A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Volume 2, part 1: James Monroe
History
A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Volume 2, part 1: James Monroe
Monroe, James, 1758-1831; Presidents -- United States; United States -- History -- Sources; United States -- Politics and government
In regard to our foreign concerns, provided they are managed with
integrity and ability, great liberality is allowable in the application
of the public money. In the management of these concerns no State
interests can be affected, no State rights violated. The complete and
exclusive control over them is vested in Congress. The power to form
treaties of alliance and commerce with foreign powers, to regulate by
law our commerce with them, to determine on peace or war, to raise
armies and a navy, to call forth the militia and direct their operations
belongs to the General Government. These great powers, embracing the
whole scope of our foreign relations, being granted, on what principle
can it be said that the minor are withheld? Are not the latter clearly
and evidently comprised in the former? Nations are sometimes called upon
to perform to each other acts of humanity and kindness, of which we see
so many illustrious examples between individuals in private life. Great
calamities make appeals to the benevolence of mankind which ought not
to be resisted. Good offices in such emergencies exalt the character
of the party rendering them. By exciting grateful feelings they soften
the intercourse between nations and tend to prevent war. Surely if the
United States have a right to make war they have a right to prevent it.
How was it possible to grant to Congress a power for such minor purposes
other than in general terms, comprising it within the scope and policy
of that which conveyed it for the greater?
The right of appropriation is nothing more than a right to apply the
public money to this or that purpose. It has no incidental power, nor
does it draw after it any consequences of that kind. All that Congress
could do under it in the case of internal improvements would be to
appropriate the money necessary to make them. For every act requiring
legislative sanction or support the State authority must be relied on.
The condemnation of the land, if the proprietors should refuse to sell
it, the establishment of turnpikes and tolls, and the protection of the
work when finished must be done by the State. To these purposes the
powers of the General Government are believed to be utterly incompetent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account