The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-09-09
DIAGNOSIS BY CONSTITUTION
AL DOCTORS.
National Economist

A certain class or individuals, III
Guiding Senators and members OF
Congress, are just at present giving
the Deople considerable advice and n.
struc5ion in regard to the ConstiEu
ton. The ability to construe ,he exact
meaning of the Constitution seems to
follow an election to Congress. A
few months sojourn at the capital OF
the nation as a member of either
bran;h of Congress is presumed by
some to qualify a~person, no matter
what may nave been his previous con
dition or ability, to properly interpret
the most intricate provisions of the
national Constitution.
In order that the plain people, who
| for the safety of the country consti
tute the membership of the Farmers
Alliance, may decide for themselves,
and bring to bear upon this question
the good common sense which as a
| class they possess, the full powers OF
| Congress as stated in the Constitution
is printed herewith in full. The
original Constitution as signed Sep.
TENDER II, 1887, consisted of seven
articles and their subdivisions. Since
that time there has been fifteen amend
ments added.
The first ten amendments we're
proposed to the several States Sep
TENDER 25, 1899. The eleventh
amendment was submitted September
5, 1894. The twelfth amendment,
December IL, 1903. The thirteenth
amendment, February l, 1865. The
fourteenth amendment, June l6,
1866. The fifteenth and last amend
ments relate to personal rights or
qualifications for holding Office. Sec
ton 8 of article l of the orig nal Con-
stitutiou desiguates the following
powers of Congress:
Sec. 8. The Congress shall have
power to lay and collect taxes, duties,
imports and excuses, to pay the debts
and provide for the common defense
and general welfare of the United
Sta:es-but all duties, imposts and
excuses shall be uniform through,
out the United States; to borrow
money on the credit of the United
States; to regulate commerce with
foreign nations, and among the sew
eral States, and with the Indian tribes;
to establish a uniform rule of NATURAL
z~atio0, and uniform laws on the sub
ject-of bankru Jtcies throughout the
United States; to coin money, regulate
the value thereof, and of foreign coin,
and fix the standard of weights and
measures; to provide for the punish
ment Of counterfeiting the securities
and current coin of the United States;
to establish postofices and post roads;
to promote The progress of science
and useful arts, by securing for lin
tied times to authors and inventors
the exclusive right to their respective
writings and discoveries; to constitute
tribunals inferior to the Supreme
Court; to define and punish piracies
and felOnies committed on the high
seas and offenses against the law of
nations; to declare war, grant letters
Of marque and reprisal, and make
rules concerning captures on land and
water; to raise and support armies
but no appropriation of money to that
use shall be for a longer term than
two years; to provide and maintain a
navy; to make rules for the govern
ment and regulation of the land and
naval forces; to provide for calling
forth the militia to execute the laws
of the Union, suppress instructions
and repel ~invasions; to provide for
organizing, arming, and disc1plining
the militia, and for governing such
part of them as may be employed in
the service of the United States, re
serving to the States respectively the
appointment of the officers, and the
authority of training the militia &C
cordlng to the discipline prescribed
by Congress; to exercise exclusive
legislation in all cases whatsoever over
such district (not exceeding ten miles
square) as may by cession of particular
States, AMI the acceptance of Con
gress, become the seat of the govern
ment of the United States, and to ex-
ercise like authority over all places
purchased by the consent of the legis.
lature of the State in which the same
shall be, for the erection of forts,
magazines, arsenals, dock yards and
other needful buildings, and to make
all laws which shall be necessary and
proper for carrying into execution for
foregoing powers and all other powers
vested by this Constitution in the gov
eminent of the United States, or in
any department or officer there of.
Sections 8 and 10 of article l limits
the power of Congress and the States:
Sec. 9. The migration or importa,
ton of such persons as any of the
States now existing shall think proper
to admit, shall not be prohibited by
the Congress prior to the year one
thousand eight hundred and eight,