Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 19 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 19 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
Now, how can any Senator, recognizing the constitutionality of the
original Civil Rights Act, doubt the present supplementary measure?
Each stands on the same bottom. If you doubt one, you must doubt the
other. If you rally against that Amendment, your next move should
be to repeal the existing Civil Rights Act as inconsistent with the
Constitution. Why does not my excellent friend from Maine bring
forward his bill? Why does he not invite the Senate to commence the
work of destruction, to tear down that great remedial statute? Why is
he silent? Why does he hang back, and direct all his energies against
the supplementary measure, which depends absolutely upon the same
constitutional power? If he is in earnest against the pending motion,
he must show the same earnestness against the preliminary Act.
When I assert that Congress has ample power over this question, I rely
upon a well-known text often cited in this Chamber, often cited in our
courts,--the judgment of the Supreme Court pronounced by Chief-Justice
Marshall, in the case of _McCulloch_ v. _State of Maryland_, from which
I will read a brief extract:--
“But the argument on which most reliance is placed is drawn
from the peculiar language of this clause. Congress is not
empowered by it to make all laws which may have relation to
the powers conferred on the Government, but such only as may
be ‘_necessary and proper_’ for carrying them into execution.
The word ‘_necessary_’ is considered as controlling the whole
sentence, and as limiting the right to pass laws for the
execution of the granted powers to such as are indispensable,
and without which the power would be nugatory,--that it
excludes the choice of means, and leaves to Congress in each
case that only which is most direct and simple.”
These words show how the case was presented to the Court. Here is the
statement of John Marshall:--
“We admit, as all must admit, that the powers of the Government
are limited, and that its limits are not to be transcended.
But we think the sound construction of the Constitution
must allow to the National Legislature that discretion with
respect to the means by which the powers it confers are to be
carried into execution which will enable that body to perform
the high duties assigned to it in the manner most beneficial
to the people. Let the end be legitimate, let it be within
the scope of the Constitution, and _all means which are
appropriate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are
not prohibited, but consist with the letter and spirit of the
Constitution, are constitutional_.”[223]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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