The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-06
gonInlunlsatlons.
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FVH the NAbIhUHIAF'
RANKING AND TME CURRENCY
National Sovereignty.

Ths aonsiituiionAiiiy Of a National Bank sufns,
amer all on tbs question Of national sovereignty
There are .undry powsrs In the Federal Constitution
commonly and very properly called general which
have no limitation In hmssirss but which, not,
wIthsandng, a. all admit, arc limited The question
i. how il the limitation % DO ascer,ained Who can
M, his anper on ~ This question, We think, will
10 solved by righ, view Of national sovereignty,
D.aunion " Sovereignty
10 DO sovereign 10 to do as ono pleases The sovel
rsian,y 81 nation consist. In its Independence Of
other nations, and In Ia right 90 10 what any nation
may lawfully do tot domestic PURPOSES and Il. foreign
relations,
The snHrsness u National Sovereignty resides squal
" in sesry Nation
No naon, having due fespec, 10 itself, would over
renqaiah any par, Of the prsregaye- implied IN this
Il cannot do without prejudice 10 Iis own political
in,srea,s, II would suffer disadvantage at homo and
abroad by so doing Every nation stands ON political
grounds il political fabric and auhss,s by ia policy
/, eanno, choose 10 b OF TO 30 otherwise and Il Il
does no, take tho full benefit Of lawful policy, Il Is
80 iAr neglec,iul Of ila own interests
TAs Sovereignty " ms Uaisd States "a distributed
bet,essa ne Federal Government and ne Siafss
Between The Federal Government, on one side aud the
S,a,es ON the ether the whole Of national sovereignty
IL absorbed hut neahe, OF hesa pariea can claim all
the rIah,s ,he, belong 10 nation For example, the
rights Of territorial Jurisdiction Tor the objects OF civil
aud criminal Jurisprudence, among the mos. impor'
tant attributes. Of national sovereignty All these be-
long 10 the States within hei respective limits, u We
except the very restricted Jurisdiction Of the eanra and
oeesa Of the un,sd States, within their respective
districts lor the specified objects of tho Federal com
pact neaide. these lh, sund,y great aud inpoI'
,ant political pawers, peculiar OF proper TO nations, be-
longing to The Sa,es, which are secured to them by
the tenth article Of the amendments Of tho Conn.ia'
ton "The power. not delegated to the United States
by the Constitution, nor prohibited by Ito tho States
are reserved TO tho S,es respectively and 10 the pee
pie The States. therefore, may exercise any po'h
cal power In their sovereign right, which not
violation Of thia rule and those powers numerous
National sovereignty bseugs 10 he Federal Gopsra'
msm IN Oh eur foreign relations,
Certainly, no one'will deny ihis in.as-much a. tho
a,asa are psohibedh by the Constitution from form
Ing or holding foreign relations An these matters he.
ong TO the Federal Government sseiassesiy
~ also nasieaat sersssieaty belongs 10 1As hsasral
Gepsramsat for damsssie eeieeis,
|, would DO very strange, II il did not But We
esssss IL the Federal Constitutions and Of ei, IN
Tho whole history Of Federal legislation and govern
lnent
For example On the peinl Of aeesrsas, The Con
s,isa,ien reeegaae. The preIgslse Of national seye'
regats in term. aud manner a. Rliewss We, the
people Of the uaed States, in order 10 lorna more
perfect uaiea establish justice acmes.ie tram
guilty provide tor the eean@ea defence, preme,e the
general welfare and secure the blessings cf liberty "
ourselves aaa 70 pesier,s, 10 esdaln and es,ae-
lsh this Constitution Tor the uaed States ef Aaers
~ provide sor the aefsaee, and pse,
mote the sssstat cslefors sesss.ans lnge and seSe
re'ga powers
Ia the eight scctoa Of the 6rss aSsicle these powers
are reassested precisely the @fa seI purposes
oi syssiasion. The section proceeds 10 declare
specifically sessnhsea geasral powers Of ccngress,
and coiDpreheasses than TWICE that eaaeer
tho lsst Of which, more geaesal and conprehea
ave nan Az, u a. tolls -Eoagssss shall have
Re - ~ = N - ~ ~ - $3.50 l1k66aS
vernment Of he United States OF in any department
officer thereof Gan laws necessary and proper
for these several comprehensive objects be in the
discretion Of Congress nothing less, or more, or
other. Congress is in the first place constituted
cop To Determine, It's responsibility and Conscience
what the foregoing and other powers are and next
is invested with discretion to the ways and means
Of carrying them into effect.
All the general powers OF the Constitution delepat-
ed 70 the Federal Government, may be used or not
used and used to any extent, without limitation to
the iap, though no, without limitation as To discretion
As to the iap, simply because it il not TO he found
there. No prove a entity to be an entity
xuba 10, he T.,
The dscrc ion Of the authorities thus invested IF
they use this discretion improperly, unreasonaby,
or extravagantly, or oppressvey, the people being
Judges or IN any way not agreeable to the people, there
is constitutional remedy in the elective franchise
Other limitation TO the general powers with which the
Constitution has invested the Federal authorities, we
know not
Next, as to fact. Who can put his finger on the
constitutional license for the pension system Of the
United States7 And yet this action Of the Federal
Government probably more time and app, oprates
money than any single object whatever, war on
" excepted and may be doubtful whether that costs
Certainly il has never cost the nation half the
legislation if it has one-fhh Is there a single dsy
of any session Of Congress when III subject is not
being agitated in committees or in one Of the two
Houses1 We presume not. Ifsuch action be IN
constitutional il is indeed prodigious improperly
But whoever thought Of calling il in question on this
rround7 Il will be found upon reflection that it is
pure emanation Of national sovereignty, not having
even the shadow Of specific license in the Consttu-
ton
There u the purchase Of Louisiana and Of Florida
Where - the constitutional license for these transac
tions3 They are very great, and very important;
and, II wrong, they are prodIgious wrongs Mr. JET