The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-01-26
From Noah's Sunday Times
THE VAGRANT POWERS OF THE CON.

From Moah's Sunday Times
1.-THE VAGRANT POWERS OF THE CON-
sTITUTION.'
Amidst the many parties which have sprung
up since our national independence, having va
rious objects and Under various n%ames-all,
however, aiming at the attainment Of power
it is to be lamented- as a national grievance
that we never had a strictly constitutional
party; that is to say, a party watchiul IN de
Tending the plain direct and literal constrpc'
tion Of the constitution party not only sus'
%picious and jealous Of the slo W and steady in
crease Of the powers Of Congress, but q par
" boldly and Patrioiically opposed to the as
sumption Of undelegated powers. The rea-
son is obvious. Each party had its platform
Of personal and political interesl-each section
Of the country had some special object to adj
vance-each man hoped to spring into power
as the leader Of some new principle, no mat
ter what was the ground on which the new
banner was to be planted. II embraced q per-
sonal, sectional, OF political interest; the con
~stitutiOn alone-the pride, the glory, the safe
~ Of the country-had no party especially
created as its guardian or defenders, and 50 y
has ever been, and so it stands at this day
The early patriots Of our revolution, when
they had completed their great labors in the
adoption Of the constitution, felt a just pride
at contemplating its harmony, it's delicate ad-
iustment Of powers, its valuable limits, and
it's clear and definite protection Of popular
rights, but The novelty soon wore off. II
worked, and answered every purpose. It's
defined powers, it's checks and balances were
all that the safety Of the country required, and
il was permitted to work its own way-silently
efectually usefuRy. The nature Of men,
however, we are taught by Scriptures, has al.
ways been rebellious-they %overleaP whatever
stands in the way Of their wilFul purposes;
and so it has been with our constitution, or
what has been aptly called the : vagrant
powers Hamilton took a broad ground on
this almost illlmitable construction; but he
had his. attachments, and consequently his
fears. Bold as he was as a political leader he
still had great veneration for the written char.
ter, and approached il with great caution aud
prudence. Implied or incidental powers were
once fashionable doctrines and have been
yielded as necessary to carry out the ex'
press rights conferred by Congress, rheyIwer'
claimed TO an unlimited extent. The cleo
ton Of Mr., Jefferson, in 1900, put an end L
these progressive errors. Then we had stric
constructions Of the constitutional was
popular and fashionable doctrine but, alas
: how long did it last when opposed by priyat
interests? In 1910, a bill was reported reviv
3 ing the charter Of the old Bank. No MAJ
s opposed it with more ability, severity and sar
casm, as a dangerous assumption Of Consli
%tutionOl powers, than Mr.. Clay; yet he re
5 cognises those very constitutional powers a
\ vested in Congress for roads and canals. -
e Mr.. Madison admitted, very reluctantly, i
}. yielding to the progress Of opinion, the con
stltutiOnality Of the bank. but refused to sig
ID a bill appropriating money for 'roads and ca
I; nals.' Both powers must have been draw
from the same source, yet here were two EN-.
b. nenl public men denying one and admiuih
ns the other. Mr.. MunrOe said he would VET
such laws, yet finally he yielded and approve
or them. From what source are all these col
a. s%tructiye rights derived! We answer from II
: VGgrant PoUers Of he cOnshtatiOn,' ii
ID Once . proper jealousy existed thrOughOI
On The nation al the increasing and alarmiI
powers, real and assume d Of Congress, whi'
~ threatened to run into consultations now
It'll are actually urging Congress TO clOths its'
TO with all kinds Of indefinite powers, and ev
ice States will be called upon to yield up a pl
of their sovereign pow erS, on condition
The having the rest recognised. Gen. JaOksc
me finding not even a .yagrant powet' in /
ID, constitution to authorize him to seize up
the public deposits, uttered the fatal words
take he responsibility , and people said : yOn
Of figiaa IA
fcf Whenever a party object is in view,
party is willing to carry ii BY any constrrue,
HE power. The tend %iustifOs the means.' /
President Van Buren, and Senator Benton, v
mp were stern and vigiIaut supporters Of the ii
lar, Of the slave States, as long as any political b
the EMIT could be drawn from that supporth have n
lni- turned a~bolihonlsts, 10 tty what Is to be mi
Ter outof a direct contrary course. Domocra
UGH presses at the north. which denounced Y
ma BureR's course as traitorons to the party
the country, send ia their adhesion Il II
soil, in order % recover lost powet-tthe
the %justides the means. We believe,' say {
mu- didatssffOr elective Offices, ! that Congress i
tate sesses the power to exclude slavery IN
d.. risories.' When asked 10 put their fno
on anv clausei In the const;tut;o Z cn, I'LL :