Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-11-09


bo for all the commodities they have to dispose OIL
"Auhorities this subject could he multiplied 10
any extent. We have what money IS; ana
have also that the term of the verb to CON -
applicable other money than metals; and that mo-
ney is whatever constitutes the currency of county
snow let what is meant by the power TO com;
and wish particularly 10 call the attention of The conf
mttee 10 the difference between the substantive co!n
as foreign COIN spoken Of in The Constitution and The
verb 10 coia The Substantive coin undoubtedly re-
laes 10 metals bui The rsrb has very different sign
ica,ion. Although il will apply TO metals, It IS by no
means confined to them.
"Wrbsler sAys: To CON- is 10 stamp metal and
convert ii INTO money; make, to forge, 10 abr'cate
Coming, sthe act ar, practice OF stamping money
Then Congicss has power 10 coin, 10 stamp, TO MAKE
10 forge. iabrcate money, and regulate The value
thereof and what Congress is aulhoTizsh 10 oo y ca
empower m dgeRt 10 do.
From The terms to coin money and regulate tho
value thereof and Of foreign CON- he deduces, through
the aid Of harmed dhnit0Hs, an unlimited power, on
The part Of h Cove rnnent, to adopt and legaze any
substance whatever as the money Of The country. An
impress or stamp of the Governments authority upon
such substance Is all that is necessary 10 give II the
character Of, and make II pass Is money
Sir To advocate doctrine oi this SORT implies want
ofnforma,lon or degree Of Indifference 10 the his
tory 81 the States Their colonial condition: 81 'er
proceedings in the formation and final ranca,on OF
The Constitutions and 20 The palpab!e import 81 The
the Constitution itself, iruly astnrlshing-"pass
strange Waving all other facts and Considerations 10
does the gentleman not know that the Constitution Il
self furnishes definition Of the word 'money Of i"F
higher authority asd more solemn sanction, than all
the encyclopedias or photographic compilations OF nm
cIenl modern times,
The first clause OF tie 10th section Of the lst article
of the Constitution is in the following language:
''No State shall enter any treaty, alliance or con-
federation; grant letters Of maiquc and rrprsal; coin
money! emit bills OF credit make any thing but gold and
silver CON cn,rr in pa ms nj OF debts pass any b!l
III IW al
galiun Of contracts; grant any title Of nobility
.sD State shalt ,rohe 0Dy M.ny INT gold and st'rer
cojna i,ndtr Eagms"tef dtbts And pray, sr, whit
the peculiar cice, the FuIpose-the Use OF m"Htgs
Confessedy medium Tor the payment 81
g. bis-deLs contracted in the purchase and sale OF pro-
prry Is a medium effect The exchanges Of property,
and by which all he transactions ei trade, commerce,
and spccuaton are, L. greater or less degree, cnh
Quoted The amount 81 q, bt is the amount oil the
value The property bought or sold measured ~ money
-ooId and SILVER money; and 40 State make or en-
force thing money. Or legal tender ~ payment
ri ruch debt bnt gold and silver com Here. then, y
clear, explicit, and Imperative definition 81 "m"hey,
furnished by The highest ofail authority with American
s,o,esmeu- the Constitution II the g0ld anc SUI
YER com Of the Government atone hgett.cd 10 pay
debts
Can The Federal Government make any thing bnf
scoJ and yer con legal tender IN The payment
of debts: Ii would not he Of all surprising if the reason
ing Of the gentleman from Virginia upon the learned
definitions quoted by him were 10 lead HIM TO such
conclusion Indeed, If the Federal Government has
the constitutional authority 10 enact that 's'ainped
pieces of oasteboard = "raher, shall ne the money
nj the country does Il follow that the power 10
ma ntan such currency-io enforce the use OF shcn
substances money-rnnst necessarily result au
llia therefore, the Government can iu'ther enact una.
tha poynert Of drt tender IN payment oi ceot,
nf such "sianprL p,eces Of pastebonTd or eatntr'
shall en,,,r lie debtor discharge from ms "biga-
ton Can the gentleman avoid such conclusion "hi
the premises he has laid down But VIII iehVf NM
in The ahyrinh 10 grnrc his way onl le pest ne c"
The lGth article Of amendments 10 the Constitution
reads thug
stilution nor prohibited by 10 the States are reserved
10 the States respectively or TO the people.
