Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-01-09

OfSi LuotCIu LACtIOCIos u lnO akOh(y
OF Robert Morris, with those OF the
middle States, effected his side OF the
engagement; and SO the Assumption was
passed; and twenty millions al stock
divided among C,voured States"
Such is the history of Assumption, as
given by MIR. JefTersnn.
tlt was but n few days ago that in men
tioniag this history to u Senator, . he
Informed me that in n conversation
which he had held with your grad sire,
Charles Carol, OF Carrolton, who was
in the Senate f.om Maryland in 1890.
and voted for the bill. thdt he stated
that the only time that he knew Gen
Washington 10 wish to effect an arrange
ment, was on the occasion alluded to:
and that he was strongly importuned by
Cen Washington TO vote for the as
sumption bill. Mr.. Madison. Fisher.
Ames, and a host of other distinguished
men voted for tho measure without ever
entertaining a Constitutional doubt upon
the subject. Would a score Of mo Iern
PolIiicions weigh equally in opposing
scales IN the mind Of a plain hsnest far
mer, with the least distinguished of.hese
Industrious names?
What higher authori y can be ad1u
eed IN relation to the power Of Congress
to do any act OF public usefulness than
is presented in support of the Law OF
Assumption Of 1902 Gen. Washington
who presided over the Convention that
framed the constitution, signed the bi 1.
Mr.. Madison who took so commanding
a part in its formation and adoption, as
ItO be Nailad tho Ensho- II IL
tion, as Gen. Washington has been cal.
led the father of his country, advocated
and voted for the bill.
MIR. Jefferson, whose fame is incorpo-
rated in our national independence. with
hts view then of the most rigid cast on
constitutional construction, used his in
huence 10 rcsuscitate a rejected bill, and
6y MS tnfaeAce OUer tie Virginia mem
bers placed on the statute Book the IAN
81 1870. And he afterwards. as Presi
dent, in 1909, formed a treaty with
Great Britain by which this Government
assumed individual debts to the amount
OF 100000.
Alexander Hamilton and Robert Nor
rIs, whose names stand withou, compar
Ison as the ablest iinanciers Of this ma
zion, the former recommended tho law
orl790 as Secretary Of the Treasury,
and the later advocated and voted for 1t
as United States Senator from Pennsyl.
vania.
IT has been asserted by some oppo :
nents OF the measure hat propose,
thatlt was wise aud ~Lstituti1naI To
assume The debts Of the States i'm 1890
because those debts were contracted du
ring the revolutionary war, but that il
would be desirable but unconstitutional
Tor the General Government to extend
any aid To the States now, because they
have been contracted since the Corma-
ton orthe Constitution. There is a de-
clared power in the Con Stitution that
Congress shall assume the debts of the
Coniederated Government--but no
where that II should assume the debts
OF the States. The Confcderated Gov
eminent could contract debts and levy
the payment upon the Sta:e by a fired
rule Of d~PPortiOnmeHt, but the States
could not at their pleasure create
de DTS without the authority OF the con
federate Government, and d mdnd the
assumption and payment By The GOusya
meHt,
Then an omission to declare in the
ConstiiniionIhatIhe Government of the
United States shall assume the debts of
the States contracted before the adoption
Of the Constitution, whilst it declares
Congress shall assume the debts Of the
Confederate Government contracted be.
fore the adoption Of the Constitution.
clearly evidences hat those debts Of the
States stood upon the ground Of any
other debts, and gave TO Congress the
fullest discretion to assume or not to as.
sumo them as the public interest nigh,
require. Nor was the rule laid down
in the law Of 1890 for the liquidation of
debts contracted by the States during
the confede ration, the same as exis. ed
under the Articles OF Confederation: nor
were the relative amounts assumed in
proportion to any scale for collecting du.
ties or taxes by the government or of.
aPPortionment OF representation by the
Constitution. Congress assumed the
debt under the general powers Of the
Constitution. And its sense Of the ben
ehts 10 the States and the Nation was
the moving principle to exert those gen.
eral powers.
MIR. Jefierson's first impressions were
ag' inst the ProPriety OF adoL ting the law
of 1890, because "this money, uhe
State debts at that time.j whether wisely
or ioohshly spent, was pretended 10
have been spent for general purposes,
and ought, therefore, to be paid from the
genera purse. Ruf - uo, oL.,.I