Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1843-02-15
MINORITY REPORT.

Skoseoy Wv -
Debts.
The minority Of tho Committee OF Ways
aud Means, asserting 10 most oil the rea-
sons aud TO the conclusion presented IN
The report Of the majority against the pray.
or of the memorialists. asking the Federal
Government, 10 issue 5000. 000,O 600 of pub
lie stock in aid of tho debts OF the Slales'
would also urge. 10 addition. without pre-
tending to go into anything like a full!
development oftheir reasons,) that they
deem tho exercise Of such a power on The
par, OF the General Government unaaMor-
ICED by he Constitution.
The minority have always been lnduccd
to believe that The Federal Constitution
was a conpac, to which the States acce.
dsd, and became parties; and that The
30 wcrs Of the Government, accrued from
:ha, compact. and were defued in IT. BE-
foro Congress is authorized 10 act upon
any suhiect-mauer, il mus, FIRST DC such a
subject, over which power is specifically
grated in that instrument, ofcleariy 10 be
inferred as absolutely necessary 10 carry
out some granted power. They eau SEQ
no positive grant Of power,o Congress to
authorize them TO do what the memorial
lists desire.
To assume such q debt aud to create
such a stock, biudirs upon pos,eri'y. Id a
very high exercise OF sovereign power,
and is IN itself, independent, aud sub,tnn-
tive. and caunot be inferred as incidental
10 a enn over inferior subjects.
There is a clause in the Constitution
which declares tina, Congress shall have
power 10 lay and collect taxes, duties, i'm
posts, aud excuses, and provide for the
common defence and general welfare
CT the United S,ales," tSec. 81 Thi,
power was no, given to pay the debts OF
the several States Of this union, but the
debts of tho "United States" These
words define the copfederacy Of States
a q whole, and as coutradistineuished
rom the seperaie and independent States.
To assume lha, this power was given to
authorize the Government to pay The
debts Of the separate States contracted
solely Tor ,bcir benefit and for their local
purposes, is 10 allow the different States
to contract debts. aud, through the Federal
Government. TO bind others TO pay them;
which would mako this Government
subserv;ebt 10 local Interests and to State
an,hcriiy, aud absorb "Ihc general well
fare of fhe United Stales." Ifthis should
be The established principle Of the Govern
mspt, Il would be directly st!mu!atip2
-clfeuS c,.,y ;.sev "a Wild yuICeI CT TrrK.ssS
speculation, which would inevitably end
In ,heir seperete existence, or 10 a c%onsoIi-
dated despo,ism, where even their boun-
daries would DO forgotten amid the uni
vcrsai despair that would follow tho over
throw Of constitutional liberty.
The terms general welfare in the
Constitution, were designed as a mere de-
cisrstion Of extreme caution ; and The sruo
intent aad meaning Of those who used
them va,, ths, they should 10 a limitation
TO the apparently absolute und uncontrol-
led power given 10 The Same clause-"io
lay and eollee, taxes. .,o pay h e'deb,s,"
&c. IL vas intended that this power
should act be used wan'ouly or unjuslly :
bat thar Congress should strictly consult
the general ~ e!faro ofihe United States"
and carry cu, the same only r. %contiuu-
iue lis full exercise 10 objects especially
enumerated 10 thai Instrument, aud which
are thereby declared TO be national
These powers were not Intended 10 be
applied 10 local interests, or to State debts;
hui TO those great nationai objects which
were specially declared by grants of pow.
or 10 be- within the jurisdiction Of The
General Government.
Il, IS no, denied that this Governpen,
is one of lini'ed powers, and that the
Constitution is in,cuded TO define those
powers. BY merely assuming That ii is
national, YOU cannot effect objects n",
enumerated. or no, cssau,iully necessary
10 those ,ha, are. The convection which
has precisely defined those objects or
power ,ha, are national. and Congress
cannot legally undertake TO declare what
shaII also DO national for other purposes
moi de6aed in the Constitution.
To do so, is to do nothing more nor
less than 10 claim tina; Congress shall set
I'D ils OWE discretion cs 10 The objects OF
general welfare" instead Of con6ning its
action TO the specific enumerated powers
os,he Constitution itself. If tho "general
welfare" DO the ouly limitation on tho
discretion of Congress, why then any en-
umera,ion Of powers at all! All power was
a, once given, and the judgement Of Con-
c,ess was ,hrecby declared TO DO the Con-
s,i,u,ian OF the confederacy. What RICH,
have we to set aside The Judgment of the
c~onven,ionl They chose by enumera-
ting tho powers, to show what were intcn-
ded to be national objects; aud The very
enumeration excludes the idea Of leSisla-
ton upou subjects no, enumerated.
The minority consider tho proposition
10 pledge the faith Of this Government for
the redemption Of goo, O00, 900 Of public
stock TO relieve tho States, or pay their
debts. as involving the whole taxing pow
er ofihis Government.
It is q proposition to tax pos'erity not for
tho existence aud independence Of the
confcderacy, but for purposes unknown to
tho CONSTITUTIONS, and IL, war with those
princ;ules Of liberty which secure 10 q free
people the practical RICH, TO tax themselves
aIonc, and 10 be protected from The law