Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-14
RICHMOND. FEB, IL.


and comprehensive Report, presented by MIR. Coods
from the Select Committee, on "Wednesday ,,s,
and made the Order Of the Day for Monday next:
report Of the Select Committee on The Resolutions
81 Georgia & -. Carolina
The select Committee to whom were referred
.i'e communication 81 tho Governor TRANSMITTING
me procee dings OF the Legislature OF Georgia. in
eiauon 10 resolutions from the States OF S. Caro-.
ha a'' oiiio' and the proceedings Of the State OF
Iou'h carolina on the subjects of the Tariff and
internal Improvements, have bestowed on thyee
suolects their most profound consideration
Having subjected the preambIes and resolutions
" S"ict examination and severe criticism thew
hiiu .he anndnciations and results to be mainly
sustainabe, 50 far they pertain to the Acts Of
congress, usually denominaed the Tariff Laws
and thus designated in those several proceedings
me proceedings of the Legislature of the State
81 georgia as well as those on which they are
rounded, emanaiing from the Legislature of South
Naioina, announce and sustain the opinions of
virginia, heretofore proclaimed by succe ,siye Lee
Bsidures; opinions, which rest on truth and res.
SOM which your committee can discern no cause
10 reiinquish: but which they are really 10 defend
ard sustain as involving the most sse ntal inter
ests Of the Common ealth
respect Tor the dignity and character of Vlrsi-
na,ahd an anxious regard for the tranquility oftle
Union, admonish your com,uittee 70 withhold such
remarks az might he suggested by the cousciour-
ness oil oppression such reina, ks could have no n.
eiehdency than to excite hostile emo ions ill ada,.
gu 10 the grave consideration of the r.omepto,,s
question winch they are deputed TO examine
your committee will, therefore, proceed with
caimness and temperance, to examine the ocin;on
heretofore expressed by preceding Legislatures nj
The State, that the several Acts OF Congress- pass
ca avowediy Tor the protection of dom este nanu-
iac'ures' are manifest iniracions Of the Federal
constitution, and dangerous violations of the soye.
rcignty OF the States
Ihe Government OF the u g., has ever been
regatced 6y The sovereignty Of Virginia, as Fele-
ral!ve In character. ana limited IN power; az de-
riving Its powers from concessions by the Statcs
which concessions were cl ar and explicit painI,,
deciaraive Of all which was delegated. and act,;
any containing specific enumeration of eyer,
power designed to be transferred. The PURPOSES
Tor which these powers NAV he exerted h,va
peeh regarded as distinctly defined ,and it was con-
sldrred that the Government was prohibited aiile
,,oi'' 'he exercise OF any power not contained i'm
, 'i sPecihc enumeration, from the peryerson of
.iose actually delegated, TO any purpose not con-
'eHpidted III the grant. The Convention which
on the part OF Virginia. ratified the Constitution of
me " 81 gave this Interpretation TO the ins,ru-
ment Its advocates then urged it, adon,ion s<
constituting such Government as is here descrb
W.. ~ vas INSISTED, on many occasions, that the
powers OF The Government we're expressly emu
ineFated; and that none others could he cIs;ned
~ was insisted, with equal carnestness tbat the
purposes ioi which these powers might he exertes
as diS'inctly ascertancd, and that thew could
ho' De perverted, to any other object The ,lIest
and most jealous advocates of The cons,;,,,,;o, -;
sisted, that such was its Just construction. even
according 10 the terms Of the original text. and il
must be acknowledged, that this construciion ~
u.nIs'neheu' oy the subsequent adoption of a.
mendmens to the Constitution Those ,vbo IN.
posed The ratification of the Constitution fonnle
t'or oDjecuon on supposed absence of Limitation.
according 10 The plan originally submitted. and
PoPo,eo'as an expedient to remedy this defect h,,
a nna;nr;.i' "mch were subsequently adopted.-
majority, however. of the Convention. deter.
H,'ncu on the ratification of the ORIGINAL ,ert ~
p'aihea ana dehned by its advocates as ORGANIZING
auovernment with limited powers, specisiIv emu
'eIdteu, ana restrained in the exercise of those
powers, to the attainment of specific ends A.
anxious solicitude 10 estabIsb ;nd;n,,.Li a.;
construction, induced the recommendation of ,,ose
amendments which have since been enoraf,ed IN
Tue constitution establishing this construction e.
ton OF the Constitutions Wv ''OP'
i ms being the sense in which the Const;tptor
VI .'e y. .. was originally accepted, your COM
"hitee nave ansousy examined the recorI NJ
s.ucceedLg lime, 10 discover if any thing has
H. ;D,' uIeu' cacu'atedto change the import of
'he instrument; aud after The most patent exami
nahoh, they confidently report, that nothing haa
Gu when could in any manner lnolfv s
Just construction. IL at any succeedino pcy;od.
s,'e"'P's nave oecn made 10 pervert the import of
the original compact, Virginia has ever bcen
PROMPT 10 avow her unqualified Misrepresentation and
manifest her unliguised discomfort The ;rnp.r
'Sha,.ie history OF '95, has perpetiated The memo
~ I" ner IdudabIe zeal, in SUSTAINING tho trua
principles OF the Constitution. in maintaining the
,e'Sh rights oil the States in successfully resist
ing the liwless usurpations of bent -,
,ne acquisition oil toundless power The delibera
iohs OF the Legislature of this Common W eaI,h d.
ring inc period OF '9S and 80, in relation IN the
construction OF the Constitutions by feIici,oua
|o''pihduoh OF circumstances, resulted in lust
anu luminous exposition of the true utinc;,Iss ~
Tue edeTai Compact. This expose clearly ascer.
ta'ieu .ne lust limitations of Federal power and
happily pointed out to future eensrat;ons ,ta ;"t
RUE OF interpreting the Instrument Tire con.
srucuon Then, placed on the Consttut. on ,vas nh
niieh TO the decision OF the most august of AZ, t,
Duhais' and sustained by the judgment of United
America. S"'eu
The history OF Virginia dscloses several occa.
sOns,on which the Constitution was BRANCH, i, %
view,& the committee have found that IN syer,, 80
caSion where the question was involved ,be for
iner legislatures OF this Commonwealth have 10
sisted on limited construction OF the instrumant
SUSTAINED by the concurrence Of our predcressors
rom me earliest history of the Constitution. vour
oVihInitee hnd but little difficulty in determinno
.''o Government OF the United States, TO be Fede.
IduVe ~ IFS character, and limited in lis pouers.
mat the powers vested in the Government arc
conveyed in express enumeration Tb,, 90
power can be Consitntiondlly exercised which ia
bot continued IN that enumeration: That The MR.
poses Tor which the Government was ins,i,u,ed
are explained in the instrument and that the NOW
eFs specihed IN The enumeration cannot be Icgiti-
cxeIteo' Tor any purpose not designated by
Regarding these propositions as true, II seerus(o
your committee, that 10 determine OH the cons,itu-
tlonaIty OF laws, passed for the protec ton of A.
mexican manufactures, IL can only be necessary TO
examine the enumeration Of grants. If the nav
CT DC there expressly delegated, then. indeed The
question ends. lion TIC contrary, no such power