Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-11-19

Convsniion which famed, and In the different Stat.
Conventions, which adopted the Constitution. ami \.
eesrly evincej by the tenth amendment 10 the Coos;
tu'ion which declares, that "ihe powers t ate,
TO the United a,ss by the Constitution. nor prohibited
by II TO the States reserved to the Saes resn.r
nvciy, or to The people"
Per,.sps. greater benefit hss resulted 10 m,nk,,
Ia general and TO TIA. Peopl, of The Uni,ed States
especially, fs,m the American Revolution, than III,
ai,pton at written Co, s'iiuous; where ere cl,a,L
de!neafed, ns ure aud extent of the towess gran,
ea 'r he people, 10 80 h. aud to every drrar
the G"veinnlent The great OF mnrki, d 10 no
know how much power their respective t;.vsrnn .pt
possess Their ,csiei's have been lormei bv ac lien
or fofce. Nut with the people OF Uni,.d Safes
Our social compact il written; have only TO look inn
the Constitution of the United States end the Coos,i
'u''ons ct The dher-n States. to know with how muci
power The people have invested ihsir govern mebt AL
powers no, granted are retained by the psopIe.
Most eleary the ohjret Of written Constitution /.
no' merely TO dssrna by whom laws be enact
co. scJuJcaed, and executed but its obi ct "a
limit the sphsre OF action within " hch The d,tic rent
constituted authorizes ere TO move, TO set bounds and
hx limits TO their power
From the adoption OF he Federal n.jiutior down
TO the ptesen, time there have existed r the
two great parties: formerly, they were denomna ed
euers'is's sn Republican: their have in great
egr'e ctaSei 10 exile: their principles
the former were i'm favor Of of
'he Constitution, whereby s powers might he erIarc
by implication, to almost any extent Tn. latter
IN favour OF sttict, limited construction, cou6nipg
themselves 20 The letter Of the Constitution; or TO the
exercise OF such powers, as were clearly granted
''N'' expressly, or as beDg necessary and
carry into effect, some power spe officially granted
The two great aud leading questions Of Con
co.. s'ruc'ion which divide the political parties Of tie
Ution a; tie pre- ept time, are:
First, the power OF Congress 10 M Ike internal I'm
! rovemenis vi hin he s a,es: ard
Secondly, the night ct Congress to lev and collect
tx"s, dulles, ~ in po.t far he sole and 0pOr,d pur.
pose IF protecting domestic manufacturers; nd not az
Is authorised by the Constitution io pay the debts and
P.oviu' ,o' ue common dsencs, sTd geneJa .liare
OF the United : top
These 'v o gu, stons II timately al ended Tho
tne cannot exist without the o,he william, srrnIus
revenue. internal Imprt ven ents cannot be made
without III tariff. su-pins revrnue ranrot be raised
unless By direct tcrofion
believe th'' the General Government does 10, pos.
sess either OF these powers
The al, oeaies OF tn ftmer mower admit h,, il H.
no, 'Sprrs.iy granted Int Of them say il is ne
c.ssa'y and prop g. carry into effect, the p>wer
Es'abih post Offices, and ro-t read. >, Others sav
ma u u tcdeufal 20 the p,wer ''to declare war" SC
and OH RS, hati I. and proper catry into
enrc' Tie Pnwcr"to regulate commerce among the
raj States. The diii.ren, sources, irom which it,
tiNerrn' atvoca.s attempt 10 derive the power shew
tie uncertain ard doubtful character. hold il to he
wrong, 'Nsrc,e any power the cousti,utonali.y Of
winch u doubtful. No matter how desirahis anv sub
ject OF leg station may be- is snrely mot aes rah!e
that the Con. ti'ution be preserved invoi,e II sound
roiry requires The exercise OF he power by Corgtes,
Ter tue interest Of the Union, let il he gran ed hy an
amehamert TO the Constitution ] would he willing 10
Hdvorae proposition 10 sm"td the Ccnsiituon o Us
% give TO the u neral Government The right TO msks
internal improvements OF general ard national char
ac'er; wi such restrictions, would preserve cear,v
the scvereigny OF the States their respective
ritories. Th> course. would settle IN. QUESTION .tbe
one way or the other, and put end 20 the lengthy
debates which annually arise in Coagtess on the Gues-
toa It's net my purpose TO discus at ngh either
OF me questions as 70 The constiiuionnv OF the Tariff
or internal improvements merely express my opin-
ION the reasons lar there opinions be assigned
in this communication. / will assign them at length
beiore you al lonr respective court houses
The annual revenue ST the United States il pesrIv m
quite twenty five miiIicn Of dollars: about two millions
arise from the sale ct The public lands: the balance
drawn from the pockets Of the people, through the
rauon' OF the tariff. Its ope ATOMS are more seye -ei
isN ny tue poor, IN cons"qneice OF the high duty on
the neeessa'rie' Of life. Salt. Sugar CGes coarse
toooIens. &c are highly taxed; It is tru. the duty on
SAT- and C"Dee were reduced by OF the last session
The ordinary expenditures OF the governm-n are per.
hsp' eleven milliors The principal pert Of h.
SUR lus bas heretofore been applied TO the psvmrp
oil the public d-bt That de bit cannot he ex,ingnishd
IN les than four years; every dollar of the revenue
Mn'en Is diverted from its exnguishment. proougs it,
uorann. hese revenues are principally paid hv the
agricuturas the manufacturers Tor whose brn,6 tb,v
are iaid does not pay them; the merchant will and
does make his bigh and certain pr, fl, on hs c.ni,a
the cul iva,or of the soil, on whom all ar. d,v ia
ncent for bread has tobear the bur,hen-Le. w there
lore endeavor TO make these bur,hen rs light az NOS
ie, by reducing the duties the necessni.s of life
ard i@''ing them remain on articles Of luxury so that
hs rich who are able. and in ju-'ice ought NAV nav
tn greater part Ct the necessary revenue
new question has, or is about 10 arise in the eoun
Try whei thor an act OF Stat Lrgsl ture can nuIIif
an Act OF Congress? This is a question oil inmensss
magnitude, and should Mt be lightly han|l.d Tia,
Federal Constitution were Free. Sopeyeieu and In
"pendenf," TO petson will question That hey sin
,em"iD so, is equally unquesonsbie But II a s ate
Legi lature can nulIify Law Of Ccneres became
be ieved 10 be UNCONSTITUTIONAL il may bling .e
the Judge, nu lily any, every other law of Congress
III this power be exercised by State NAV he n,
every other; therefore, one State might nuliv ou,
set OF laws; another, other laws; ard or until ever
law II the Union would be nnllified by some Sac In
my einion sae, ift thinks proper may secede from
the Union but so long a. il Remains me Der of he
Uni n, II cannot nullfy law passed by the FEEDER
al Lesi'la'ufe aud which is obeyed ia the other
States.
II we wish to preserve in their purify our Repub'j
can lntiiutions the Independence States and be
sancy of the Union. let fir Ourselves .trc,Iv
within tn, pale OF the Constitution; abstain from the ex
eTcise Of all doubtful p'wers .n ourselves to be
dazl'ed by splendid schemes If National Aegrandize.
men; cherish public virtue; observe economy in evev
Depsrne OF the Government look 10 the
as erea political x. book; Ist justice IN all cur re,a
ton1, foreign and domestic, be guide; and we NAV
reasonably hope bat liberty and union will be psr
pttusi. Your Fellow -Cj,iy m
August 20, 1890. JOSEPH DRAPER.
CENSUS OF ROCKINGHAM
White Males
fem2es S567-l7Sl4
Male Slaves I20i
romaie Il27--233I