Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-09-01

lnE tneSe rs lne great cIilUlit '.,-. '...
aud trade, than to appropriate nronsy to
be expended for any purpose merely !o!a'.-
Not, sir, that would not he glad to rec The
local resources Of every part of the United
States, but do wish. in the regulation of com
merce-if it is to be effected by money-lhat il
shall be done under system of equality and
Justice And much prefer, that with dclibera-
ton aud care, we should prepare general sys-
tcm-one that has the sanction of all scctlons-
for its adoption If the revenues Of the eoun-
try are to he taken for internal improvcn eats,
let all havo fair chance in saying villa, system
shall be adopted And let MS select one that
looks to every part of the United States do
not hesitate 10 say so, as between the process
now going on and the system have indicated.
although do not believe either has the sanction
of the Constitution Why, if We had tho will,
we should need the wisdom Of the Deity, TO up.
propratc thi. money justly, for the temptation
would be so great, that we could not otherwise
avoid being partial. Suppose Congress had the
power, under some such doctrine as that sug-
gestcd by Professor Espy, OF making rain des-
cend from the clouds when, and where, we
pleased. 1t is the very last power under heaven
that would wish to sec given to Congress, or
to any set of men, however wise and good If
it were proposed that Congress should have the
power of regulating the clouds, ard saying
whether rain should descend, and where it
should fall upon the United States, would say
that nothing less than the wisdom of God was
required to regulate such dispcnsalion. And
when you undertake to regulate commerce, by
partial appropriations Of money for local objects,
will not say there is corruption, bu' we violate
that portion Of the Lords prayer which says.
g. Lead us not into temptation 1t is impossI-
Bile that We can guard agninst the temptation OF
interest. No one knows the wants and necessl-
ties of another part Of the country, though he
may be familiar with those Of his own, and POS
sess wiha, disposition to magnify them. But
where will yon get the means. If you under
take the regulation of commerce by the appro-
priation of money, the local demands will be
various and unlimited, whilst the means must he
limited, and running to exhaustion. Some will
get all, whilst others would have notl ng.-
Such system Of policy is not only partial III
it's operation, but would ruin any country hay
ing in it more blind grecdiness than the dictates
of intelligence. do not believe that the potl-
cal morality Of the country, much less the
Treasury, could stand long under It, Would it
be fair, would it be equal No, sir. IT you
are to appropriate money, for the purpose OF
regulating comm cree, | repeat, let us have a
general system. Let as have a system which
will be fair towards al portions of The couli-
try; let us have straight road from here to
Buffalo, and from here to New Orleans, and then
another from the Atlantic to the Mississippi
river.
1t may be asked evil you deny entirely the
power to Congress to regulate commerce by ap-
preparations Of money!" | am one of those
who believe that the appropriation of money
never was intended as one Of the modes of regu-
ating commerce. But if such clause were in
the Constitution, that money should be appro-
priated to regulate commerce by Il vote of two
thirds, would. under such clause as was once
inserted in the Constitution while under discus
sion. have some security-but there is none at
all against the decision of a majority, which
would be only other words fer selfishness and
combination. Iwould object to nero majori
ty controlling the matter. Ny understanding of
that article Of the Constitution for the rcguu-
ting of commcrcc-and once studied it very
we'll on law investigation-is that it wa, en-
cusively given to Congress on the ground, that
States have conflicting interests, and were max
ing hostile regulations in regard to commerce
with foreign nations, and that Congress should,
therefore, have the exclusive power Of saying BY
declaratory laws; that these conflicting regula-
tions should be null and void and that Con-
gress should have the exclusive power of es-
tablishiug the law upon which commerce should
be carried on between the States. At that time
there were lighthouses and buuyH, which had