Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-31
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FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 81, 1910
ITO PROMOTE THE GENERAL VEL
FARE"

The Interpretation given to this clause Of the
constitution by the address of the Wing State
Convention, seems greatly to have excited the
patriotic torobodings of the locotocos. Mr.. Van
Ness was so much alarmed at the ncm doctrine,
that he took especial occasion to alludc to it on
the 4;h, and denounced it as mons'rous and ab-
snrd! "lleaven spare my country" said he,
." from such interpreters of the law" The fol-
lowing is the extract from the address, which he
read on that occasion
"To promote the general welfare
This Is perhaps the most comprehensive clause III
the preamble which we considering and it is by
virtue of similar expression in the article Of the
constitution which defines the authority Of Congress-
that that body claims and exercises It's largest powers
The practical exposition of this clause appears To have
been tina, Congress, when otherwise restricted by
the fundamental law Of the land may legislac on all
subjects, in which the ;rhoIe people have common in
terost.
This, Mr. Van Ness denied, in toto. lie said
that the phrase "to promote the general vel.
fare" was mere accidental expression, and no.
intended to conrey any poucr, ~haterer. In sup
port of this he read some newspaper extracts
quoted the southern nullifers, and finally wound
up by expressing his "pify and contempt for the
author" of the address. Mr. Van Ness again
alluded to this subject in his speech at the Court
House, on Saturday evening, and after handling
the address for short time, with his usual in
geniousness and regard to facts, disnssd it with
the significant remark that it "made him sick a
heart to contemplate it." Mr. Barber was pres.
ent and listened to Mr. Van Ness on the 4th, and
in the last Mddlebury paper, under the head Of
"lIamiltonian federalism revived" has devoted
Strain As this article may be considered "ofi
cial," we quote paragraph ortwo. Interference
to the above extract he says,
We find the doctrine of Hamilton carried TO a,
extent heretofore almost unknown, and powers c ann
cd for the government which, II acquesced in and car
| RED out by Congress, would leave no check upol
| that government but the cver-yarylng views OF III
existing Congress and executive, as to what wou
promote the general lrclfdre of the nation, thos
views being ever liable 10 be operated upon and chang
ed by sectional interests and combinations as the cir
cumsancos and condition of the country varied iron
year TO year. 30 IN
| Constitution does not prohibit Congress from maxim
appropriations for works OF internal Improvement 4
the states, and Congress should consider that "th
lrIolc people had common interest IN appropriation
for making railroads and digging canals through a
the states of the Union, Congress would not onl
have the power to make these appropriations but ais
the power to lay taxes and duties TO raise the monel
| for such purposes 80 mon
stro,s and alarming a doctrine has nerer been SER
ously preached, since the overthrow of the liamlltc
man school of politics, by the democrats OF Us an
lS00
Without attempting to argue the question g
construction, we propose to show both Mr., Va
Ness and Mr.. Barber, that this is no ne,c eyposi
ton of the constituton-that this same "mon
strous and alarming doctrine has been serious
"ly preached since the overthrow OF the llamIl
"ton school of poltics"-that too, in this repub
lcan state of Vermont, and by man who nov
arrocates to himself more democracy" than an
other man living. We therefore invite tn
readers particular attention to the following
y y Y Y Y Y y Y Y
Extract from Go,, Van Ness's Speech 10 The Ire
gislaiure of Vermont, in 1928
"When we find that the very first clause il
"the constitution OF the U. States pronounces j
one Of the PRINCIPAL objects OF its estab