Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-19

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different occasions been drawn, with apparent AZ
feet, from these phrases, in their indefinite mean.
ing:
'' To these indications might be added, withor.
looking farther, the official Report on Manufac-
lures, by the late Secretary of the T're.s,,r
made on the 9Th Of December, 1871; and the n
port oil Committee Of Congress, in January 1877
on the promotion Of Agriculture. In the 6rst Of
tnese Is expressly contended to belong to the
discreuon OF the National Legislature to pro.
no9nee upon the objects which concern the gene.
raj reydre, and for which. under that description.
an appropriation OF money is requisite ard proper.
AND theTe seems to be room for a doubt. tbas
Whatever concerns the general interests Of
-HARNiSa' Of AGRICULTURE, Of AdANUrAc-
rukEs, and oil COMMERCE, are within the spber,
oil the National Councils, far as regards an
application Of money" The latter Report ne.
sumes the same latitude Of power in the National
Councils, and applies il to the encouragement of
Agriculture, by OF a society to be- estabiish-
ed at the seat Of government. Although neither
OF these reports may have received the Sanction of
law carrying II into effect; vet, on the other
hand' the extraordinary doctrine contained 10 both
mas passed without the slightest positive mari Of
addressed, ""s
Now, whether the phrases in question be con.
srueo 10 authorse every measure relating To the
common defence and general welfare, as Contend.
su oy some; or every measure only in which
there might be an application of money. IA s,,v.
gested by the caution of others; the effact muss,
substantially be the same, in DESTROYING the ~.
port and force Of the particular enumerss;cn &c
powers which follow these general phrase, in ,hs
Conso'utoh' For, 1t IL evident, that there is-pot
single power whatever, which may not have sora
reference to the common defence, or the genera
welfare; nor apower Of any magnitude which
IN Its exercise, does involve or admit an anni;
canon OF money. The Government, Therefore.
wnich possesses power in either one or other OF
these extents, is Government without the limi-
'aoons formed by particular enumera,ion Of
powers; and consequently. the meaning and effect
VI uiis particular enumeration, destroyed bv tic
exposition given.to these general phrases''
me writer must be content with mi. s;osl.
specimen OF the principles and rules of int.rnrs.
ing the constitution, insisted upon by Mr.. AT. in
January iooo.-Numerous Others at other lime,
might DO referred 10, but it would oceuov ,oo
iuch space; and the quotation here made, il so
a work OF supererogaton. LIST. The pensrsI tsnrr
anu scope Of reasoning here EMPLOYED win n.
ioubd Ill ITS principles, spirit object and esct In
oirect contrast with the doctrines laid down In H.
letefs' ana directly in accordance with tho rea.
sonlng employed by the writer to put them down
q me quotation Is found in direct hostilitv with
hr. ham!itons Report, il being one object of
the quotation, to denounce tho
oi tnat hepcrt-and Mr.. M. even inti,nates that =
puoh oI h's alarm, excited by the progress of the
various usurpations OF the Federal Government.
mas arisen from the circumstance thar The &c 49,
uaordlnary doctrines" contained in Mr.. Hamil
IONS Report, were passed over without the sliph..
est pos'f'ue mark of disapprobaton-the marked
negative oil dlsaPprobation il did receive. beino
deemed insufficient to satisfy Mr.. Ms inst nd;.s,
nation at its doctrines 'N'' "-'e
90 these extraordinary doctrines" thus ex
citing MIR. Ms marked hostility. consisted q, a.
serting the general power of the Federal Cavern.
Ine : 70 protect Manufactures. The writer con.
ceVes, hat me proceedings of Congress do con.
tam marked anc positive, alho oh not nf,7y,nn.
tire Interpretation Of the doctrines of the Reno,t
Ii DID not receive the sanction of one single ,f;-
native vote, and the best that Mr. Ms personal
.ouu make OF II, was to have it referred to
committee oil the whole House-there 10 sIee,
forever In silent dsrespect;-whiIst Mr.. M and
DINERS nave recently revived these extraordinary.
odous doctrines, perfectly stripped of all restrain,s
anu limitations whatever. II would have been
without the ordinary course of legislation IN AMI;
fest any other disapprohation of these odions To-
trines' than the refusal Of an affirmative vote
winch, IN substance and effect, is the negative o
the affirmative proposition. Congress could NOT
nave SHOWN more marked, posifiue disapproba-
uon' except by some affirmative, declarstorv act.
or resolution, in negative Of the odious doctrines
MS could only be expected in an extreme case:
ana YET the writer believes, that Mr.. H. was mora
10 MS great personal popularity. and high
PUBIC standing attha' time, for his exemption from
this extreme proceeding, than 10 any commis,cra.
ton felt for him, on account of the extraorI;ns
ry doctrines OF his Report Wonderful 10 he
told:.-Mr NJ seems voluntarily, at this dav INT
Inadvertently, no doubt, to have subjected himself
10 an these rePrehensions, called for by himself
against Mr. IFS Report in 1899, and loudly re-.
peased in January 1900. How is il po,sibie for
MI. Nj. to reconcile his indignation, felt AZ that
nme at this unconstitutional claim of power. with
MS recent sanction Of it, 10 his recent uouuaIifie
assertion that NJ question ever bad been made a,
to its existence; but that there had been nerfscr
recognition OF it by the Federal Government. ana
an absolute acguiescence in il by the State Gov
erh'Pen's, LOT nearly forty years. and through ey-
cry vicissitude of party!
:, FOR further views of the difference between
MT. M. IN MS claims OF indefinite power to pro-
tect manufactures-and MIR. H.. i'm his renorf NJ
TIDY, reference is had to late pu bc alton of M
HIS Report: f,o " w.t.
did not know, until recently, that upon tEe
SUBJECT OF the power Of the General Government
powerful an auxiliary, as have done in the late
celebrated MIR. Alexander Hamilton; but having
received, from an unknown hand a copv of the
9th edition Of Mr.. Hamilon's report upon the sub
Ject oil manufactures, made in l79l; | find this
report clearly disclsims the power 10. make inter
nal improvements, on the part Of the General Go.
yernnent MIR. Hamilton made this report 10 the
Rouse OF Represe Itatives, on the 9th December.
1871. u was made in obedience to an order Of
That House OF the 18th January, 1870. On the
go Jan. i792,it was referred to committee of the
who:- Houses and does not afierw ards IN The
Journals. From the Senate's Journals Of 1871. Il
does not appear, that, the report was then made
10 tina body. In consequence OF the ippe.
NOUS Naturalization notions, for nterpretating the
constitution, suggested in that report is believed,
u did not receive the appreciation of the then Pre-
sident, General Washington; nor OF a single mem.
Der OF either House OF Congress Indeed. no no
oce ever appears TO have been taken Of il, subse-
quen to the order for lis reference. After looking
al the atitudnaran prctexts, set up for nterpreta.
ting the CONSTITUTE by the political economists of
tf.ap Aa n.