Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1837-10-28
For THE DEMocRAT.


In my last, took occasion to call the attention.
of the State Rights party to the ground occupied
by Mr.. Prentiss; believing that their great rcspec,
for Constitutional! principles would forbid their
support Of man, who by implication and con-
sti ucton could prove from "one or two places
the consttutionality Of Bank" but when the Ar
gus comes out against the SubTreasury plan
proposed for the collection and disbursement of
the public revenue under the sanction Of the name
Of the sage of Monticello, would call if "a mea-
sure to give strength TO Executive power and as
much to be dctesed non as in the days Of Mr..
jefferson" | was induced to believe that either
the opinions Of this great man were not under
stood or else principle has been sacrificed for the
sanction of name.
We have been told "Mr Jefferson was good
authority" and when saw bis name paraded at
the head of the column the inference was Irresls-
table that he at least was against the doctrines Of
the Message: but when again | remembered,
that from 1870 to 1926 he never IN public or prl-
vate admitted the consttutionality or necessity Of
National Bank, and that the united strength Of
the Republican party was employed to put it
down, questioned the correctness of my concIu
sion and believe the subjoined extract fully proves
that the Sub-Trcasury system now supported by
" hoilolO hearted Democrats" has been sustained
BY this "great expounder of the Constitution"
| But hear him In his memoirs, VOL A, p. 524,
he says, The Incorporation of bank and the
powers assumed by this bill, have not IN my
| opinion. been delegated to the United States by
the Constitution.
First; They are not among the powers spe-
ciaIly enumerated.
Second Nor are they within either of the &C.
neral phrases which are the two following.
| l. To lay taxes, to provide for tie gen, raj
welfare Of the United States that is to say, To lay
taxes for the purpose of providing or he general
ain like manner, they are not to do y Mitg
they pieasc, to provide tos the general sc are,
but only to lay taAes for that purpose
|
alt was intended to lace them up .laitIy within
the enumerated powers, ana those without winch,
as means, these powers could not be carried INTO
effect. II is known that the very pc eroow propos-
ed as means, was rejected as an end by the Con
vention which framed the Constitution. pro-
position was made to them to authorize Congress
to open canals, aud an amendatory one to en-
power them to incorporate. Rut the whole wa
rejected: and one OF the reasons urged in debate
was, that they then would have power to erect q
bank, which would render the great cities, where
there were prejudces and jcalousies on that sub
jeci, adverse to the reception Of the constitution.
~. The second general phrase is 'io make
all laws necessary and proper for carrying ntc
effect the enumerated powers But They can al
be carried udo eHec! wtthoM bank. A bank
therefore is not necessary and consequently no
authorized by this phrase.
at has been much urged that Bank would
give great facility or convenience IN the e0llec
ton oltaxes. Suppose this were true: yet th'
constitution allows only the means which are ne
cessary,' not those which are merely 'conrsnienl
for efieciIng the lumerated powers. II such
latitude Of construction be allowed to this phTas
as to give any man enumerated power, IL null g
10 ecel-u one; for there is no one which :ngenut
|, | may NOT torture into a CONVENIENCE IN some ira
or Other, 10 some one, Of SO long list Of enumer
atedpowers.
aIllwould'sw1llow up all the delegated powers
:, and reduce the whole to one phrase. Therefor
: II was that the Constitution restrained them
the necessary means, that Is TO say to thos
means without which the grant Of the power Toui
be nugatcry."