Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-06-04

IL, tePiete with difficulty and embarrassment
IL Is IN regard to such works, and the acouisi
ton OF additional territory, ,hatthe practice oh.
tanned its first footing In most. if no, all o,b-
or disputed questions of appropriation, the con.
struction of tho Constitution NAV be r.o,rJ.
ed as unsettled, IT tho right to apply money. in
the enumerated cases, is placed on the Ground
of usage.
This subject has been ono of much md
may add, painful reflection to mo. II has h,,r.
ings that are well calculated to exert n now.rGJ
influence upon our hitherto prosperous sys,em
OF government, and which on some accounts
may even excite despondency in the breast ,,f
an American citizen. will not detuin Won
with professions of zeal in the cause of ;ptor,,I
improvements. III to be their friend is a virtue
which deserves commentator, our country ia
blessed with an abundance of it: for do NOE
suppose there is an intelligent citizen who don,
wish TO see them flourish. But though all mr..
Their friend, but few, trust, are unm;,dfI -
The means by which they should be ,romo,od.
none certainly are degenerate as n des;,,
'heir success at the cost of that sacred ;ps,r,
meht, with the preservation OF which is indie
so'ubiy bound our counry's hopes. If d;f.ron,
impressions are entertained in any Quarter ;f-
1t is expected that tho People of this country
reckless OF their constitutional obligations, will
prefer l''e'r local interest to the principles of
ING ohion' such expectations will in the end boz
disappointed or, II 1t be not so, them indeed
mas the world but little to hope from the exam.
pie OF tree government When an honest oh
serVance OF constitutional compacts cannot be
oo'ained from communities like ours. il need
not be anticipated elsewhere and the couso -
which there has been SO much martvrdou, ,nd
from which so much was expected bv IN,
friends OF liberty, may be abandoned and tho
degrading truth, that man is unfit for selc.go.
vernment admitted. And this will bo the coso
II eIPeateHcy be made rule of construction
in interpreting the Constitution Power. in M
government, could desire better shield for tho
insidious advances, which it is ever readv +,
make, npon the checks that are designed to ro-
strain its action
But DO not entertain such gloomy approhen.
sio"s' III IL DC the wish of the people that tho
CONSTRUCTION OF roads and canals should BIO con-
Quoted by the Federal Government, it is not
only highly expedient, but indispensable neces-
sary, that previous amendment of the Constitu-
ton, deiegating the necessary power, and defin-
ing and restricting its exercise wit, reference
to the sovereignty of the States should be made
Without 1t, nothing extensively useful can bo
effected. The right to exercise as much ;pr;s
dicti"ns as Is necessary to preserve the works.
ana 10 raise funds by the collection of tolls tn
keep them In repair, cannot be dispensed with
The Cumberland road should be an instrnc,;vo
admontion of the consequences of octino will
witnessed, growing out of efforts to obtain the
necessary appropriations for completing and re-
pairing this useful work Whilst one Conyres.
may claim and exercise the power, succeeding
one may deny it, and this 1uctuation of opn
ion must be unavoidably fatal to any scheme
which, from its extent would promote the inter-
ests and elevate the character of the country
The experience of the past has shown that the
opinion of Congress is subject to such fluetua-
tons.
Ii 1t be the desire Of the people that the a.
gency of the Federal Government should be
confined to the appropriation of money, in aid
OF such undertakings, in virtue of State au-
thorities, then the occasion the manner, and the
extent Ut the appropriations, should be made
the subject OF constitutional regulation This
is the more necessary, in order that they NAV
be equitable among the several States promote
harmony between the different sections of the
Union and their Representatives preserve other
parts OF the OF the Constitution from being un-
dermined by the exercise of doubtful powers, or
the too great extension of those which are not
so and protect the whole subject against the
deleterious influence of combinations to carry.
by concert, measures which considered by them
selves, might meet but little countenance.
That constitutional adjustment of this pow
er, upon equitable principles, is in the highest
degree, desirable, can scarcely be doubted nor
can 1t tail to be promoted by every sincere friend
to the success of our political institutions. In
no Government are appeals TO the source of
power, IN cases of real doubt, more suitable
than IN ours. No good motive can be assigned
for the exercise of power by the constituted au-
thorities, while those for whose benefit it is to
be exercised, have not conferred it, and NAV not
be willing to confer il. 1t would seem to mo
that an honest application of the conceded DOW
ers of the General Government to the advance
ment of the commonweal, present a sufficient
scope to satisfy a reasonable ambition. The
difficulty and supposed imprncticability ofobtain-
ing an amendment of the Constitution in this re-
spect, is, firmly believe, in great degree, I'M
founded. The time has never yet been, when
the patriotism and intelligence of the American
people were not fully equal to the greatest ext
gency, and it never WILL when the subject call
ing forth their interpostion is plainly presented
to them. TO do so with the questions involved
in this bill, and to urge them to early, Jealous,
and full consideration ofther deep Importance,
is, in INV estimation. amonp the hiUbest of our