Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-17
Democrats Bissensfous-GOv. Wise
afrd mr. Hucli anan.

"a DemOcraIfc WISE
80 ard mr. buchanan.
80 In recent letter, Governor WISE criticises
with a good deal of sharpness the course of
Mr.. BUCHANAN in regard toa Pacific Railroad.
He says:
"But this claim Of power by that federal
flynas;yto construct grand schemes of in
ternal i'm rovements is far exceeded by Mr..
Buchana. who fonnds it on the power to
sadec'are n" He bounds over the old federal
faith of general welfare" gives us a new
light, and appeals directly TO the '',cdr pO'cer'
that power which, fagrarRe hello, knows no
limit; in the sense which he must mean the
war power to BE-. Inc error
IL in the poacer 10 declare ,ear, and 10 maintain
the common defence. II is at all eoeats poicer
tcaich cannot be appealed 10 for authority. IA the
course Of ordinary administration IN tune Of peace
Aud this is sufficient to answer and contradict
the claim OF thi, grant founded on the war
power by Mr.. Buchanan. War with its sword
and pick-axe may cut road for the march of
iis armies in time of war; but Dher1 peace reig1ls
rdilr ads ''uS be Iettto the PEACE POWER.
I'm 1913. in 1852. and 1856. the democracy
of this State declared most adherently for Mr..
BIchanar; but if it had been known that he
would advocate a Pacific Railroad, founded
o. TIE war power, he could not hare goften a
81, gle note Of this Stase for has nomination TO the
PresideHcy; and in Cincinnati. in 1856. the
Convention jected this Pacific Railroad
pla TX from its platform. Virginia voted
against it. and 50 did his own State, Pennsyl-
wanna, because OF Virginia's support of Mr..
Buchanan. And when his nomination was
annnunced to Mr.. Buchanan. he emphatically
pledged 10 abide by the pLatform-'not 10 TAX. a
plank from or add one 10 a'-but take At as t0Gs.
And it shocked us not little that he had
writ N a letter tn California committing
n rI,y ad,.I1n nd az mil hat
conid have its effect IN his tdpcr there. and not
be felt against him here. For these reasons |
abJure Pacific Railroad by the federal gov
eminent, especially on the grounds OF the
Presidents recommendation"
The same question of constitutional con-
s:ru ;tion and impi,d powers exists in the
case of the Pacific Railroad bill that was made
in regard to the United States Bank. The
opponents Of Bank maintained, that there
was Il" direct grant to Congress of any power
t. pass bank bill, nor could it be implied,
fro.n any power expressly granted.
The advocates of Bank replied, that the
Dower to establish a Bank was implied in
he powers to collect revenue and to pay
he debts of the United States, and in the au-
.hority expressly granted to make all laws
necessary and proper for carrying those
powers into executions; and that the terms.
necessary and proper" in this connection,
could not be restricted to those means only
without which the effect could not be pro-
duced. but must be understood as compre
bending all means adapted to, and commonly
employed for, the purpose
This was the line of argument adopted by
he : Supreme Court of the United States in
ats decision sustaining the cOnstitutiOnality
of the charter of the late United States Bank.
The same arguments precisely are relied
upon by the opponents and advocates Of the
that any power has been granted to Congress
to pass such bill, and the latter maintaining
that such power is implied in the expressly
granted power to 'declare war, and in the
authority expressly granted to make all laws
necessary and proper to carry into effect he
granted powers:
As Senator DAVIS. of Mississippi advocates
the Pacif Railroad bill on the same grounds
with Mr. BUCHANAN, Governor WISE's on
slau shi pplies as we'll to him as to Mr.. B.
The vehement. inhaxible and nearly united
opposition of the Southern Democracy to the
-Pacif Railroad Bill, will infallibly throw
both California and Oregon into opposition to
the next 'mocratic candidate for the Presi-
dency, let him be who he may.