Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-12-10
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Charleston Ercnmg Ne1rs

Mr.. CAMHouN's MEMPHIS SPEECH.
The resolution of AIR. Mccarthy covers
ground ample enough to justify Mr.. Cal
houn in the doctrines he has advanced in
his Memphis speech, supposins that the
newspaper reports oil that speech 10 lie ac
curate. THAT resolution expresses the
constitutional incompelency of Congress to
make appropriations "iur internal improve
menis, for clearing outrivers, unless plainly
absolutely necessary for the ae fence of the
Uniou.' We repeat that this resolution
! has sufficient ampifude to cuver all thai
Mr.. Calhoun has affirmed. That genl".
man, in elucidalinn of his opinions, which
had heen misapprehendcd bya member
from Illinois, ruse aud said
II wish 10 be distinctly understood that
the power of The General Government 10
construct roads, &C.. is limited To ite pur
pose of defence Of the confrdcraled States.
! There is an error in the common under
standing of The words ..Natioua power"
general welfare" The words are fre.
queuIly nlisapplied. There is no" Ma
lional power" as appliedIo The General
Government, beyond what is expressed in
the Constitution. We are, in our conled-
Eera,i0n, a congregation Of il,stipus, ,spf soy
ereign States, and or, n,that feature our sys-
ITEM depends. When you say au object
is Of national importance. you mean.il is
Il constitutional importance. II we had
no'conStituliou to bind us in one compact,
There would not be what is commonly
called tile general welfare" Now these
things all come back on The one grand
! feature, that we are several nations CON
cresaled in one compact.
The GcneraI Goverrmcn, cannot gram
appropriations for local purposes not con
Injected with naliu;sal defence. But the
Mississippi river aud lis navganIe branches
are peculiarly an Object within the range
Of their constitutional aid--lt washes sev.
eral of these sovereign Srates--and in shat
view il may lrnly be considered as much
an inland sea as either the Chesapeake or
Delaware bays.
Local appropriations it is true, gentle.
men, are always abused by what is com
monty called "os rolIins," and The re
suit thereof is TO be seen in the fact, which
stated yesterday, that lie cr'ire value OF
the works thus far completed by the Gen.
eral Government in that manner al the
expense "f nearly seventeen millions of
! dollars is now reduced 10 about million
3, Of dollars.s
ltake The liberty. Of making these re.
marks, thai NAV not be misunderstood.
4. Now here il is affirmed ",hal The power
/, of HE general government 10 construct
! roads Is limited 10 The purpose f offence
ulrhe confrdera,ed States This is pre-
cisely rhe proposition embraced in Mr..
/ McCarlhy's resolution. Again" (says
! Mr.. Calh"un.) 'rhc general government
cunuol grant appropriations for lucal pur
4 poses not connected with national dc efncc." i"
This is exactly saying, in negaliun of the
power of Congress, what Nj. Mccarthy
has negatively ave:ed But Mr.. Calhoun
proceeds 10 explain ,chy he considers The
Mississippi river and Its navigable b'an-
ches' peculiarly an object within The scope
OF the constitutional power OF The general
government. because ut washes seye
razor .nese sovereign eta'esIa"a F!,, N lna'
e'etc may re truiy considered US ..i .nucl' al
in'anu sea as ei,her me NhessaPeaAe o'
delaware bays. 80. $50,
I, NOW lhe only remalnlnS question: II ap
pears 10 lI u.s. Is what Is me character ot the