Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-01-04
POLITICAL VIEWS.

POLITIC.aL VLEWS.
WARRINGTON, 3ist Dec 1890.
Having examined some points in the President.
annual communication to Congress, proceed to the
consider alton Of Others which appear to me EQUALLY at
variance with the principles of the Constitution. 1
know the dihculty OF the Presidents situation, grow
minstrations. in which appropriations of money were
carried to the possible extent corrupting
ry source OF political virtue throughout the country
These precedents should have had no weight with him
seeing their evil tendency, and knowing that The
can people had looked him, az having sufH ci.nt
degree Of moral courage to stem the torrent of a
aowh"ard age TO corruption prone 1t is true he has
done much by his Veto to the Maysvile Road BILL 10
restrain an uDbrided majority from breaking down ali
the barriers OF the Constitution, and with little more
energy, ne might have restored the 10 its
original purity. With bis interpretation however has
he net opened latitude little short of the excess which
nas Gsen committed in the way Of appropriations Of
Puohc money u seems TO me, Re has but stopt the
roads, to open the flood CATS hope in this opinion.
may DO wrong.
This principle Of continuing the Constitution, so a.
70 suit tue interests OF different parts Of the Union in.
stead Of making the interests yield to the Constitution
Nsen WIZ not answer Whenever depart from the
greN landmarks, laid down by those lin '9s-'99)
VINO were endeavourlng to maintain the Union by
preserving its principles invoIae we are al sea again
Inc PRESIDENT, have doubt is truly anxious to re-
sv. ;n W. to s original sound state bu,
even In MS Maysvlle Message while he looks to an cb
an event he seems TO dstrust his own abi,y and ra
.ner seeks Tor precedent by way of an authority e
ca ~ o, al o,ners' the most dangerous power tina
can ne exercised-I mean what's improperly termed
me power oil appropriatng money. There il in fac
no SUCH power given in the Constitution ss the simnl,
give all I, ,S seean,e that would be
not the money, the object-H is, therefore, the power
"as mere ever money appropriated without an obiec
leu 70 ~ and now are you to test lite con su.
made " 's" 4"
"The President. in his MaysvlIe Message, upon ,bi.
n.u ., 'he SUBJECT says -" The ground taken al
an early period OF the Government was that when
ever money has been raised by the general AN borv
ana TO be applied 10 particus me- .ure zion
arises, whether The particular measure be within IN.
enumerated authorities vested in Congressp The doc
ument 10 which this principle first advanced is al
1eservedy high authority and should be held in CRIT,
, Tor Its immediate agency in rescuing
we country from much existing abuse and for lite coo
sentative effect upon OF the most valuable nrinci
OF me Constitution IL is TO be respected onIv
20, me erect mus Produced II is Of little value to us
""e'her our rights are taken away by power eIsar
NOT granted or one which is impliedIy To have be
same effect This authority, far from sreng,benng
r,Iecung Preceden's evidently in violation of il.
would DC rather weakened, by attempting 10 shs 90
'na the acts OF his predecessors and the prac,cs 81
me Government have gone upon diff rent construc
re cites Mr: Jefferson in two instances by which
me right 10 acquire Louisiana, and the
made 10 the Cumberland Road, during his Admin;s,,s
aon; can alone be jushsd-in neither Of which do
.n s ne Ia: been suceessfui From these example,.
'nu tnoso SCI by Mr.. Madison and Mr.. Monroe. he
argues The difficulty, IL not impracticabIilv. oI
bringing back the operation OF the (overonsn, ~, a.
oeuon OF me constitution, set ia 1893 assup
ing mat 70 be lite true reading, in relation 10 the
under consderstoD-thus giving en- admot i.orv nroof
OF me force OF implication, aud the necessity OF guard
ing the Constitution with sleepless vigilance sgan.
me an hority OF preceden,s which have not the ,anc
non 81 tie moot plainly defined powers" In this latte,
sentiment, most heartily concur with him RI, IN =
snthor Of Hr. gerso0 10 ACQUIRE foui.iap,
inherent one belonging to every nation that of seIl
preservation The right OF war, Of conquest where The
SITUATION SUCH, as TO render essential to the acs
arc ss1e'y Of the nation itself The is wba,ss laid
do"D ~ every writer upon the law Of nations ana IN.
case was certainly brought within the rule
In regard to The appropriations fe,peciog The Cum
oeTland Road, great Injustice has been done Mr. II
srsop, by Connecting his acts with those of Mfr Mon
roes, when an Important distinction exists between
mem The constitutional question was never raissd
unl ths money was taken out Of the neral fund IN
make ms ROAD. Mr.. Jefferson kc,ed in confot m,v
with the ordinance OF 81 and The compact tbs
Hor'b Western States aed The Federal Government
when SET apart certain proceeds OF the public lands TO
be laid out in making rosds leading from the E,.,e,n IN
me western STATES He wac, therefore, bound to iul.
M The terms OF the compact admitting IL 10 he eonslj
nationally entered in,o-sud the objection sbouId "a
iher go 10 the validity Of the compact than 10 the mere
appropriation OF the proceeds Of the land That aues
tioD, however, was never raised and Il ebouId there
hre' De not considered ne an authority binding uoon
Mr.. Jefferson. IL was not till Mr.. Monroe's Admins.
ration, think, that the road vas sxie nded beyond
what The compact required end The money bsZsn to
90 applied directly out Of the public TsessuTy Then
was mat The question arose, aod the friends of the
constitution protested against the unlimited power 10
appropriate money, without reference al TO the sub
Jsc', which they contended would, IN effect d.s,s6v
az, PaIueuIar enum,rstiop Of powers 10 the srsut-
PIC r'onfoe, however. yielded the poiot aod one On
oe nmsnt succeeded another al oil the barrists NJ