Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-11

Ms INTERPRETATION OF rHI CONSTITUTION.
a writer M tie last Apr number of the Messcn.
ger under tie Signature OF "a Naive Of Virg MIA -
cites two passages from fuckers Life Of Jefi-rson.
respecting tina, s'atesman's construction Of the
Eecerai Consultation as piiniy contradictory, and
one OF which he considers 10 be gross Y uuIus; -
. Nh jefferson.
| As the bipsrapher's attention has been repeatedly
col ei 10 these passages, both publicly aud private
- he feels himself constrained no lonser 10 with
hold the explanation sought, AMI 20 state In more
precise language. MS understand NJ OF tins impor-
tan. part o. Nr Jei!srSDus constitutional doctrines
That the to passages, according 10 their obvious
import are Tcp-Enac, and lrTccOuc..ab'u, the bio
grlpher readily ldmis. Wuen they were frs,
brought 90 ms r)uCs, near four years -gl nv rem
i.gmln from North Carolina, he said tErn what Es
nov repeats that, after having pronounced Mr. J,f-
ersoH's construction 1ftEe Constitution to s "stric,
. or Hyeral according AS he conceived the national
good would be b st promoted uy it, he could no,
consistently say, that "Nr J.tT.rsnn afcsis f,vogr
ed s.rct construction" wI,EUu, Iml!ny the terms
, To some particular paris Of tA.t instrument. He
cannot therefore, 10 fairness, avail himself of The in
gcniou7 attempt OF the LIU0r Of the Messcarsr 10
reconcile the two passages by aging Stress on The
"pil favored uI' must frankly admit this 10 be
one o. those cases Of l1sGyeuenls, winch i is not
. easy 10 avoid boo work Of grel, Icug'h. Hapry
would he be- i he could believe this were the only
instance
IN oHtenulton Of his fault, tie bIograyher must
Md that the Limitation which he fil ed TO ,Ypress.
He JEsiHc. j. had 10 his mind. lie was srr7kIqg Of
a question of power between the Fedcsa. Govern
ment and the State Government that Of construct
Ins roids-Hud 10 Iu reference 70 this class OF
questions, that be meant bis remarks 10 apply.
he icvng az Mr.. JCileron did, that the gran, of
power % The Genera. Gov. nment was as liberal as
was consistent with CHI. liberty and public s1fs.y
and That rs tendency was % enlarge i,s own . ".
ersr be- M aO questions between the rglrs and
powers Of the General and State Governments In.
& 3 y q 10 I'M yl fi.a
With this qualification OF the Iss, passage. IL is
not inconsistent with the FIRST md It remains Ia Ia
seen whether Aat fret passage, which says he wa,
y1r1sCra.y LIBERAL, az well as s,rC; no constituting
the Constitution, does him injustice. On this gur..
ton without referring % Mr.. J,fsrson's oAfclal
nets % discover bis rue d Interpretation, .ye for.
ilu1'gy have the direct evidence Of u.s own er.
press lgr.1fa;0u. 10 h.r Iglfsr % Mr.. Splfks Of
re-. D. I7zi, zen spsnIor-e, vol. ~. Pave
S'lJ urd #u.gH ~ quoted In the kUsrarUy, ss the
Foundation Tor the obnoxious remark, he a4ys. In
.rssfrs NJ rIDnZrg people ~ color, an object q.
~ Is near ms heart, 81 8m gH.Gc tuat tuls slg.ac.
involves sgrna constitutions. a-rJg.eg. Bot q literal
cslIsrtrh.1, J4sffsd by che Object msy 20 lar, and
1n aU'n1men'pi Tue Constitution, tho whole .engtr
necessary" Inf passage is conclusive % slow
'nl' l- thought ~ were Iua' HsI I1 giving n more
o. less .ysn. -nr..rgfgU n tie Constitution, ac.
~ ding ~ DO. utility Dl the OBJECT, for he thought
~ doubt tErr iae afWE rouslgfilJu OF the nation
l rnps ~Hs. asn..iursI a .irei construction DO one
.I.s %. GY,rrnn.5 equally 4inglOusd IJefl. con.
a.r. JON 10 aryfUgr.
10 .h4 ,,.fss, NJ. J,Gar.,n z1s ot,bg4rar.
u. --..a .n .yr'prmfy with tho common seu.s 0'
u1rrrI, wfI.b 900 trg Interpretation Of every law
ru| rue D' M ION, 10 Obliged. from tho Imprhsc-
.yu of .IrsI.Za aua i.r .myy.sI.i'y D' iJfss.cfn.
every 80 mot may 1r..s under Inc Jaw, sJmrHmes
'. UH.gH, rnu some r1.4 enlarge The meaning ui
E |Drrsf go as ass, ~ fulfil the purposes ri 10 Ire
ulu.
I0 .u, ass or HsYs terms, "s.,ic'ness," and "iy-
ar - DI egrE,rIgU1Ht there seems 90 be some
.sH'ls.gH OF though. The fvy afg 30 FOR from
Y"..g .r.1mpaHI.ri Hs syWc r'rW 10 supfOge, ihu'i
DO m.ny raass, Ns existence ~ tho one uCccsslr.
implies fUr rr4.tnss Sf the Ulhrf. Thus, where
sH'. BYg.Iamruu r.srH1rgc The slme functions
r.i .DrrfG Isr, " IRE more or Jess Iu conflict those
EfI'. .uI'll. prime. pies .N-.Irs them 'p cyng.fua
'.. ggUfr. o. he IsIeriI Goy.rnnmsri with strict
r.af W. Y1 tHtygr, account cD0EfrYs tho rOwsr
~. .rr STATE GOyerbmenp With IDsfauty. We sec
'yT .NrHrrf. that many of tho prDlcssed ajy0catsI
. Iyf sflt rYNglrICuyr, who deny 10 the Genera
. hrsfnmHui tho power % establish n NruOna
/ Book, under liberia. construction n the power u
.Y.r fDyrfy 1uj determine Ns value thereof, or trH
DI reg 1tYz gDWmffcs, fee. no -Gf4pe boz 1IIOWui
NIs a1.f. ~ establish State E1IIkf, and tIus bl
Hfss Indications indirectly emit bills 81 credit
NnIr. hey 8r8 forbidden ~ Tho Constitution % 81
Directly. NYf have w seen many examples u
more Uyrrl sYra'fuc'iYn Than has beCn gwen % Oh
c.Bptsf which pf0hIJrH States FROM passing law
mot Implr the Obligation Of contracts, by nnsn cal
.nf htm'e.ysH s'rct cDnsuuctOntU. These term
( therefore, which lre 80 often used in absOlui
sense, are altogether relative; and i will general
no found hot he Who IN relation 70 the power dis
, WDIicd Dc,Wcen these Two pirls Of our divide
t'Veffgnly stHmatos the portion granted 70 on
p port with tnietresg, y sure 70 estimate the pa
granted ~ the other, with literally.
BIi some who regard strctness of oOnttruclio
= 40 90 end-as something good IN itself, and not
:. means ~ gOod--not able 10 reconcile some
h mt Jeiierson's oiheial ncts such as hs rathostio
~ u Nc Louisana purchase, with such slriegnoss