The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-05-23

exceedingly feEret uiai sehAsmrhs @A"
opinions should be expressed here, ha-
wing 81 lillls foundation. and yet % well
10 spread prejudice and dislike.
Car and wide. against the government and
institutions If the country.
Boz, sir, | have extended these remarks
already 10 . length for which ! and no
Justification bul in my profound eonEle-
lion Of Ihe Importance Of this crisis IN
our national affairs. We are. IS il seems
20 me-, about 10 rush madly from our pro-
per spheres. We are 10 Eelinqulsh The
performance Of our Own incumbent dn-
lies: 10 abandon the exercise Of essential
powers. eonliIed By Ihe Constitution 10
our hands. for the good Of The country.
This was ms opinion in SePlembeT-iI
is my opinion now. What we propose
10 do. and what We omit 10 do. are. IN
nv Judgment. likely 10 make fearful,
perhaps fatal inroai upon the entity OF
commerce between these sisles, as well
as 10 embarrass and hsrEass the employ
menis Of the people, and 10 ProlOng ex'
listing evils.
Sir, whatever we may think Of il now.
the Constitution had its immediate origin
in the conviction Of The necessity for this
uniformity or idenlily, in commercial re-
gulaliOns.
The whole history Of The country, OF
every year and every month, from The
close &c The war oi the Revolution TO
1889, proves this. Over whatever other
Interests il was made 10 extend. and
whatever other blessings il now does, or
hereafter may. confer on the millions OF
free citizens who do or shall live under
its protection; even though. in time TO
come. il should raise pyramid OF power
and grandeur. whose apex should look
down on The lOfiiest political sIuctnres oil
other nations and other ages. It will yet
be true that il was itself the child Of press
ing commercial necessity. Unity and
identity Of commerce among all the states
was its seminal principle. IL had been
found absolutely impossible TO excite or
foster enterprise in trade, under the iniiu-
ence OF descendant and jarring state regu-
laiions. The country was losing all The
advantages Of its position. The ReEolu-
ton itself was beginning to be regarded as
a doubtful blessing. The ocean before Us
was a barren waste. No American can
vass hilened its bosom-no keels Of ours
ploughed its waters. The journals OF The
Congress Of The Confederation show The
most constant, unceaslng, nnwearIed, bn!
always unsuccessful appeals 10 the states
and the people. To renoVaIe the system,
to infuse into that Confederation al once a
spirit Of union and a spirit Of activity. by
comforting on Congress the power over
trade. By nothing but the perception OF
ITS indispensable necessily--by nothing
but their consciousness Of suffering from
us want, we're the states aud the people
brought, and brought by slow degrees. TO
invest this power in a permanent and
competent government.
Sir. harken TO tie ierVent language ol
The old Congress. in July. 1885. in let
ter addressed to the states, prepared by
Mr.. Monroe. Mr.. King. and other great
names, now transferred from the lists oi
living men. to the records which carry
down the fame of the distinguished dead.
The proposition before them, the great
objects to which they so sollcilousIy en-
deayoured TO draw the attention OF the
states, was this, viz: that =" The United
States, in Congress assembled, should
have the sole and exclusive right OF regu.
lsling the trade Of the states, as well with
! foreign nations as with each other
This, they say. is urged upon the states
/ hy every consideration Of local as well as
of federal policy: and they beseech them
to agree to il, if they wish to promote
the strength of the Union, and 10 connect
il by the strongcs! Ties Of interest aud al
/ lection.
In the same spirit, and for the same
end. was tina, mos. important resolution
which was adopted in the House OF De-
lasates Of Virginia. on the 2lst day Of
the following January. Sir, | read the
resolution entire.
Resolred. That Edmund Randolph
and Others. be appointed commissioners
who. or any five Of whom. shall meet
such commissioners as may be appointed
by the other states in the Union. al time
and place to be agreed on, to take into
consideration the trade of the United
States: To examine the relative situation:
and trade Of the said states; 10 consider
how far a uniform system in their com
mercia! regulations may be necessary It
their common interest and their perma
nenl harmony, and to rePor, to the seVe
raj states such an act relative 10 this grea
object, as. when unanimously ratified by
Them, will enable the Uuileh States, IL
Congress assembled. cfftctUaIly to pro
vide Tor The same: lha, the said commits
sinners shall Immediately transmit TO iht
several states copies ofthe preceding re
solution, with circular letter requesting
their concurrence therein. and proposing
time and place for the meeting afure
said"
Here, sir. let us pause. Let us linget