Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-01

money shul from the Treasury but in I me-
of appropriations made by law and Sua @ ba be
OF the rcce pss aud expenditures Oh al li'' "'''
published from time TO time" l., I,.wn
How clear! How explicit! No money 10 De draw, ,aN
from The Treasury, but in consequence OF hPp'oP'i;
made by law that u.s. The objtct on which lie eHPeu
,urr is To he made he desg naed by law, ana t'e '
allotted to effect it, specified; and yet we nave Er ~
The daily and habilua violation OF ihls great lu'"e
tai provision from almost the beginning oil our Po','e
existence TO this day. Behold The consequences ~
has urrsraled and rngulfrd the very institutions "n'c
have enjoyed this Illicit favor, and taInled' ABOVE a
other causes the morals and politics oil Inc "hn'1 'o"
fry YES 10 this must be traced. one OF Inc MAJ"
cnuses the whole system Of excessive revenue, rHces
siye expenditure: and excessive surPluses; ana u M
especiay the last the disastrous overthrow OIL 'he p"
und the currency and the unexampied drseheu"y w.
uubIc and private morals which have followed we
have suffered the Affections: may the blessing, WHICH
fellows chastisemen when lis Justice is contesseu' c''c
in due . o,
of the mischief deny the right Of this Government
IN treat bunk notes money in lis hsca! Transactions
On This great question, never have before conmtteu
ms self though not generally disposed TO abstain run
forming expressing opinions In all ins'a"'''
which, Natio0al Bank has come in question:, nave
invariably taken my ground, that it the Government
has the right to receive and treat bank notes as money
Il had the right, anu was bound, under the Consli'uuo'
to regulate them. 10 make them uniio III ana s!ao'
ms currency The reasons for this opinion are obvious
md have been so utcn aud fully expressed on former
occasuns that it would BIZ useless TO repeat Them now
but never examined fully the right OF receiving, or
made up my mind on it, till since the catastrophe IN way
last which. as have said, entirely separated lhe Ho
yrrnmenl from the banks. Previous to that peroa IL
was an abstract question: with practical bearing as
much so is now the constitutional light OF admitting
Louisiana into the Union. things are no" altered
The connection is dissolved and 1t has become prac'
teal question of The first magnitude.
The mover Of The substitute assumed as postuate,
that this Government had right 10 receive IN It's dues
whatever il might think proper deny the position IN
M IT, hi ho mad and nat
be proved and which is opposed BY powerful objections
The renus our Constitution is opposed 10 the as;ump.
ton Of power Whatever power gives Is expressly
granted; and proof were wanted the numerous grants
of powers far obvious and apparently much more
safe be assumed than the one in question, would afford
it. ! shall cite few striking instances
If any powers might be assumed. one would suppose
that of appl, ing money to pay the debts Of the Govern
ment, aud borrowing II 10 carry on It's oppranns %ouu
be among them; yet both expressly provided Tor by
the Constitution. Again: 10 Congress IS granted the
power declare and raise armies and narIes yet
the power grant letters of maqne and reprIsa and
make rules Tor the regulation of The army and navy,
not left 10 assumption Obvious US they are, but are
given b. express grant With these and other Instances
not less striking. which might be added II Is bold step
to assume without proof, the far less obvious power OF
the Government receiving whatever plGaSes IN Its dues
money Such assumption would be IN direct con-
ict with the great principle which the State rights par
ty, with winch the Senator (Alr Rives) classes himself,
have adopted in The construction Ut The Conslitu
in vain attempt prove that it has been granted or
That il necessary and proper 10 carry any oil the grant
ed powers into effect No such ate p has been made,
nor can be, with On the contrary, there
strong objections 10 the power which, IN ny opinion
cannot BE- surmounted.
II once admitted it would lead Ivy consequence TO a
necessary interference with individual and Stale con-
Germs never contemplated by the Constitution. Let Us,
for instance, suppose that acting on the assumption Of
the Senator the Government should choose to selert to-
bacco US an article be received payment OF It's Dues
which would be well entitled 10 1t as Gny other pro-
duct, and in which the Senator constituents ale so much
Interested. Doe: he not the consequences In or.
der TO make its taxes uniform, which is bound to do
by the Constitution and which cannot be done unless
the medium in which il is paid is so, The Government
would have to assume general control over the great
staple in question; regulate The weight of The hogshead
or package establish inspections under It's oiti
GERS order determine The quality, and Whatever else
might be 10 mike the payments into The rea-
sury uniform. So likewise, if the still greater staple, |
cotton be selected The weight Of the BALE the quality
Of the cotton anI It's inspection, would all necessarily
fall under the control Of the Government and does not
the Senator that the exercise OF power that must
lead to such so FAR beyond
the sphere assigned this Government by the Cunsti
tuition, must be unconstitutional? Nor does the objec
ton extend only these and other staple articles 1t
applies with equal it not greater force 10 receiving The
notes Of State banks proposed by the substitute III
the dues of the Government and the management of its
fiscal concerns II must involve The Government in the
necessity Of controlling and regulating State banks, as
this substitute abundantly proves well as the whole
history of connection with them and it has been
shown that banks are least far removed from the
control of this Government the cultivators of the SOIL
or any other class Of citizens TO this might add
Their objection less strong, tina, for the Government
to receive and treat bank notes money in lis dues,
would be in direct conflict in lis effect, with the i'm
pu,ant power conferred expressly Congress, OF coin
ING money and regulating the value thereof but as this
will come in with proprety in answer 10 an argu-
ment advanced by The Senator from Massachusetts, |
(Alr Wehster) | shall now state his argument, and
reply 10 it.
He asserted again and again. both and at the
ira session. that is the duty Of the Government not
only to regulate but 10 furnish sound currency. In
deed is the prime pal argument relied on by the Senu.
tor in opposition 10 the bill which he says abandons this
grea, duty Now if by currency be meant gold and sill
yer coins there will be but little difference between him
and myself. To that exlen, the Government has a
clear and unqueslonahle right By express grant, but II
hr goes farther, and intends to assert that the Govern
rnrnl has the right make bank notes currency, which
it bound regulate, then his proposition identical
in effect though differently expressed, with that of the
Senator from Virginia, (Mr Rves) and all tho argu.
memts have urged against II are equally applicable to
his hold my part, that the power OF the Govern.
ment on this subject is limited 10 coming money and re-
gua,ing value and furnishing the counlerieng OF The
current coins that is OF the COINS made current by law,
the only money known TO the Constitution It's tine
to make distinction between money, or currency, it
Won peuse-bglween that which will legally pay debts,
and mere circulation which has lis value from its pro-
mise be paid in The former and under which cnssc7
ton bank notes. well bills promssory notes Of
Individuals fall. These all in their nature private
aud local and cannot be elevated To the level OF curcn
CIV or money in the fiscal transactions Of Government,
without coming in conflict more or less, with the object
of The Constitution in vesng the very power in Con-
grcss which shall now proceed 10 show
II will hardly he qucsoned that the object was 10 fix
standard in order to furnish 10 the Union currency Of
uniform and steady value, and therefore united in
the same sentence with the relative power to fix the |
standard Of weights aud measures-the objects being 81
has ,rnyo anvil tnn N
has amply shown that so long as the Government is |
connected with The banks, and their notes received in lis
transactions money, long it is impossible to give
any thing like slnbity TO the standard of value; and that
,f and bccOmes