Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-25
coNCREss--ad Session
.Nondey, Ed. ~, :oi3.

ing up the bill Tor The relief Of Mrs Thompson, widow
OF the late Col. Thorn pson but after few remarks
from Messrs ALLEN and WOODBURY., suggesting
that II this bill was taken up, it would interfere with
The resolutions OF the Senator from S. Carolina, Mr.
NcDuhe,J which were in order during the morning
hour, he withdrew the motion
The CHAIR then announced that the following reso.
uons submitted by the Senator from S. Carolina rNr
McDulfe,] were in order, viz:
Rcsoired, That the Government of the U. S. has no
constitutional power to assume the debts contracted by
the States for their own proper purposes by the issue
of stock, whatever fund may be pledged for the pay
mcnt ct The interest principal.
Res0trcd, That il is inc xpedent for this Government
thus 10 assume the Aforesaid debts
Mr.. McDUFFlE said It was not his intention when
lie submitted these resolutions sitter Gin gle sen
tencc 10 enforce favorable action upon them; but as
he had very few ideas 10 express on the subject and
the Senate being very thin, he would avail himself OF
few moments of its time to express his views on
the spirit OF those resolutions. Had the Congress OF
the United States the power to execute the object to
which the resolutions relate? That was the first and
most important question, and in regard to that cues
ton. he confessed he was surprised at the remarks
which fell from the Senator from Kentucky (Mr.
C.,enden, the other side Of TIE Senate, on Sa
trdnv, when the PRACTICAL neIrosalory was as 10 the
constitutional power OF Congress execute this nea
That Senator after haYing rsclamed that there
obligation on this Government TO DISCHARGE the
debts Of the Stats, went to say tina, there was no
provision in Tie Constitution which prohibited an OK
ercise, by Congress- % pog:cr the mater,
form or other. lie (hr. hlcD confessed that he was
surprised TO hear that remark particularly as coming
from the honorable Senator from Kentucky, who, he
was sure was brought up al the time when those I'D
mirable constitutional doctrines emara.ed from the
State of Kentucky in 1900 He (hlr. McD) was sure
that the Congress of The IT, S. was prohibited from
exercising the power; and were they 10 be called upon
TO assume the exercise of that power, because it
not prohibited hy the Constitution;
South Carolina, and explained his former remarks to
which he (ilr. Med had alluded. What ne then
mean; the whole tenor o: his remarks would
sow--,!at lie was unwilling 10 express opinion al
tha, time, as to the power Of Congress interfere in
this matter. lie did not intend say that Congress
could exercise any power, except such powers
expressly granted which were implied necessary
to carry express grants of power into effect
Mr.. McDUFFlE resumed He was glad TO hear the
explanation Of the Senator. He entirely concurred
with him in that vew-as he presumed every Senator
would,hat they had all the powers expressly granted,
and which were implied necessary to carry out those
in such grants.
He would now proceed to demonstrate, (as lie be.
lieved would not be difficult To do) that there was
not only such power granted By the Constitution 10
TIE Congress of the United States, bu: that he
cisc Of such power was positively prohibited, a.
human language could convey a prohibition " hat
it tia; proposed TO lie done; lie besough,
gentlemen 10 realize practical view Of the matter
The stock which IT was proposed 10 issue, it true,
TO be sustained in part By the income derived from
the public lands Bnt he wished 10 remove from the
minds of Senators all Illusion upon this point. The
whole of the Government would be necessn
rly charged with the enormous burden contemplated
by the scheme Of the issue Of Government stock =
What were the powers TO be exercised The whole
money power of the Government-thc power of Dor
rowing and the power OF appropriating-the whole
money powcr-a power involving oil The Other
ot fln Government ~ fha
10 be brought into exercise And he asked il th.re
not reference 10 the exercise Of this power, H.
imitation express human language could make il: II
declared IN the Constitution that Congress should
have The Pawer Of raising money-ior what puFposc:-
To provide "for the common defence and general well
fare of the Union. The only purpose for which Con
g:ess could raise and appropriate money in any form,
was TO provide for the common defence end general
welfare Of The U. S. Now, if the payment Of State
deb,s-the interference with, assumption of State
auhority-could be considered as embraced within the
terms "common defence and general welfare, he
fssed that TO him language had lost its power and they
might as well throw aside the Constitution at 1t
seemed TO him particularly clear that the powers which
would he involved in the operation Of this scheme
positively AID expressly prohibited by the terms Of The
Constitution. Language could not make il palmer;
and lie won!d Tot, therefore, consume any more Of
the o! the Senate upon the question of constitution
al power.
They were thus arrested ct the very threshold; and
ali those who, with bin, entertained tie opinion which
he had jus: eXpressed-that the exercise Of such q
power this would be plainly unconstitutional
maintain the ground lhat any attempt to impose upon
the Government If the U. S. the exercise of such n
power must be- and hereafter, destitute Of any e
feet. They could moi pledge the faith Of this Govern
ment for any such purpose.
But, suppose that, by strained construction, they
conld assume themselves such power as this: when
they came consider its practical result, II would seem
so totally all the principles OF the Govern
men, and FAR to derange The operations, the control
and tie responsibility oil the whole system as 10 render
evident, unconstitutional even Independently OF the
express pIn!;iaIicn.
II was proposed 10 throw upon this Government the
responsibility Of collecting taxes for the States and IL
relieve the State Governments from all responsibility
IN the matter. lie begged Senators TO consider tins
proposition and, with that view, lie would repeat that
it as proposed that this Government should perform
the par, of Ia gaherer for the several S,ces-gving
the State Governments the control the fund.- with
oul any responsibility as TO lis collection And, II they
looked the in which the debts of the Stairs
had been contracted, and at the means b. which they
had besd carried on under the most extraordinary delu-
sion in the prosecution of their WORKS of internal iE
proyeraen,, he thought they word be Acknowledging
tna in strong !inguage-of tic impToproty OF The PRO
posed sceu. # assumption Daring the ,csttew years,
about two hundred millions Of dollars OF foreign capital
I'd bccn brought into Ike country Was there any
tang a. couid so totally delange all the money tay al
airs of the Govcrnine -. The Introduction Of Es cnor
nous amount Of foreign capital: twas ike shower ci
gold poured ont upon The States the natural operation OF
which 10 enhance the price Of everything and
might not be inappropriate to say here, that The I'M.
portaton of this immense amount OF foreign capital
had contributed much The extraordinary exran-
SION of bank crcuation any other cause whatever,
To occasion those dsresses under which the country
was iaborrg. During the period 10 which he bad
referred, perfect celirum had been produced blen
acted precisely il they had been under the influence
Of stimulating draught. All responsibility IN The
disposal CT tie public money was destroyed And II
won!d be secn by looking the manner m which the
pnhiic WORKS Of ,n!crua improvement "ere carried On.
all he agents connected with those works acted
precisely ii they magacd The funds devoted 10 that
purpose had rGiGel down from heaven here was un!-
vcrsai excitement universal dei.uai; AID The coase.
greece was the vosis cost three, our, or Eve times rs
Guci Is they could BE- CONSTRUCTED for What did
this goto show /: showed ha, those 10 whom The ap
preparation Of the money ccnded, ielt no sort Of
responsibility And lie would venture 10 assert that, ct
,.,s very moment there prudent man IN the U.
States ho had capiial, who would take, asa gift, nine
,enhs of the internal Improvements made by foreign
capital if he to be bound by the terms Of the gift
to keep up those works. They would not pay the ex
pense. And he mus, be permitted 10 FAY that the prac.
lice Of Borrowing money by the sac Governments