Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-22

sary for executing its inspection laws; and \,
nett imports or exports shall be for the Trs,s.
~ of the United States, aud all such law, st.1
DE subject TO the revision and control Of Como
No State without the CONSENT VI Cpnyres. .t'"
lay any duty OF tonnage. keep troop, or shin, 3
war IN time OF peace, enter into any ayrrems,,
or compact with foreign power, engage in 90.
unless actually invaded. or in such lon,,,a.,
danger as Will not admit Of delay" '"'
So much for the "iuiependent soysro;,.,-.
of a State, by virtue Of whrch, the rlyhr # ;.
cession is claimed But Mr. Chairman. II !, ,,.;
Gus TO trace the opposite Construction. wm,nh,,.
beeu placed upon the Constitution. oy the y',.
Rights Party, who opposed H. adoption in w.
Virginia Convention, and tie : a;e Right, Par,
q! the prese,u day. Tie doctrine TOW T.. H.!
'hc Constitution is GOvernmenl Of State, ,nI
not Government of the people. rnar \, Gov,
tains T. feature OF consolidation: that il max,
no infringement upon the individual .o,ers,s,,.
81 lie States; hat II cannot be construed at,
min. one Nluon; and that the States ar. IL.
creators. and he General CIV. rnment III. era,
ture. The Safe Rights Party in the vlr,In,,
Convention opposed the adoption of the Cuoyf
futon, and finally voted against il, bs,,,,
they considered it Government of the p.on,
ami not a Government Of the STATES. B. ,1gr
it was "one great consolidated National e.,
eminent Of the people of all the States" r,
which the STATES were deprived of their .iod'
vidual sovereignty" Patrick Henry said "b,
tins is a conso dated Government, i, LpmOn.,p
bly, clear, and the danger Of such Go.ernm,a
is to my mind very striking. have the Ile5,c
veneration for those gentlemen, (the members d
the Convention who framed the Cuns,i,uc,
but, sir, give me leave to demand what s,
had they to say ue The people, My political c.
Fiosity, exclusive of my anxious sCllci,u!e "A,
the public welfare, leads me 10 ask. vino aartm
lied them to speak the language of ms IL. %.
Pile, instead Of we the States: State, are II.
characteristics and soul OF confederation. 1
the States be not the agents of this COMPACT.
must be one great consolidated National CO..
eminent of all The peuple OF the States" A.l.
-" Have they said we the Sale,:' H.t
they made a proposal OF compact te'Ue,.
States? II they had this wodld b. a oonrdYl
ton; il is, otherwise, most clearly con.yI.
ton. The question turns sir, on that poor !"t |
thing I've the people, instead Of the Safe, u
America" Again he says. "ls this COZ.
federacy like Holland; an assoc iation If a nun.
Der OF independent States, each of which. ret4il'
its individual sovereignty? Had these pro-
cipes been adopted, we should moi have ter
brought to this Alarming transition from ca.
fedcracy to a consolidated Government Assm
suppose the people Of Virginia should wI,n 70
alter their Government, can majority OF hH
ui's No, because they are connected Mt
other men, or in other words, consolidated VIII
other States" Again, "this Government
not Virgluan. but an American Gosernmeat
Mr.. George Mason said, "@hether the CT
sitution be good or bad, the present elau" ~
clause giving the power to lay taxes eIen!
discovers il to be National Government. andn
longer confederation, &c. The assumption
this power. of laying direct taxes, does OF liz!
entirely change the confederation Of the Stud
into one consolidated Government. I6'pss
being at discretion, unconined, and without ny
kind of control, must carry every thing br'or
The very idea Of converting what was lo'rd
a confederation, to a consolidated Go'erhnt'
is totally subversive OF every principle vince u
hitherto governed u.s." This. MIR. Ch''nf "A
was the construe ton given to the Con'n'ao
by these two distinguished leaders OF the sa''
Rights Party IN the Virginia Convention. l'@
views were embraced by the whole ni that pa!
and the Constitution was adopted by The o.
vention by very small majority. The irIenN,
the Constitution, who advocated It al"
finally voted for it, did not differ very mater
Iy from its opponents in their CONSTRUCTION
character and its powers.
ITO be concluded IN our nfri.J