The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-04

-" = From he RieAssoad Eaqulres.
JOHN NlCHOLAAr-lNall
To The People Of vixinis sss. especially aud to tie
People n ~ Usiled atstss generally.
Feliow-C Citizens: For the prosperity Of our be-
loved country, and Of sacred Constitution, the
rosts Of sixty winters hate NOT chilled tho heart of
him who now addresses you. BY most fortunate
position in society, the eyes Of my early childhood
wers delighted BY the veDerabIe forms OF the great
and ustrious Of our land whom II was early taught
10 honor aud to loys-aud such teachers !-Of WASH
ington, and Jefferson, and Madison, and the Lees,
Richard Henry and Arthur, and of many other
choice spirits of that splendid epoehwe scarce shall
sec their like again. Ripe with glory some Of them,
about this time, numbered with the mighty dead;
ou the impress of their forms, and of those exterior
manners which truly reflect the inner man, is retain
90 with ai tho vivid freshness of fond and faithful
ana uncerng memory. "a
Mosa mat Fspd political separation had taken
band Of 6ro&hert had bean for 90 MANY wears united
III ono conoen cause, agajpst one common enemy,
as well in The cabinet ~ iths Rsld and when the
great PsIo.spaes q pariias, undar lhe name
more extensive influence throughout our society and
when the severance was plain to the dullest vision
that position enabled to witness re mental
conflict, which many fehin such separation. and
placed me, whence lookeron in Venice and kcen
observer, witnessed many Of the moot interesting
steps, in the formation Of party then decided and
acted upon.
When arrived at manhood, the force OF such ex
ampes could not be lost and the heart did beat to
serve my country; but by stern necessity, my posi-
ton then, and since, and now, for the greater time
has been in station the most humble, and by many
most despised- there il respect of persons with
God Taking sides with the Republicans, and as a
spectator for the most part, Of my later ycars-hay-
ing my mind settled and landed and fortified in the
certainty Of these truths, and stored with the doc.
trines Of the Fathers of that Political School, have,
with pleasure indescrbabc from place Of secu-
rity, deserted the battle rsged and as the spec
tator At chnes aees moro clearly than the players
themselves the errors and mistakes of the "mimc
troops" so, in the serenity Of my position this plea
sure has been often interrupted by deviation from
the principles of Republicanism, as settled in 1898
and 1900, when put in practice by these who laid
these beautiful foundations, upon which alone this
Constitution for the States United, can in safety rest
And as Waterman from the watch tower giyeth
warning Of DANGER acting under the solemn obliga-
ton OF an oath to support this Constitution fo, the
United Sates in the understood by the Con-
venton when framing It, and by the States when rat
flying it, respectively each for itself and not for ano-
Their; have endeavored, when the Constitution has
been assaled, to sound the tocsin of alarm. s
0And whether they have heard, or whether they
have forborne equally unawed by ridicule and con-
tempt with Madson's report my load star, have,
in the press whose flag flies the Capitol of the An
cient Dominion, LIS
"Verite sans Pepv,"
in truth and in sincerity endeavored SO to blow the
trumpet that the tube should not give an uncer-
tain sound. To the call,
"Watchman, what of the night
Hatchnan, ,ohat Of the night"
The watchman says, as the political prophet Of old
did say, be
the danger is not yet overt"
Such are the memorable words Of a distinguished pa.
triot long since descended 10 the tomb But his adj
monition lives still however, to warn of danger vet
to come, and to make feel that the price of liberty
is an eternal vigilance II ever political prophecy
was fulfilled and verified in the progress of time this
most assurcdly is one. To derive from this warning
all the benefit intended by the seer, at the moment Of
its delivery, it will be Of the very first necessity 10
hold constantly in mind that the spirit of party is
greatly adverse to the investigation and free admis
sion oil truth while recurrence is made 70 times
and principles to which his prediction refers For
it is asserted, with confidence, that there never was
period in the history of the United States, when
recurrence (real frank and honesty to the great prn-
cPles OF American Liberty, was ever more necessa-
n than at the present. and with equal confidence for
the truth oil this assertion, appeal is fearlessy
made to the actual condition Of the parlies which
have so recently agitated, and are, at this moment
preparing again to sgate, still intensely this
widespread community Of these United States.
The Federal Convention which framed "this Con-
stituton the States United" ended its labors on
the It'll of September, 1851, after having spert up
powers TO be enumerated, and after having written
them and inserted them in their plau as proper
TO be vested in the Federal Government and n AZ
JEcTINc from their plan, such powers propos-
ed 10 be added thereto, bu. which were deemed hy
that Convention as improper and unnecessary. and
too dangerous 10 be rested in the .hsp Government
Notwithstanding the profound wisdom of the ur-
rivaiicd statesmen, who composed this truly august
assemblage, Qt contained Warrington Mason, Frank
lin, and Madson,) and although this splendid State
paper is ndeibly stamped throughout, with evident
marks OF the most jealous and the most anxiou. de-
tail and enumeration Of all the powers intended to be
granted by that Convention, yet did this Contitu-
ton the States United" nevertheless contain
certain general phrases and terms" which, il was
feared would by the subtIetes Of Interpretation
so liable to misconstrucoD, TO destroy entirely
the effect of the particular enumeration of powers
by which they limited ard explained. Il
These general terms and phrases are found, Ist in
the preamble to the Constitution, which, among other
things, declares, that the people do establish "ths
Constitution the United States to provide for
the General Weyne.p
ID. In Art. i, Sec. WILL Clause l. which declares
that Congress shall have power to lay and collect
taxes, to provide for the "Gentrai Weifarc-and in
the last clause OF the same article, which declares
3dIy-that Congress shall have power TO make all
laws which shall be necessary AND PROPER for carry
ing INTO execution the foregoing powers and all other
power vested by 'this Constitution for the States
IN the Government Of the United States or any de-
partment or officer thereof.
'hese phrases gave great and welI-founded uneasi-
ness. To quiet this apprehension, various amend
ments were adopted, according to the provisions Of
the fifth articl which prescripes the only method
to the exclusion of ell others, by which powers not in
that instrument at the moment Of its signature by the
Federal Convention, and at the moment of its ratifca-
ton, by the ,,peeire States, alone be inserted in
it, and can consequently be alone constitutionaly ex-
erciseJ.
Among these amendments, the ninth declares,
that
"The enumeration, in the Constitution Of certain
rights, shall not be construed deny or disparage
Others retained by the people, and the tenth amend
ment declares, that
The powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States
are reserved TO the States RESPECTIVELY, or to
the people,"
After the final ratification Of the Constitution of The