Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-03-11

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to the principle, but the forms prescribed BY
the Constitution. The principle certainly
assigns to the only body constituted by the
Constitution (thc Legislative body,) the pow.
or to make laws, and the forms even direc,
that the enactment should be ascribed to them.
The Senate, in relation TO Revenue bills, have
the right to propose amendments and so has
the Executive, by the power given him to re-
turn them to the House of Representatives.
with his objections. 1t is in his power, also,
TO propose amendments in the existing reve-
their defective or injurious operation. Bur
the delicate duty Of devising schemes of rev.
enue should be left where the Constitution
has placed it-with the Immediate rcprescn.
tatives of the People. For similar reasons.
the mode of keeping the public treasure
should be prescribed by them; and the farther
removed it may DO from the control of the
Executive, the more wholesome the arrange
ment, and the more in accordance with Re
publican principle.
Connected with this subject is the charac.
ter OF the currency: The idea OF making it
exclusively metallic, however we'll intended.
appears to me to be fraught with more fatal
consequences than any other scheme, having
no relation to the personal rights of the CHI.
Zen, that has ever been devised. Ifany sim
gle scheme could produce the effect of arrest
ing, at once, that mutation Of condition by
which thousands Of our most INDECENT fellow.
citizens, by their industry and enterprise, are
raised to the possession Of wealth, that is the
enc. Ii there is one measure better calculat-
cd than another to produce that state Of things
SO much deprecated by all true republicans,
by which the rich are daily adding to their
hoards, and the poor sinking deeper into PEN
ury, 1t is aneXclusive metallic currency. Or if
there is aprocess by which the character of
the country for generosity and nobleness of
feeling may be destroyed by the proat in
crease and necessary federation Of usury, it is
an exclusive metallic currency.
| Amongst the other duties of delicate
character which the President is called upon
to perform, is the supervision Of the govern
ment OF the Territories of the United States.
those OF them which are destined 10 become
members OF our great political family, are
compensated by their rapid progress from
Infancy to manhood, for the partial and tempo
rary deprivation of their political rights. 1t
is in this District, only, where American citi-
zens are to be found, who, under settled
system of policy, arc deprived Of many i'm
portant political privileges, without any in
spring hope as TO the future. Their only
consolation under circumstances Of such de-
prlvation, is that OF the devoted exterior
guards OF camp-that their sufferings Sc
cure tranquility and safety within. Are there
any OF their countrymen who would subject
them TO greater sacrifices, to any other hui
mutations than those essentially necessary To
the security of the object for which they were
thus separated from their fellow-citizens
Are their rights alone not to be guaranteed by
the application OF those great principles, upon
which all our constitutions arc founded! We
are told by the greatest Of British Orators
ana statesmen, that, at the commencement
oil the war OF the Revolution, the most stupid
men In England spoke of ''their American
subjects" Are there, indeed, citizens of any
OF our States who have dreamed of their sub
Jecfs IN the District Of Columbia? Such
Of mine.
| The people the District Of Columbia are
not the subjects of the people of the States,
but flee American citizens. BEING in The
latter condition when the Constitution was
formed, no words used in that instrument
could have been intended to deprive them of
that character. If there is any thing in the
! great principles of unalienable rights. so en-
phatlcally insisted upon in our Declaration of
Independence, they could never make, nor
inc United States. accept, surrender of their
liberties, and become the subjects, in other
words the slaves, of thor fellow-citizens. If
this be true, it will scarcely be denied by
any one who has correct idea Of his own
rights as an American citizen, the grant to
Congress of exclusive jurisdiction in the Ills.
trict Of Columbia, can be Interpreted. so far
as respects the aggregate people of the Unit
ed States, as meaning nothing more than to
allow to Congress the controlling power ne.
cessary to afford free and safe exercise of
the functions assigned to the General Gov
eminent by the Constitution. In all other
respects the legislation of Congress should
be adapted TO their peculiar position and
wants, and be conformabe with their delibe-
rate opinions of their own interests.
| have spoken Of the necessity of keeninp
the respective Departments of the Govern,
ment, as well as all the other authorities of
our country, within their appropriate orbits.
This is matter of difficulty in some cases.
as the powers which they respectively claim
are often not defined by very distinct lines.
Mischievous, however, in their tendencies.
as collisions of this kind may be, those which
arise between the respective communities.
which Tor certain purposes compose one ma
ton, are much more SO; for no such nation
can long exist without the careful culture of
thosc feelings OF confidence and affection
which are the effective bonds of union be.
tween FREQ and confederated States, Strong
as is the tie of interest, it has been often
found Intellectual. Men, blinded by their
passions, have been known to adopt measures
for their country in direct opposition to all
the suggestions of policy. The alternative
then, is, to destroy or keep down bad pas
sion by creating and fostering good one
and this seems to be the corner stone upon
which our American political architects have
reared the fabric of our Government. The
cement which was to bind it, and perpetuate
its existence. was the affectonate attachment
between all its members. To insure the
continuance of this feeling, produced at first