Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-12-22

nal fQg considsnfion. viz:
REsen1En Hatths csnmistss q Comm.rcs shan
ksssailsF 3 sled ~ Comniies "a Copn.res amoag
ing Ne rsrulafon q ads among he ssserA Stsaes az
ne Unoa Thers shall also b add 10 ths siGhdng
eeunines. q g Hsa,s eomni.i.. . ,. composed q
congssce with fosuign Natio1." hshalI have charge
u IL qDsont eoncsrning the rcsa4ioa Of Ii. uade X
he Uaifsd Stasss with fofsign naiioak
ue question pending was upon the following
anerdmens subaitted By Mr. HoUsToS, Of Della
ware, viz:
PaovIDED, Thstf sha. bs he duy Ard power q IN.
Ccmmuee on Cenmsres among the Stalss % ,aksIiutD
consideration asach Petitions. mlsfs and thing. touch
asat e d. n.si u rsen, aks. h.rbor. ~.
and inlehe bod BON Tie seabosrd 80 h he i1erio,
and nos o. ne sad Conmtttes On Foftign Comserre
After NJ. RHErT had spoken against. and Mr..
SGALEH u SMITH N favor Of theladoptiOn BY the
House Of the Bssslutions,-
Mr. BEDlNGER, Of Virginia, rose and said
N snhstAnce: viii express, in ~ few words a.
possible, the reasons which will compel me To vote
against the adoption Of the resolution offered BY
the gentleman from Ohio, > L believe ID 70 Sc IN
polite and unnecessary, IL not nnwise and danger
ons; and cannot avoid the apprehension that in
the end twill produce more agitation and distrac-
ton 10 this House than Information or advantage
To the country. ], among others who oppose this
resolution, may Be thought over cautious, and
may be accused Of starting al shadows; but L Is
better 70 be over cautious IN times like these, than
20 slumber 10 security until wakefulness and eau
ton can no longer avail was seat here TO be
cautious, sir, and 10 he watehful and hope i
shall not slufnber ct my post. And confess i
was very mueh pleased II the pypDpsness and VI
GLANCE manifested BY the gentleman from South
Carolina Mr. RHEIfl on Thursday last when
he took this ball Al the first hop, and called the
attention OF the House TO the covert danger which
he
and that Of older~an wiser men than myself.
teaches me TO believe that the greatest danger to
the institutions and freedom Of this county is to
be apprehended from the constant encroachments
or efforts at encroachment, OF the confedefated
government upon therights and sovereignty of the
individual States. BY maxim is TO preyent, by
every possible means, the greater government
from encroachMg upon, and finally crushing, the
lesser ones, L know that il is more customary
more fashionable, if L., may use the term-just
now to manifest urea siness and profess apprehen-
sions At the power Of the Executive. But, in my
opinion, Il Is not from the Executive that any real
danger need be feared TO tie liberties OF this coun-
try; for the Executive is constantly apd closely
watched by millions Of yigilAnt eyes His slight.
est acts are scaDhed And criticised with jealous
scrutiny; and his slightest alterations from duty,
Or his smallest clutching at llegitima,e power,
meets with such instant and DANGEROUS rebuking,
that the eyes ~ we'll IS the ears of-alI men are
opened At once and If there be indeed any danger,
il is detected and crushed in the bud No Execu-.
Five in this country ever asaused 10 himself more
power than the constitution and laws guaranteed
10 him, without awakening the wrath Of the peo-.
pie, and being hurled with indignation from his
high Office. Executive encroachmeuts are not,
and never can be, rery dangerous, .becanss they
are too easily detected and too zealously opposed
But IL 10 not 50 with the encroachmento Of the fede
lsal government. Thai is always more dangerous,
because il is atsSay more insidious, 1t assumes
. thoasand different shapes, and menaces the
rights Of the States and their liberties, seldom-by
direct attack, bpt often under the specous pretext
iof benefit and advantage land the domestic his
tory Of this country has been little else than Sc
riss Of struggles between the individual States TO
lpreseTve their rights and their sovereignty, and
the federal government to deprive them OF both.
And repeat, that, 10 me- the great danger has al
why's appeared from this tendency upon the part
of the general government, and the small dispos-
ton (Which, much fear, is becoming less every
day. anywhere manifested to guard and protect
the rights of the States against it.. know il is
Too customary now (and am sorry it is SOY los
laugh a. these fears when thus expressed. But
ff those who tst detected this danger had suffer.
ed themselves to have been laughed into silence
and security, our country would not have stood
PIN the eminent position which she now occupies.
repeat, sir, we cannot be too cautious--we can
not make efforts too strenuous 70 prevent the ede.
ral-the more powerful experimentation crush
ing the weaker ones. Il is, IS il in partnership,
Of individuals, the firm" should be permitted 10 |
infringe the individual rights Of the co-partners,
or a. if a se9epty.fouf should be suffered to run
down and swamp her own boats. Now, sir, is |
there anything in the resolution of the gentleman
from Ohio calculated to increase this dangerous
81 -
government Let us read the resolution careful |
,iys and mark well the phraseology: The CON-
mittee "shall have charge Of al questions touch.
ing the regulation OF trade among the several |
States Of the Union" Now, sir, will admit, that
lit be the intention Of this House to carry the
doctrine of internal improvements 10 the length
ayoyed by the gentleman from Indiana, MI.
SnrrH.l whose position am glad to learn il may
be necessary to appoint such committee. But
as am unwilling to believe that the people Of the
United States will ever sanction bis construction
Of the constitution, L can,seei no necessity for
such q committee at present. ! repeat, that am
Glad 10 see the bold ground assumed by the gen.
tleman from Indiana, Mr.. SMIfH. He isofo2in-
ion-ifI did notsmisunder him--that the ge.:
neral government has power TO improve any river,
any stream, any lake, or any harbor, within the
whole area Of this Union. am willing 10 trust
thai issue u the people, sir and never VIII be-
ieve that with the injustice which the proposition
bears upon it, very face, and which was 40 :orci-
bly exhibited by the gentlemaa from South Caro-
Inns, [Mr. RHETr, thatthey will sanction so mon
strous a doctrine But was particularly struck
with one remark of the gentleman from Indiana,
mt. SmfrA.l He said he would not advocate
The improving b, iha general Government Of every
paltry lials stream or harbor in the Union Sir,
( suppose We should thank the gentleman from In
diana for even that admission. But who made
him Judge Of the importance or pattiness OF the
different rivers and harbors in this country; Or
Who 4 ID, constitute any Of us such judges ls
she hize Of the river to determine the constitution
ality Of the act .uf improvement Who shall say
which ofthe rivers in Virginia is the most imPor-
nm * tlat State, except the people Of virginia
sbenaselyes Has the gentleman IN his minds
ave only the great rivers apf hateors Of the west
snd IiI Ne nav no attention % those q any other
sec,;onf il Is these very sectional preferences
whisS render the exercise Of the power 20 danger
ous' n would ssem from tie admissions OF the |
reotemnnsi, nom Indiana. chat there was danger
II lie saiuted gale" and that the aParehsnsipns
Of the rentIeman from 8. Carplina Mr. RHErrJ |
were not ilI.gfounded The object Of the resoln. |
,ion seems nov 10 bs Avowed TO be to further and
s0stain the cause Of internal improvements BY the