Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-02-02

He would now proceed to show that our gov
ernment was SO complete compact mat I'VE We
ry organization If the government. ltsi'e's o'ood
and vitality, could only be circulated through the
instrunentality of>,he State Legislatures no"
was this Senate constituted? BY the state Le'
gsiatures themselves This body, equally re-
presenting all the States, could not continue us
existence without the c0nsentof the state Legs
iatures Here was provision which cou'd NOT
be rot rid of. Without this body. not law
could be passed, yet it could not exist without
the consent If the State Legislatures. SO II was
also in reference to the appointment OF Pre-'den'
tial electors How were these appointed! bY
the United States as single na,'uu? M. they
were chosen according to TIE representation of
the States, having reference 10 federal numbers.
There had been not long since violent struggle
in this body on the subject Of FIXING the fractions
of the ratio. because of the inequality OF th"se
fractions, which are in SHINE OF the States neon
siderable. while in others they amounted TO near
ly the entire ratio -
Another evidence in favor Of his views he de-
duced from the article in the Constitution which
provides that the United States shall guarantee
to every State in the Union republic an form OF
Government. Then there compact BE-
tween the several States, and between them and
the United States, for the guarantee TO each OF a
republican form of Government. But without
going into any minute details, he would put a
simple proposition. Was it not in the power o!
the States. at any moment. to dissolve the Gov
ernment, by refusing to elect Senators, or to per-
NIT themselves to be represented in the lesis'a.
ative branch? This would he an inSurmount.
able difficulty. The dissolution OF the Senate
alone would be fatal tn the continuance OF the
Government. II depends on the fidelity With
which the State Legislatures fulfil their part ct
the compact, by e'ec'ing Senators, and dong
what Other thugs are necessary on their part to
keep the Government together. A majority con-
certlng together could destroy this Government
at any.moment they peaseed. Away then with
the idea that tins Is single Naton This IL not
the o,crnment of single Nation. 1t is no
thing else but federal compact. depending Tor
its existence on the fidelity with which the par
tIes to it fulfil their obligations. He admitted.
al the same time. that the United States possess.
ed the power to make laws in conformity with
the Consilluio which, under the powers given
to the General Government, might be made ope'
raiive upon individual States through the Execu-
tive, Legislative, and Judicial organs.
The casual reader may not have noticed the
fact, to which il seems proper to direct mis- a1ten'
inn, after what passed on the first reatlin OF the
bill lately reported, and now under debate in the
Senate, for enforcing the collection OF the reve'
nue., that the co,n'ni,tee which reported the bill
has, of its own accord. proposed two amend
mrnts to it. viz first. to restrict the use Of mill
iary force by the Executive to the suppression 1t
violence. ns,ead of including its use for proven
ton also, SC. and secondly, to limit ITS dura.
ton to the end Of the next session Ut Congress:
that is. to a lIttIe more than year. Nal. Int.
MIR. Grundy asked leave to rc.sta'e what had
been already stated BY the Chairman of the Com
mi,tec on the Judiciary, as to the amendments
which the Committee proposed to move in the
bill.
The first amendment was to strike out, in the
29th clause Of The 1st section. the words 'pre
vent, or" the effect of which is to exclude the
power proposed 10 be conferred on the President
Of the United States to use military force to pre-
cent. as we'll a. to suppress, any rloi"ns assem-
base, &C. The second was to limit the opera
ton of the bill to the close Of the next session OF
Congress.
As the amendments are of much importance.
he had felt DESTROYS to present them more dis
linctly to the consideration of the Senate.