Christiancy And Slate Rights

In a recent speech in the U. 8. Senat Senator Chriatiancy said : This is a bilí for instituting an in quiry and obtaiuing inforination wit' refurence to legislation to be adoptec hereafter, and in consequence of this in quiry. So far, thereforo, as it may bea upon legislation where Congress has a right to legislate, the inquiry is porti nent and legitímate ; go i'ur as it niight bear upon the question of the proper legislation elsewbere it is wholly illegitimate. Congress has the power to legislate for the District of Columbia aud for the several Territorios, and so far as the inquiry relates to the natronal re venue the inquiry is legitímate without geograpmcal limit. But few, I think, will claim that Congress has auy rigbt to assume ti guardianship over the inoráis of the people in the States or to determine for thom the question of prohibiton or license. For one, I deny the existence of an y such power. And yet as this bill now stands it is open to the inference that it claims "or Congress the control over the whole subject throughout the entire Union. [Jnder a systein like ours, where the iowerg are partitioned between general md State governinents, I think it imlortant not only that the one should ïot exerciae power belonging wholly to he otnor but that they should not even appear to claim such, poworg. The larmony of the system requires that neither should appear to claim what learly belongs to the other. For these easons I cannot vote for this bill as it now stands, and to avoid this objuction have offered this amendment. I think it always advisable, as far as wssible, to avoid claiming a power aout the existance of which there are erious doubts. I thiuk the utmost deliacy is required in a system like ours, oth on the part of the State and the federal Government, that neither shall ssunio to claim or exercise powers which do not belong to it. It was for lis reason and from an anxiety to preent any dffioulty or misconception rowing out of this legislation that I fered this amendment.