Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-03-06


whscn may be ennihilated at any moment, by on
~ one OF the parties' Can you Imagine govern.
ment, holding its wretched existence by no Other
tenure than the forbearance of tho different indf-
viduais OF which 1t Is composed? And vet such a
picture is at once presented to Your view bv ,th.
alarming proposition, that each state 10 ,his Union
has right to construc the constitution for itself
and TO obey or resist the authority Of the govern
ment at its own pleasure.
II this proposition be true, whence your ok;tcrv
against the proceedings Of the eastern states dur
ing the late war? They only reduced to practices
men. the principle you are roto asserting-they
oeheved that your embargo, your non-infercourse,
your war, and your demands on their militia were
SO many violations OF their rights and ifyour as
sertion be true, that each state is to be its own ex
Positor OF the constitution, on what principle can
you condemn them, Tor simply Exercising an ac.
knowledged right? Their proceedings ;pdessI
seemed Tor a while, tn endanger the existence ps
the Union But have not recently the proceedinqa
OF south Carolina been even more threhtening..--
And are you not now about to bring the Union to
the very crisis Of its fate, by giving YOUR incuns
derate sanction to privilege, thar renders even y
temporary existence, dependent on the preudices
ana me caprice OF All infatuated stated
SIR, IL there any necessity for this proceet;1Y4
II any measure proposed for the adoption of ib3
general government is likely to effect your inter
csts, how many means both of prevention anJee
dress are at hand' II has frs, TO pass The ordeal
OF two different legislative bodies in both Of which
you have your full share of representation. The
sanction OF Me President too is necessary-au,,o
yer him You exercise the influence that IS inseps-
rabie from the constituent body. lin spite 90 ala
.nese checks the measure OF which you complain.
assumes the form, and acquires the authority of q
law, the courts OF justice ready to enquire into
It's constitutional validity, if quesiioned-sn,l.a
ga1nst Its expressions as well its inpolicv yor,
nave hnai, and {the history of our country has
demonstrated) an available appeal 10 the ffteiE.
gence, Che integrity and the justice of your fellow
cizens Depend upon it, sir, the evil, that is NOT
either prevented or redressed. by some one offto
many means, TO which have pointed. must ne,
80 say the least) of questionable characier: and
VIII hardly justify resort TO the dangerous and
ex'ravaean' expedient, of leaving the existenceo,
the unicn at the messy Of every misguided or,cor-
rupted state.
Having thus, Mr.. Speaker, disposed Of f6e frs.
resolution Of the committee, and deeming itunne-
Sessary to dwell On the second, which contains
nothing in the smallest degree Objectionable Iber
Leave to call the attention of the House, TO The
third and last. declaring the acts of Congress IT,
suaiiy denomina.ed the Tariff Laws, passed ayog
eddy for the protection of domestic manufactures"
unconstitutional and impolitic.
me course OF reasoning, by which The COMMITS
slons, shall be briefly stated, nearly az possbIe
In their own words " The powers vested 3n the
General Government, being" say they, "-con,
veyed IN an express enumeration, and the purpuse
Tor which the government was instituted 6pf6u
explained in the constitution, no power can he o.
ercised, which is not contained in that enumera.
ton, nor can any specified pow er be exerted Tor
any purpose not designated by the constitution
that the power 10 encourage domestic nnan,,fac
lures being no where specified and thar the on
enlargement of domestic manufactures being no
where designated as purpose, to which .fheE
enumerated powers may be applied, il follows az
course, that any act OF Congress passed ayow
ediy for this purpose, must be Observation-Disclosures
void" 'N' 49,.
Iobiect, sir, 10 this reasoning Of the committee
because, in my humble opinion il imposes on the,
government OF the United States linritation, H.
before COneuucl and no
interpretation OF the constitution. The goverSr
'nent IS certainly limited one; but to say that IL
can eHescise DO power, not especially enumerated.
Is to sweep from your statute book three -fo,,ftt.
oil The laws that have been enacted. What be-
comes OF that clause of the constitution which an,
thorises :" the passage OF all laws necessary and
proper LOT carrying into execution the specified
powers!' what becomes OF tina; numerous and i'm
Portant Class OF incidental po,Ders, which The
widest theorst has never heretofore denied which
the resolutions OF '9S every where recognize and
which have carried with them the unduai6ed
sanction OF every administration, from the first to
the last?
Nor, sir, is it true that the purposes for which!
the government was instituted, are explaineT in
any other part OF the constitutions than its pfean i
oie-nor that The specified powers can be esefted
only lor the purposes designated in the coDstir-
ton. III the whole list of powers convened IN f,on
gress IN the 9th section of the first article be ex
anned, three only Of them, viz the first, tho
eignth and the fourteenth, will be found accouIpa-
which il was granted. What then is 10 become nS
the pest! Are they foreman dead and unmean-
ing grant, Tor want of proper explanation of the
purposes they were intended 20 effect Are those
to whom they are given in trust for the benefit of
the nation, to be denied their exercise, becai,se
forsooth, ii may lead to results, for which meta
physical casuists have sought In vain in The con.
s,i,utiopl
Let us apply the principles of the committee m
the practical operations Of the government. Two
1t least, Of the siS administrations we have Nan
have received the unqualified appreciation of Vir
gina; and many Of the very fmportant act, e.
which shall refer, adopted during those admin.
STATIONS. have been for the most part susf,ina1,
~ the votes OF her Senators and Representanvss
axe as examples, the acquisition Of Louisiana ana
'oFi9a' NO part oil the constitution contains a
Peeie power to acquire foreign territory-nor
: u any @he1e designated as purpose, to which
ny speclnea power may be applied. Yet the ac-
Iu'sIton OF LOUISIANA has been deemed one of the
i'osi brilliant features of Mr. Jef,yson's -admine
rduoi'-it was sanctioned by the vote OF both ot,r
ebHo1s' on large majority Of our representatives
and doubt very much, whether evidences
night not be adduced, 10 sheyy, that the opnos;
ION oil MIR. Adams and other gentlemen of the casa
o TINS measure, were denounced as unreasonable
md contrary 10 the true interests Of the c0fntro
he Same difficulties present themselves in re-
anon 70 the two other most prominent fneayuge,
II Mr.. Jeficrsons adInnsiration--I mean k;ss.
largo and the Cumberland Road---and ,niaLs
IN TO enumerate thousand other act hn,l 81
ne and subsequent ADMINISTRATORS vhicb ,ha,,.J
n my opinion, strictly constitutional vvcniJ -
land the rigid test proposed by the co,on,.,t. o'
hey are neither included anoap ,he $50.
overs, nor among the designated nnr,csoa ~
Vhirh any ofsho specific powers were ors,,ey
,e,a,;.,, ss .yseh 'or The present, wifi emu