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

commeref, commerce! IL llle beginning /
and end Of Il. The subject 10 be eonsl' /
aersd and examined Was (" The relative
situation Of the trade Of The STATES" and
he obiecl 20 be attained VAS The "ssla-
blishmenl Of . uniform system in their
commercial regulations. ss necessary to
heir common interest and their PeEms-
penl harmony" This Is an. And. sir,
by The adoption Of this evsr-msmofable
resolution. The House II Delegates OF Viz
rinia. on The 2lsi day Of January. lTs6.
oerformed The first sct in the train Of
measures which resulted in that Constr
tuition, under The authority Of which you
now 81 in that chair. and have now ihe
honor If addressing The members Of this
body.
Mr.. President, | am . Northern man.
| am attached TO one Of The states Of Tie
North, By the lies Of birth and parent
age, education. and the associations OF
early life; and BY sincere gratitude Tor
proofs Of public confidence early beslo~-
ed. I am bound TO another Northern
state bv adoption. by ling residence.
hy all The cords Of social and domestic
lille. and By an attachment and regard,
springing from her manifestation ot aP-
probation and favor, which grapple me TO
her with hooks OF steel. And yet. sir.
with the same sincerity Of respect, the
same deep gratitude. the same reverence.
and hearty goodwill. with which would
paw a similar tribute to either Of these
states, do | here acknowledge the Com
monwealth Of Virginia TO be entitled 10
the honor Of commencing The work Of es-
tablishing this Constitution. The honor
is hers; let her enjoy il; let her forever
wear i, proudly; there is not brighter
jewel in the tiara that sdorns her brow.
Let this resolution stand, illustrating her
records. and blszOning her name through
all time!
The meeting. sir, proposed by the re-
solution was holden. II took place as
We all know, in Annapolis. in May Of
the same year; but il was ihinly attended.
and It's members, very wisely, adopted
measures to bring about fuller and more
general convention. Their letter to The
states on this occasion is full Of ins.ruc-
lion. IL shows their sense Of the uni, =
iunale condition Of Tie country. In their
mediiations on the subject, they saw the
extent to which the commercial power
must necessarily extend. The sagaciiy
Of New Jersey had led her, in agreeing
10 the original opposition Of Virginia. to
enlarge lhe object OF the appointment 81
commissioners. so as to embrace not on
ly commercial regulations, but other i'm
porfam matters. This suggestion the
commissioners adopted, because they
thought, as they inform us. "that the
power Of regulating trade is Of such COM
prehensive extent, and will enter so FAR
into the general system oil tine Federal
Government, that to give il efficacy, and
to obviale questions and doubts concern
ing its precise nature aud limits, might
require a correspondent adjustment Of
other parts Of the federal system" Here
you see, sir. tina, other powers, such as
are now in the constitution, we're expect
ed tn branch out Of TIE necessary COM
mercial power: and. therefore. the letter
OF the commissioners concludes with re-
commencing a general convention :" 10
take into consideration the Uhoie stag
ton Of The United States, aud 10 devise
such further provisions as should appear
necessary 10 render the constitution Of the
Federal Government adequate 10 the ex-
igencies OF the Union"
The result Of that convention was the
present constitution. And yet, IN tie
midst Of all this Good of light, respecting
its original objects and purposes. aud
with all The adequate powers which i,
con(ers, we abandon tie commerce Of The
country, We belray lis interests, we turn
ourselves away from its most crying ne
cessities. Sir, il will be fact, stamped
in deep and dark lines upon our annals,
IL will be a truth, which in all time can
never be denlcd or evaded, that If this
constitution shall not, now and hereafter,
/ be so administered as to maintain uni
form system in all matters Of trade; il 1t
shall no, project and regulate the com
merce Of the country, in all lis great in
teres;s, in its foreign intercourse, in its
domestic intercourse. in its navigation. IN
its currency. in every thing which fairly
belongs TO The whole idea Of commerce,
either as an end, an agent, or an ins,ru-
ment, then thai constitution will have fail
ed. utterly failed to accomplish the pre-
else, distinct, original Object, in which ii
had its being.
In matters Of trade. we were no lon
ger to be Georgians, Vnsinians, Penn
sylvani4ns, or Massachusetts men. We
were 70 have but one commerce, and HAT
the commerce 0f the United States.
! There were not 10 be separate llags, way-
ing over separate commercial systems.
There was to be one flag. the PLrRI-
Bus CNUY; and toward thai was 10 be that
rally of united interests and affections,
which our fathers had so earnestly lnvuk-
! ed.