Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-12-17
E!CliMUsD ENlGisiEss.
FRIDAY sIo.NsNG. DECEMBER II, iso
A INDUSTRIOUS PROPOSITION.

A INDUSTRIOUS PROPOSITION.
Thu Postmaster General in late Report accompanying
the Presidents message. says:
"ha service between New York and Washington ihoGen
much improved by the Arrangement ieetlco ~ ~ s'
defective and unsatisfactory The cndeavorS OF mis- depart
ment 10 improve this service have been rendered aoorVe W
wan, of unity among Ia"ad compan interested IN The
line and spirit Of accommodation on inc par! OF toe co
panes running between Philadelphia and New YORK
"1here being competing ncs or MODES i conveyance
by which this Department can secure connexions anu U
wise facilitate the of the mails between wash
noton and New York compelled to accept such indie.
pendent service each company on the line VIII 10
render and is thus made poweess 10 enforce Inc oemahu
Of the public. would respectfully Suggest hat Congress-
in the exercise Of power the establishment OF posi-
roads, remedy this evil, the subject Is worthy o 'e
early attention Of that body"
writer in the National negencc under the speclous
signature Of "pto Paa" puts forth alarming eommen'
tary upon the above text, as follows:
The uremedyu of "hjs eyi very properly recommend
ed by the Postmaster General for The action OF ny
",he exercise of its power over me eslao u pus'
roads," For the sake Of national Interests ana rom re-
spec 10 national independence and denya national road De-
tween New York and Washington has become adspensaoe
and in the opinion Of correspondent ana a o oul aoes
ursts and including ii is believed the deceased
patriots Clay and Webster whose wisdom on natona SUD-
ects no longer questioned Congress ought not TO hesitate
about the exercise Of the right To make ana es'aohsh
post road wherever in its wisdom il sees NJ
Must our great country be compesa 10 sue"
Blooms railroad companies "wl consent 10 reno efs
Has not Congress the power 10 enforce the demands OF
the public Surely it has the power; and II might be
demonstrated
the general welfare without The cost OF single ce |" e
Treasury.
Were an airline railroad constructed from "ashrg "a to
the New jersey opposite New York rs might be
readily done distance would be reduced near twenty
miles TO about 2l0 miles which, with the prevention Of the
delays incident present mode CT conveying the mails
and passengers would enable the travel to be made between
The cities Of Washington and New lork In SIX or seven
hours including soppages In that case traveller might
breakfast in Washington and dine in New YORK as Is done
daily by the travellers between New York and Boston-a
greater distance
slrucon of the direct convenient, and expeditions
mode of travel between the capital OF the nation and It's
commercial metropolis route OF the greatest Importance 10
the whole being this time the lines OF travel
10 the Of government from all the New England States
and from thar half Of the States Of the Union embra
cling several Of the urge Stas those from the far South
and The far West WEI! extreme North and East
The Importance 10 the country of this link OF railway
communication causes il to rise party questions,
involving does the interests vi all II Is therefore 10 De
hoped il will have the early and serious attention ol Ion
gress accordance with the recommendation OF the Post
master General
As this is wholly national subject il is regarded as nj
theme for the National In,elligencer. PRo PATaIA.
During the pas, year the Republic the special organ Of
the Administration constantly urged this scheme OF ma
tional Rail Road" between Washington and New York
We protest earnestly against this assumption OF power
the part OF Congress Such power cannot DC derived
from the Constitution for it is matter OF history that
the power roads and canals was moved in the
Convention that formed the United States Constitution, and
emphaticay voted down. Ii is evident TO the planes
understanding that power establish post offices and
post roads, could intend than the power 10 direct
where post offices should be Kept and on what road the mails
should be carried and the to construct the roads
themselves The plea Of the general welfare is the ty
rants plea OF necessity and carried OUT would destroy
the written Constitution and make our Government an alb
solutc despotsm rights Of Tho minority The evil
complained of may well be .ecdied by imposing fines upon
the Rail Road companies that do observe their
RptI no hv nf he
power Rail Roads Then should be entirely
the mercy of the Central Government system would
lose every character Of federation and rights of the States
be empty mockery. We progress out not ror
such as would the Constitution 10 pieces "A PRO
Pa,ria" cited great in behalf of his propo
son shall ourselves with quoting the views Of
President Madison in his Of February 1877, veto
ing bill apart and pledge permanent fund for
internal i'm the bonus of the National Bank and
the United States share Of its dividends
Mr Madison said:
The legislative powers vested in Congress specified
and in the 9th section Of the first article Ut the
Constitution; and il does appear that the power,
posed by bill, ia among the enumerated
powers; that il falls by any interpretation within
the power TO make necessary and proper for carrying
into execution those other vested by the Consitu
ton in the Govcinme ot the United States
The power TO regulate commerce among the several
States cannot include power 10 construct roads and
nails and 10 improve the navigation OF water courses in or
der 10 facilitate promote and secure such commerce,
without Of the
nary import OF the strengthened By the known ncon
venences which DOUBTLESS led 10 the grant OF this remedial
Congress To refer the in question 10 The
clause no provide for the common cetcnce and general well
fare would be contrary the established aud consistent
rules OF interpretations rendering the special and careful
of powers which follow the clause, nrgatory
and i'npropc Such view Of The Constitution would have
the effect Of giving Congress general of cgisa
non, instead IF The defined and limited hitherto under
stood 10 belong 20 them, the defence
and general welfare embracing object and within
the purvew Of the legislative II would the effect
hnh hp (spna md nf fbpS
States in all specifically exempted 10 be
ded by laws of Congress; being expressly decared ha
the Constitution of the United States and laws made
thereof shall he the law of the land and
the Judges OF State shall be bound thereby any thing
in the Constitution, laws Of any State the contrary
Notwithstanding" Such view OF the Constitution, final
ly would have The effect Of excluding the Judicial authority
OF the United States from It's participation in guarding tic
boundary between the legislative of the Geaera and
the State Governments; inusmmc questions rea tine
general welfare, being questions OF policy and exrediency
nnSusceptibe of Judicial cogniZancc and decision
A restriction of the provide for the common
defence and general welfare" to which be
provided by the expenditure of would still
within the Legislative of Congress III. great and
most important of Government; money being
ordinary and necessary oil carrying them into
tlon.
If general power construct roads and canals, To i'm
prove tho navigation Of water with tho train nt
incident thereto be not possessed BY Congress- me
of the States The mode provided in the BILL cannot
confer power Tie only in which the consent
and cession of particular States extend the o;
Congress- those specified and provided for in the COnst
tuition.
A SOUND CIRCULATION.
We agree with tho n. Y. Journal OF Commerce. that
subject which immediate attention of Congress