Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-04-11
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our common country, and unaffected res1,d f., ~
welfare of its people. All earnestly solicited -
unite in the effort TO avert the calamities which ara
follow upon Democratic supremacy, and 10 s,ys :,
Government from the destruction which will inev,bl
ersue. Without pansing to investigate, or to camm.
upon the fiscal statistics, gathered from the repo,ts
partizan committees, which form the subject or H.,
first portion of the Address, and which haze bsa ~
frequently and successfully denied and dsp.oyea va
will pass At 10 that part Of the Address hrs
developes the first principle advanced and relied up11
by the Wing party, 10 maintain the issue mad. he's -
the country. FoumInous, and dlscursive IN matte,
and style i. is, may well he doubted it the R~ayl
Lean party are aFP:cd Of the principles ard measures
avo"ed and ylndcaed by The Address But i; il
asked, without the fear Of contradiction, is H. =
States Rights man in Virginia, who, upon reading j.
did not start and trem5'e rerceivng that the ead,
OF one OF the parties in the State maintained and ms.
thed doctrines SO Federal, and utterly des,rcc,.ye #
the Union and of The sovereignty of the States a.
those promu gated in that Address Will be believed
that the Wing leaders, claiming be strict cons.se,
tion;sts and the only pure States Rights men, haze
declared that Congress has supreme and unllni..d
control over the currency, not the metallic currency
Alone but over the whole paper currency of the coun
| Try that the wants and requirements OF Govern.
menf, IN collecting and disbursing its revenue, aye
subordinate to that higher duty devoyng upon Con.
gress to CREATE currency for the benefit and iniess;
of the "whole community'' Describing the cons.i,.
tional scruples heretofore affected IN deriving 4.
power TO create United States Bank as ncidenja. .
the other granted powers, ard indispensable 10 car,
them into effect the Address boldly d. ciares that ~
exists an original power in the Federal Goverarj,n ,
create National Bank But let the Addres, sae.
foF itself-"The Wing party maintain, thai The Fee
raj Government cannot fulfil lis duties the count,,
unless it creates National Institution, which Will IT,
medy the present defects of monetary system and
meet all the wants of the community and thu Govern
ment." Again-"The wants and necessities a.. ,;o
vernment, which are subordinate 10 lie wants a.
! the people, require it," These ere the dogma. y
teaches. But does not the eaGury spring ae lns G
every Republican, what duty this the Fete.al c..
vernment has 10 perform that IS benefit the people
OF this Conisceracy, ard is not embraced aad er5rel
IN the language Of the Consi,uiion' Wien g.
this general power 10 superniend and prnvide i.
The interests Of the people derived Does The
Wing party venture 10 assert, that the connexon be-
tween the people OF this Union, and the Fedora Co.
vcrnment exists, in any other mode, than througt
and by virtue of the Constitution Glone Is he tesr.
full and monarchical doctrine 10 prevail, that Tie fss
raj Government unreatrained by constitutional cccss
is to carry into effect any scheme which Conaresg
shall determine the "wants Of the communl., Re-
qnire: Have the Wing party forgotten tie tsiers.
tive character of our Gove.amcn that they are cagf,
10 invest the Federal Government with c.neraI
control and supern,endence over The interests Of The
people, do they seek power, that ti!e. o Il
may be alike unlimited and irresponsible: What "du
ties these irrespective Of the duties supposed by
the Constitution, the Federal Government o"es no
community, which renders The creation OF a National
Bank imperative and ndisp nsabe 10 their nt~r 81.
