6

ment of a navy-yard in the city of Baltimore."
The opinions and wishes of the general as-
sembly, indicated by the aforesaid resolutions,
doubtless received from all the gentlemen to
whom they were addressed, the respectful at-
tention and consideration to which they were
justly entitled.

The subject of the resolution, (No. 11,) is so
very important, and opens to the imagination
such sublime views and prospects of the im-
mense and incalculable benefits, to be derived
from the adoption and vigorous prosecution of
a judicious system, embracing all those great
schemes of improvement, which from their
Magnitude most appropriately belong to the
sphere of action of the general government,
(leaving to the respective states, the accom-
plishment of such local improvements, as may
be required by their warrants, and, within the
achievement of their more limited means,) that
are cherish the hope, and entertain the belief,
that such a system will be adopted, at no distant
period.

We are aware that the authority over this
subject, asserted by the general assembly to be
constitutionally vested in congress, is denied
and strenuously contested, by many distin-
guished statesmen of the day; who entertain
the opinion that the power cannot be exercised
without a violation of the rights of the states.
With all the respect for this opinion that a
personal acquaintance with, and the fullest