Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-05-03

ramparts, brandsh,np his gteting sword against as
sailants, and holding out i banner ~ defiance !
Sn--sr-slr--it Is indlspntable trpth, that lie rs
himself the mau-the pse that first brought forward
IN Congress, u scheme nl general internal improve
ineu NJ the cXrcusc and under the authority oi Tins
Gesctnmeht llr sin, Is the very man, the ''s'Ssi-
mas ipse, who CONSIDERABLY, and settled sys-
TEN. began these unconstitutional measures. II they
be unconstitutional. And low Tor the proof
The act Incorporating the Bnnk OF the United
States was passed IN April lsl6. For the privileges OF
the chatter, the PROJECTORS nj the bank we've TO pay
To Government benHS 10 II was called, OF one NIL
lion five hundred thousand dollars. III certain install
meuts. Government plso took seven millions IN tie
stock of the bank. Early IN the next session Of
tongtcss--that is, IN December, lsl6--lhc honora-
nhle member moved IN the House oi Representa-
tses, that committee be appointed 10 consider
the pIupilcv of setting apai tins bonus. aud also the
dividends on the stock belonging 10 the United States,
is \ permanent fund ior internal improvements The
committee was appointed. and the honorable member
made It's chairman. lie thus originated the plan,
and took the lead IN lis execution. Shortly after
wn,d-, ha reported bill carving out the objects ior
which the committee bad been appointed. THIS bill
provided that the dividends on the seven millions OF
bank stock belonging IL Goseinmenr, aud also the
whole of the bonus should be permanently Incdged rs
fund ion constructing roads andeanals; and that tins
fund should be subject 10 such specific approptia-
nons as Congress might thereafter make.
Thus was the bill and this the first project
internal Improvements. rhn bill goes the whole
doctrine. at a single lump. The Cumberland road,
II ~ true, was, altcady III ptoftess aud Tor that
the gentleman had also voted. But there were. and
are now, pccuhmitts about that particular ex-
pendlrltc, which sometimes satisfy scrupulous
consciences; but this bill OF the Ientlc,nan's
without ,quvo,ation saving ,lausc--wlthout
IT, or and, but--ocenped the whole ground nj
once and announced internal lmprovcn cni
of tie objects Of this Government, on grand
and systematic plan. Ghls bill sir, seemed IN
deed too strong. WAS thought, by persons not
teemcd extremely Jealous oi State lights, to cvlnce.
nevertheless, too llile regard 10 the viii OF the
States. Several gentlemen opposed the measure, IN
that 81 ape that account aud among Ihcm Colonel
PICKERING then Que ot the representatives hom
Massac husctts Even Timothy Pickering could not
quite sanction, nor c6ucuf IN, the honorable gcnllc
m.,n's doctrines TO Their inll extent. although lie
favored the measure III lis general chiactcr. lie
therefore. prepared an amendment, rs substitute !;
and his substitute provided ior TWO ,eIy important
thinrs not embraced IN the original bill:
First that the proportion oi the fund TO be cxpcn-
ded in each State respectively should be IN proper
ION 10 the number OF lis inhabitants:
Second that the money should be applied IN con
strnctnp such roads canals Ac., The several States,
as Congress might daooi, "iH Tie assent d ne
Sfatf.
the Honorable pcncman's bill And now, sir, how
did the honorable gen leman, WHO has always be
lonccd 10 the State rights party, how did he treat
this amendment, ~ tins substitute Which way, do
Won think his State rights doettlne led HIM Why,
sit will tell Won. He immediately rose. and mo-
we'd to strike out the words" hh Hc assent u nc
stat, ~ IIrIc is the loulual under my hand, sl !;
and hero Is the gentleman S motion. Aud certainly,
sill will be admitted, thai Ills motion was not Ola
nature 10 intimate thai he had become welded to
State rights. But the words were not silIckcn out.
The motion did prevail. Mr.. Pickcrlng's
substitute was adopted ana Tue WI P'sscu 'hc
House in that tom.
In Committee OF The Whole on tbs bill sill. the
honorable mcmbcr made very able speech, both
on the policy of internal Improvements, and the pow
er Of onprrss over the subject. These points were
fully argued by him. He spoke OF the nlpor-
lance Of tho system The vast good II would produce,
and " ct US then" sad he, 8" bud the republic to
ccrhcr, with a perfect sy,cm oil roads aud canals.
Let us conquer space. II ~ Illus the most dis
TAM parts Of the republic Will be brought within
few days travel OF the GENRE II Is thus hata cliIZcn
of the est will read the news ol Boston stll moist
From the press
But on the powcr Of Congress TO make internal
improycmruis; ay sif, on the power Of Congress,
hear him What were Then his rules OF cohstiuc.
fionl How did he at thai TIME read ani understand
he Constitution WHY slt, lie sad that lie was
no advocate foi ref ed Arguments on the Constitution
The instrument was not intended Us thesis Tor the
Iopciar to exercise ms M eulity on. louelt to be
construed with PLAN good sensr. ms Is an very
inst | think SIR; and he SAID much more. lie quo
Ted many instances of laws passed, as he conended
on SIM lar pnt piles. and then added that he Intro
dnced these Instances To Prove the uniform sense OF
Congress- and Of the country, (tot they had ~" been
ohlet ted to- pow surely, sdld lie, they
nlnIsh better evidence OF The true inter prealon OF
the Constitution than Tire most re6nod and subtle
Arguments
Here Won sec, MIR. President, how little org ina
am. You have heard me coni"ndIpg III my
4 p,It I,t htnIt hnnt
long settled you lave head me, I'LL dare say you
have be IN tcd insisting thai the sense OF Congress.
so often expressed, and the of the county, 50
fully known, aud firmly established, ought to be
regarded as having decided, finally, certain consu-
tlona questions. on see now, slr, what authority
have for this mode OF argument. But while the
scholar is learning, the teacher fenouuccs. VIII he
apr,- his old doctrine now sincerely wish he
would--tO the question OF the bank 10 the question
oil tho receiving OF bank no,sby Government, TO the
power Of Congress the paper currency !!
VIII he sir, will lie admit that these ought to be
regarded as decided by the settled Of Con-
gress and Of the country Oh, no. Far otherwise.
From these rules OF ud gment, and from The influence
OF all considerations OF lhs practical nature, the
honorable member now takes these questions with
him into the upper heights of metaphysics, into
the reg ions OF those tefnements aBd subtle argu-
menis vhich he rejected with so much decision, IN
1877, as appears by his speech. lie qulis his old
e,ound Of common sense. experience, and the gen
raj understanding Of the country, Tor lIaht among
theories and distractions.
A nd now, sir, let ask, when did the honorable
member relnquish these early opinions and priuclI
pies of his " hen did he make known his adhesion
To the doctrines OF the Stae-righs party We have
been sueakmU Of transactions 1916 and 1917