Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-07
The sapelo Quarantine station.

rights of the States. As this postulate
is one of national concern, we propose
to examine it concisely, and. we hope.
concluslvely.
The paramount necessity of the Con
federation was uniform commercial
system. each State regulating its own
ports and trade, without regard TO other
! States, and it was this need that eventu-
ally led to the convention that framed
our present Constitution. So urgent be-
came q remedy for this inadequacy in
the Articles Of Confederation to preserve
the permanent harmony and general
welfare Of the Confederation. that the
House Of Delegates of the State of Vir-
GINA appointed commissioners on the
Dist of January, 1856, ito meet such
commiss.o ners as may be appointed by
the other States in the Union at time
and place to be agreed on, to take into
consideration the trade of the United
States, and to consider how far an uni
form system in their commercial regula-
tons may be necessary to their common
interest, and their permanent harmony. i"
In response to this invitation, commits
sioners from New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Delaware met those
from Virginia, at Annapolis, Md, on
the 18th of September, 1886, The States
of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Rhode
Island and North Carolina had appointed
commissioners, who, however, were not
present And Connecticut, Maryland,
South Carolina and Georgia did not re-
spond. The State of New Jersey hav-
ing enlarged the powers Of her commits
sioners ''to consider how far an uniform
system IN other important matters in adj
dition to regulations of commerce might
be necessary to the common interest and
permanent harmony of the several
States" the commissioners at An
napolis resolved on the 14th of
September, 1886. chat as there
were important defects in the
system of the Federal Government, that
the States should all meet in convention
at Philadelphia on the second Monday
in May, 1887, to take into consideration
the situation of the United States, to
devise such further provisions as shall
appear to them necessary to render the
Constitution Of the Federal Government
adequate to the exigencies of the Union !;
and which, when approved by Congress
and confirmed by the Legislatures of
every State, will effectuallY provide for
the same" The convention met as pro
posed and gave to us the Constitution,
under which we have prospered and de-
veloped to our present grand proportions.
By this noble instrument the States
gave to Congress the power ito regulate
commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States, and with the
Indian tribes; to lay and collect taxes,
duties, imposts and excuses. that shall be
uniform throughout the United States,
giving no preference by any regulation
of commerce or revenue to the ports of
one State over those of another. These,
with other powers not pertinent to our
argument, grant to the Congress of the
United States complete and exclusive
legislation over the commerce
of tie country, foreign and
domestic, with all the implied
authority required to make these grants
of powers effective. Where Congress
has not legislated ON matters of COM
merce, the States may legislate pro bono
pu6lic0 but Congress having legislated,
the State action becomes subordinate to
that of Congress. Consequently, as
quarantine is a regulation of commerce,
Congress certainly has control over it, as
provided for by the Constitution-State
and municipal laws in relation to it be-
ing auxiliary to Federal legislation. The
Sapelo quarantine station for the ports
of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
we regard, therefore, as a constitutional
provision for the benefit of those States,
and in no way whatsoever an in
fringement of the reserved rights
of those States. Being Federal in
situations, the stations must of
course be managed by Federal
officers, under Federal laws and regula
lions. 1t is only national refuge pro-
vided by the government for vessels that
are infected or justly suspected of being
so, and for the hospital care and medical
treatment of their sick. 1t is a saving of
money to the States and to such OF their
ports who still retain the details of quar-
antine within their respective limits, the
boarding, inspection, detention and re
handing vessels and crews to the ma
tional quarantine. What more can a
State ask for. or what can it complain of
constitutionally. if no preference is given
to the ports of one State over those of
anOther?" The NEWS is and always has
been a firm advocate of State rights,
but does not allow itself to be
blinded by unreasonable prejudices in
discussing the relations of those rights
to the powers of the Federal Govern
ment; nor does it cry "Wolf" whenever
that government aids Georgia in any
manner c0nformably to the Constitution
and without threatening a dangerous
concentration of power in the hands of
the National Executive and Legislature.
1t has been charged by come OF the Ill
ira opponents. Of national quarantine
that there is corruption in the admins
tration of these national hospitals. If
this is true let it be attacked openly, but
do not let it be COMPOUNDED with con-
stitGtional powers that are legitimately
comforting a benefit upon the people and
the States.
Hubbell has just discovered that there
is in the Federal service a large and