If this general power bounded only by the wants q tie
community, Of which too, Congress The cole AID
self constituted judge, is inherent in the Fedeai e..
vernment why were the alien and sedition laws u.
sisted: Why if The Federal Government is the 50.
preme guardian Of the interests Of all the people Of :
Union and may without constitutional authority,
any law, which it shall determine the "wan;s Of N,
community require, the Wings SO clamoronsly
claiming to be State Rights mem What rights
reserved 10 the States, which must not be yielded,
whenever they conflict with the arbitrary Laws Of hc
Federal Government, enacted ostensby Tor the benefit
of the community? Does II require argument 10 COT.
vince that ours IS strictly limited Government; that
the Constitution contains the only charter OF lis
ence that there exists no power IN the Federal e..
vernmen, not expressly granted by the Constitution
that the "dues of the Federal Government, are CO.'S.
mensura,e with its powers alone, and cannot exceed
them 1t cannot be necessary 10 Go more than FePoa.
these fundamental prlnc'ples-Ail must acknowledge
their truth. They seem, however, 10 have btea
wholly overlooked by those who compiled the "Ad-
dress. But, again. so jealous have the people ever been
of the powers of the Federal Government, and that
mistake as 10 their limit might :rlse, after III
adoption OF the Constitution, an amendment IN terms
providing "that the powers no, delegated 10 the 5
by the Constitution, are reserved 10 the States, was
passed as additional bulwark against is
ments Then, II ~il! te asked, how this novel and
alarming principle, that the "wanis of the community
give authority and power 10 the General Government
not delegated by The Constitution, maintained ard su,
ported The Constitution does not i've any such Pcg
er, and hence it is not cited u is of the political
tenets of the Wing party, and derived from source
which shows plainly enough, how hopeless would have
been the task of defending upon constitutional prn
cples. But, again, let the address speak Tor Itself. AL
powers and duties of the Federal Government ever
and in ccnnexion with the currency, question
IL issue between the i1o great parties IN the country
In other countries, whatever their grade of cvzl,on
when elevated obove barbarism, the power and duly
the Government 10 create and regulate the currency
OF lis people, have been fully recognised exercised l
accomplished. And in this Union until recently 1t
vas not Denied that cur Federal Government, had pow
er TO create and regulate the currency of tbs county
Thus elinqushing the effort establish by the Co
stitution, the power here claimed, the Wig Leaders
have derived it by analogy 10 oil civilized Governments
Instead oil seeking for The authority 10 n Natons
Bank IN the only charter of our national existence
this power is claimed because it is exercised without Oh
lection in all civilized Governments If this mode q
acquiring power shall be recognized and adopted wha
limit, short OF absolute desposm is 10 be placed upon
these adventurous powers Of the Federal Government
This doctrine is monstrous, and the people OF Virgin.
must with voice, dsclaim and denounce it. DGt !:
may be said, have not the principles of the Wing i'd
dress been misconceyed or mlsin,erpreted, and have
the arguments in favor of this new power been iary
stated: Let the address be studied by those who gaze
u birth, and we may safely challenge contradiction
No single clause Of the Constitution has been quoted
TO justify the assumption of this novel power or
warrant this dangerous claim But, utterly regardless
Of all restraint and faithful only to tie purposes Ct
party-the Strengthening Of the Federal Government
and the creation Of great central power which shall
annlhate State sovereigntes-,he address has sought
to vindica,e its claim 10 this alarming power hy aa7
gy 70 the monarchies of Europe. Then, may not l.:
umphanty be asked, is the alarm cry raised By every
faithful sentinel upon the rampars of The S:a!s
which has been der'dnsy ascrlbed TO :endensi
ism, the result only of imaginary fear or is It no.
founded upon just and rea! causes Of apprehension
Have the omincus predictions of those who haye
watched with unrng vigilance the constant prcclvIy
of that party to cenralism, ard who have ever sought
10 arouse the people 10 full sense OF lhe;I tro.
been iallacius and illusory' Unfortunately thy ae
been too true, and the declaration OF principe ead
purpose, made, for the first time in Virginia ~;
address, have clearly verified the sagac,'y and lore
sight Of these sleepiess guardians of the Consuic'
ton ard of the States The time fer action. fceseea
by tfein, has arrived, and upon the ms5',
may the final dcs,inies Of the country depend TIE
rancorous struggle for measures, whose exPedeDy
alone gave rise to controversy, has ceased, and TIE
contest IS now 10 be waged between those who woat
the Constitution The only ba