Hence congress has been empowered " to provide and maintain a navy." The foes of a government may not always be foes without. There may also be foes within. Riots, mobs, insurrections or civil wars may arise. To meet these and other dangers the constitution gives congress power to "provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions." Thus the militia was called out by President Washington to suppress the famous whiskey insurrection in the state of Pennsylvania in 1794. The militia was also called out to repel invasion in the late war with Great Britain. The militia has also been frequently called into service in different parts of the country, in repelling the incursions of the Indians. It belongs exclusively to the President to decide when the exigency has arisen, requiring the aid of the militia. He then issues the call, and all the subordinate officers and privates, according to militia discipline, are bound to obey. For the President is not only commander-in-chief of the militia when in the field, but he has power also to call them on to the field. What power has congress as to a navy? What power has congress as to the suppression of insurrections, mobs, &c. When was the militia called out to suppress insurrection? When was it called out to repel invasion? Who is to decide when it is necessary to call out the militia? In the United States the power of declaring war is lodged in congress. In Great Britain the same power is vested in the crown. No state can engage in war unless in time of actual invasion or in cases of great danger. MONEY. Money is the standard by which all merchandize is valued. It should be of uniform value throughout a whole nation. Consequently the constitution gives congress power "to coin money, to regulate the value thereof, to regulate the value of foreign coin," and also to punish counterfeiters of the coin of the United States. For similar reasons congress has power "to fix the standard of weights and measures." With a view of coining money a mint was established at Philadelphia in 1792, where gold, silver and copper coins are produced. Branches of this mint have since been established in different parts of the country. There is a branch at New Orleans, La. ; one at Dahlonega, Ga.; and another at Charlotte, N. Carolina, and one at San Francisco, Cal. What power has congress as to war? What is the standard by which merchandize is valued? What power has congress as to money? Where and when was a mint established? What kinds of coin are made there? Is there more than one mint in the United States? Where are they established? An eagle is valued at ten dollars, and must weigh 10 pennyweights and 18 grains of gold. A dollar must weigh 17 pennyweights and 41⁄2 grains of silver. And a cent must weigh 11 pennyweights of copper. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. The establishment of post offices, and post roads, is among the powers given to congress. As the mail is to be carried in every direction all over the union, the state governments could not be intrusted with the Post Office Department without leading to endless difficulties. Under this power congress has also laid out and built new roads with the consent of the states through which they pass. And in the case of the road from Nashville to Natches, the consent of the state was not obtained. The Post Office Department was not originally intended to be so much a source of revenue to the country as a matter of convenience to the people. Through its operations the facilities of correspondence, &c., have been greatly augmented. Of late a reform has been introduced into this department reducing the postage on letters, newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, &c. What are the weights of those coins? What power has congress over weights and measures? The present postage of letters, weighing not over half an ounce, for distances less than 3000 miles, is 3 cents, pre-paid, and 5 cents if not; over 3000 miles, 6 cents pre-paid, and 10 cents if not. For every additional half ounce, or less, in weight, an additional single postage is charged. Formerly there were four rates for single letters, viz: 6, 124, 183, and 25 cents, according to distance. PATENTS AND COPY RIGHTS. The author of a new and valuable work, and the inventor of a new and improved machine, are public benefactors. They deserve a recompense for their labors. Congress is therefore empowered by the constitution, to secure to them for a limited time the exclusive right to their respective inventions, writings or discoveries. If they have produced anything valuable they are thus enabled to enjoy the fruits of their own genius. This affords encouragement to others to "seek out new inventions;" for the hope of reward is one of the strongest inducements to human action. What are the rates of postage on letters? What were they formerly? What power has congress as to authors of books and inventors of machines? Why is this power given to congress ? PIRACY. Piracy is often defined to be robbery on the high seas. But by act of congress of 1790, murder, robbery, or any offence which if committed on land would be punishable with death by the laws of the United States, is defined piracy. The sea is a great highway, common to all nations. And all nations have jurisdiction over it as to all offences committed by their own sailors on board their own vessels. Pirates being plunderers of the seas and enemies to all nations, may be punished by any nation. For the constitution gives congress power "to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations. The term "high seas" means all the oceans, bays, channels, &c., below low water mark, around the world. The laws of nations are the rules and regulations arising from necessity, or adopted by common consent, among all civilized nations. As there is no great general government including the civilized world, to enforce these laws, each nation How is piracy often defined? How is it defined by act of 1790 ? Who has jurisdiction over the sea? Why may pirates be punished by any nation? What power has congress as to piracies? What is meant by the term high seas? What are the laws of nations? Who enforces these laws? |