Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-03-23


member OF the opposition, by the fiction
of law, or rather oil constitutional princi-
pie, the Sovereign'is supposed to have pre-
pared II agrceably 10 his will. and then
submitted it to parliament for their advice
and consent. Now The very reverse is the
case here, not only in regard to the princi-
pie, but the forms prescribed bv the consti-
tuition. The principle certainly assigns to
the only body constituted by the Constitu-
ton Che Legislative body the power to
make laws, and the forms even direct that
the enactment should be ascrbed to them.
The Senate, in relation to the revenue bills.
have The right TO propose amendments; and
so has the Executive, by the power given
him 10 return them TO the House Of Rep
rcscntatiyes with his objections. 1t is in
his power, also, 10 propose amendments in
the existing revenue laws. suggested bv
his observation upon their defective or IN
jGr,o1S operation. But the delicate duty
of dcvsirg schemes OF revenue should be-
left whore the constitution has placed it
wiki the immediate representatives of tho
people. For similar reasons, the mode OF
keeping the public treasure should be pre-
scribed by them, and the farther removed
it may be from The control OF the Execu-
tive, the more in accordance with republi-
can principle.
Connected with this subject is the charac-
ter Of the currency The idea of MAKING il
exclusively metallic, however wei, intended,
appears to ne, 10 he fraught with more ia
tai consequences than any other scheme,
having 10 relation to personal rights oftha
citizens, that has ever been devised. Ii
any single scheme could produce the effect
oil arrcsting, at once, that mutation of con-
diton bv which thousands Of our most in
djgent fellow citizens, by their industry
and enterprise, are raised 10 the possession
of wealth, that is one. If there is one mca-
sure better calculated than another to pro-
duce that state Of things so much deprcca-
ted by all true republicans. by which the
rich are daily adding TO their boards, and
the poor sinking deeper in penury, it is an
exclusive metallic currency. Orif there ~
a process by which the character Of the
country for generosity and nobIencss Of
feeling may be destroyed ly the great in
crease and necessary federation Of usurv,
it is an exclusive metallic currency.
Amogst the other duties Of delicate
character which the President is called upon
to perform, is the supervision Of the CO.
vcrnmcnt Of the Territories Of Inc United
States. Those Of them which are destined
! to become members Of the great political
family, are compensated by their rapid
progress from infancy TO manhood, for the
partial and temporary deprivation of their
political rights. II is in this District, only
where American citizens are 10 lie found,
who under settled policy, are deprived
OF many important political privileges,
without any aspiring hpoe as 10 tie future.
Their only consolation under circumstan-
cc5 Of such dcpriya'ion, is that Of the de-
voted exterior guards Of a camp--that their
su,itrings secure tranquility and safety
wrhin. are there aoy Of their country
men who would su1 ject them TO greater
secriiccs-toan otter hUml iations-than
those essentially necessary to The security
of tho object for which hey were thus
separated from their f-!low citizens Are
their rights alone not to be guaran ccd BY
the application of those great principles
up0n which all our constitutions aIe found
cd We are :oid by the greatest Of Brit
ish orators and statesmen, that, at the com.
mcnccmcnt Of the war Of the revolution,
The most stupid man in England spoke Of
4" their American subject" Are there in
deed citizens . any ofour States who have
dreqmcl Of Mcjr subjects in the District Of
Columbia Such dreams can never DO
real zcd by any agency Of mine. The
people Of the District Of Columbia are not
the subjects Of the people Of The States, bot
free American citizens. Being in the lat
ter condition when the constitution was
formed, no words used in that instrument
could have been intended 10 deprive them
Of that character. If there is any thing
in the great principle Of inaIicnablc rights,
so cnrphaiically insist.d upon in our Dec
lara'ion Of Independence, they could noith-
q make, nor the United States ACCEPT. a
surrender u their liberties, and become
the subjects, in other words the slaves, Of
their former fellow citizens. If tbs Ln
true, land it viii scafciy be denied by any
one Who has u correct idea Of his own
rights as American citizen. the grant 10
Congress Of exclusive Jurisdiction in ;hc
District Of Columbia can be Interpreted. 50
far rs II respects the aggregate people Of
TIC United States, as meaning nothing
more than to allow Congress the control
ling power necessary 10 afford a free and
safe exercise Of the functions assigned to
the General Government by the coas'lju-
ton. In all other respects, the legislation
Of Congress should be adapted 10 their Pc
culiar position and wants, and be conform
able with their deliberate opinions OF their
own interests.
have spoken Of the necessity Of keep j..
81 ,or-oc.;,.o g O. =