We have seen that the power 10 make any thng Dull
ooJ and silver coin tender in tie payment OF De Isl
xnressly withheld from the States; isl amy rhcTs
snnr,erad foSc de gntid to the Federal 10
II IS not Unnecessary ana proper meahs
10 carry into effect any OF the "G'!esaled powers II
not accidental auxiliary IN its nature 10 any OF th'se
ro,.rs The rirht of the individual ciiizen 10 me
n,yn,ent cr his d,ti IN gold and silver co'n-secured
as Il IS by an imperative prohibition upon me power u
TN. States to infringe upon, or invace u ano l'e WV"
holding all pn@er TO d" so from the fedetai
win The declaration that all powers not granted 10 unit
Government .arc reserved 10 the States respectively.
A. y, me nropIe never be made The suhlfct"i nos
tile Legislation the part Of this Government, cos1'
emily with the Constitution
1ba S,a,es NAV make gold and silver tender ~
,svment of debs when the same IS cninrd INTO hoh'y
nndor the authority of tie Federal Government, ana
the value thereof definitely fixed by such coinage; or
# in the form OF foreign com, BY an act "f ihe uoSe'
men, fixing the rate Of value al WINCH the soi'e s"ai'
pass money.
Bevnnd this. the powers Of the Federal Government
ne are lm,ed II such necessary ARD proper
10 protect the purify and G"Entntss OF It's COINS -
ncourage their rel, n"n ana use me nno'h'ss - &c
c,,niry and prevent Tie substitution Of any other sub
stance as standard oil value or legally auhoi %ca me-
dunn for the payment "i debts
Bu, am told Tia, Congress has the power 10 ree"-
late the commerce. currency, ana exchanges VI 'ne
country II IS true that Congress has power, and Is
under CO institutional obligation 10 regulate the com
bo, lue,an and domestic, OF The country 70 pass
all laws necessary the projections. safety, and promo.
lion oi that commerce. Bot the terms currency ana
exchanges" are nowh here to BE- found IN the C"nsiu-
ton nor are there any delegations 81 authority retc
mn The same except such have already been alluded
to- The idea ni the power Of the Government 40 ie
oulatr the currency IL prevalent Throughout lie
country that have often met WIZ gentlemen "thrf-
wise rnormed, who wfrr really 81 op'nlon mat hr
Coast ulnn contained dts;.hct clause, IN 50 many
words con.prring upon The Government power 10
r.,nlo,. IN. currency Bot SIR, The word currency
IS term unknown 10 tho Cnnslltuton-an exotic term
not found IN any clause part Of that instrument
The po,rtr 10 regulate paste board currency o.
e aihcr currency, or paper currency 's .fua''y
foreiun 10 that instrument. Nor can II be d"Gnct
from, my Of ITS terms kept through ibr asf "D-
s,ractons az sky scraping class 81 = oiilic"hs,
drawn from the antique definitions and learned syno-
nymcs Of ..seneca and Webster, Of "R'ts Ency-
ciopni.a. or the "Ency clopgda Britannica, or other
srch authority. whose m, n;on indicates more OF pc
dan,ry than Of sound constitutional doctrine or good
sense az | humbly conceive. When, Therefore .ho
mower Of the Federal Government "o regulate me cur
rcncy" is considered the term must BE- l'n"th ~ ~
sense 10 what may be Justly called the Constitutional
currenru- raid md ss'rfr coaa.
readily admit end recognise NE eons IT h pow
er-nay Sir, The constitutional duty o. me u%Iem
NECESSARY and proper to guard It's soundness and 10
,ron,o,e ia use and circulation to degree cot Extensive
viii the increasing demands Of trade and commerce.
such take TO have been the character OF the power
,c;.ed in the establishment Of the Independent Trea
smrv system and such The purpose and tendency Of liz
PRACTICAL opera, Restraint upon the power or
firh of the States employ all constitutional means
rc or nriyue constitutes no part Of the framework
Or in,entment Of the system. So far as credit and
currency are concerned, lis e C, is SIMPLY 10 coniine