the meaning OF the constitutional was he
general sense Of mankind.
A NATIVE.