Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-12
The old Heightened Federal Doctrine,

No dcting Editor of The harttRsburI Gazette no
tees protest against the proposed Assumption of the
State Drbtsand submits to our consideration .,he fol-
lowing proposition Glowing, he SAYS from the LIST ar
tclr 9TH section of the constitutional .as III his uG.r.
mcn, altogether clear and incon,rovertible
"IhC PO'rSrS n Congress faraS rsg0rds the oppro.
prGti0n II mOn6y c0-crtcnSre ch thc demands 0t
Mc c0mmon dttcnce amt hc general rcIfarf-Or, N
other words Congress may iamtUiy apply the rcrcnus
cfh' i"ied HQtcS TO hc accomplishment Of any obj,c
mh0iSocrs tm "ny BE- important othr entrai Interests
ofhc r0Hatry, ~hher that Otject be, b. not a,ao0g
ho$C Spcc,0Uy commtcd 10 die j"riSdiction and coa.
trOi Df Tic Gc"trHi GOrrrHmenf, or 1rihh,d trOm H.
For example, Congress, let it be conceded, has No.
power 10 canal across the ishmus of Delaware.
1t may, ncvCrhclcss-Such canal being important To
the common defence and general wcl.arc-givc, or
subscribe, $500 600, IT, have it done. So. too We con.
slider Congress may lawfully pay, the same
thlnT-assumc the debts OF the States, II the public
good should so require
Clear ind lncontrovcrblc doctrine II is, indeed
clear and ncontrovcrtblc to us that no doctrine was
better calculated 10 change the whole theory OF
our Federal Government
This sweeping doctrine is of the old heightened Fc-
dera School. Ii is most alarming in its tendency and
if be true, il idle TO talk about limited Federal
Government riM Spccif'd porerS-and 10 contend
that all powers not gwen respectively reserved 10 the
States the People If Congress appropriate any
money they please Ia any purpose winch they may please
Sav contributes Ia ''thc general welfare, why talk
of any specifications: o! amy powers being reserved To
The States critic People: The writer IN til" Nartnsburg
Gazette has forgotten all that has been said 10
flute 1t. Wcadvsc him, before he writes another line
upon The subject 10 look MadSons Report of -
and especially to study the letter of Mr. Madison to
Mr.. Stevenson upon this portcmtous doctrine of the
'scommon defence and general welfare |, amounts
almost To mathematical demonstration. We will mol
add word more on the subject.
The idea of assumption of State Debts, direct
disguised. is not vet abandoned. The Philadelphia In.
qnircr of Monday last, which displays the flag Of Ter.
rison md Ty'Gr, throws out also the following srg.
gcstion ''1hr plan Of converting the State Debts mic
Il National Debt has no little paus'bi!ity about IT, and,
associated with the distribution of the Public Lands
might be- so modified 10 render il nearly, If not
wholly, unobicconabc. Certain it is, tina, PcnnSyl.
vana must do something upon tins subject, or her
public works must BE- brought 10 stand-sl, in the
course of a short time &c, &c. "tndcr these Cir
cums,anccs, Srprcscrvation, to say nothing OF higher
and more patriotic motives calls upon them thc Penn
svania State administrator for plan designed Ia
decrease the State Debt to rep"nish the State Trca
surv, and TO give confidence 10 the State credit We
are able discover but single remedy, and that
mrdy based upon the equitable distribution Of the Pull
lie Lands, and in such form render the sales Of
such lands sinking fund for the debts of the older and
more stracncd members of the Union -Thcrciolr.
we caution the Republicans 10 look ont for squalls