Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-04-28

. great measure, sir, IS \ bank; because a bank !
not ooly able 70 restrain the excessive issues q
State banks, but il is bic also furnish for tat
country q currency Of univ crsaI credit, aud ofun
form value. This 10 the grand deside.a,um. Tn
I'll such currency is established, depend on !,
SIR, what Il necessary Cor the prosperity OF ihs
country can never be accomplished.
On the question Of power. sir. VIC have very
important and striking precedent.
Tho members Of the Senate, Mr.. President
will recollcct the controversy between y. fosk
and her neighbor States, fifteen wears ng", upon
The exclusive right Of such navigation over hcI
waters to Mr. Fulton and his associates; and de-.
cIared by law, that vesse; propelled by steam
should nav igatc the North river the Sound
without license from these grantees, under pen
atty If confiscation.
i To counteract this law, tho Legislature Of New
jersey enacted, that If any citizen Of hers should
be restrained, or injured, in person or property,
/ by any party acting under the law Of Now York,
such citizen should have remedy in her courts, II
the offender could be caught in hes territory, and
should he entitled to treble damages and COSTS
New Jersey called this act LAC Of rstorfiOn; and
justified it on the general ground Of rsprisals.
On The other side, Connecticut took fire, and as
no steamboat could come down tho Sound from
New York to Connecticut, or pass up from Con-
necticut to Now York, risAOsf q Ner York license,
she enacted q law, BY which heavy penalties
were imposed upon ell who should presume to
come into her ports and harbors, haring any sxca
license.
Here, sir, was a very harmonious state Of COM
mercial intercourse! = very promising condition
Of things, indeed! You could not get from New
York TO New Haven by steam; nor could you 60
from New York to New jersey, without tTanship-
ment in tho bay. And now, sir, let mc remind
the country, that this belIigerent Legislation Of
the States concerned was justified aud defended,
by exactly the same arguments IS those which we
have heard in this debate. Evcry thing which
has been said here, to prove that The authority to
regulate commerce does not include power to
regulate currency, was said in hat case, prove
that the same authority did not includc cxclu-
sivo power over steamboats, other means Of
navigation. l do not know o reason, q sugges-
ton, an idea, which has been used in this debate
or which was used in the debate In September,
10 soow that Congress has no power to control
the currency Of the country and make il uniform, |
which was not used in this steamboat controvc /
~, to prove that the authority Of this Govern !
ment did not reach the matter then IN dispute.
Look to tho forensic discussion in New York I!
Look to the Argument IN the court here! You
will find it every where urged that nacigation |
does not come within the general idea OF regula- !
ting commerce.; that steam boats arc but vehicles ,
and instruments; that the power of Congress Is
general, and general only and that it does not !
extend to aRests and instruments.
And what, sir, put an end TO this state Fittings!
What stopped these seizures aud cOnfisca iions [
constitutional power Of this government. Moth
ng in the world, but tho decision Of the Supreme
Court, that the power ut Congress to regulate
ommcrce was paramount; that it overruIed any
Interfering State laws aud that these acts Of the
hates did interfere with Of Congress- enact
d under its clear constitutional authority. q
As to the extent Of the power If regulating q
allow ME to quote q single sentence ]
'om the opinion Of one OF the learned judges Of i
he Supreme Court, delivered on that occasion; a q
sdge always distinguished for the great care with d
hich he guarded State rights; ! mean Mr. JUS ii
&C Johnson. And when | have read il, sir, then Z,
", lift does not confirm every word aad syllable
hich have uttered on this subject, either now, a
ut the September session. ''ln the advance Il
ent Of society," said the Judge, 'sIabor, trans
'rtation, intelligence care, and various means a
exchange, become commodities, and enter into a!
'mmerce; and the subject, the vehicle, the a b
mt, and these various operations, become the h'
,jects Of commercial regulaiion.'' NJ
These just sentiments prevailed. The decision sc
the court quoted the dangerous controversy; &C
ID satisfied, and will add, gratifcd, most high III
grati6cd, the whole country. in
Sir, may we not perceive at the present mo re
ent without being suspected of looking with CT
es whose sight is sharpcncd by too much apprc- da
nsion; may we not perceive, sir, m what il now ly
ssing around Us, the possible beginnings Of f.
her controversy between States, which may be hi
still greater moment, and followed, if not an
sted, by still more depIorable cOnscqucnceS!- III
We see no danger: no disturbance, no contests sa
cad! Sir, do not behold excited commercial fc'
aship, evidentlv existing between great states nc
d great cities? Do not the parties con- m.
rned enlarging, and proposing to enlarge, to a
st extent, their plans Of currency, evidently in on
pnexion with those objects Of trade commerce! BIZ
W not see states themselves Becoming decpiy ca
folvsd in great banking isstitutionss Do We hi
know that already tho notes and hills Of some in,
ties are prohibited by law from circulating in du
'es? bill
Sir, will push these questions farther; bot sfs
ell you that il was for exactly such 4 crisis rs Of
s. Coz this very crisis, for this identical cxgen
now upoa Us, that this constitution was franz pa
and this government established. And, sir, at
those who expect TO get over this crisis without
Ut and sction, lot those whose hope it is that ella
y may be bosnc along the tide fcircumstan- ste
AID favorable oocurrences, and who repose in CIR
denial ofsheif own powers and their own ses- . a
,sibility, lot al such look we'll to the end. an
For one, ntend 70 clea: myself from oil blame. NC
Intend, this day, 70 free myself Of the resPonsi tsa
,y Of consequences, by warning you Of the dan iy
into which you are conducting our public al VII
n, BY urging and entreating you, ~ do now Of.
e and estreat you, BY invoking, n ] DO in no
re YOU. bv YOUR love Of country and your 5el- the