Hut surely the simple authority to Mspote
of mid raiul'ite these, does not extend to the
unlimited power of legislation; to the pas
sage of all uim, in the general acceptation
or the word ; which, by the by, is carefully
excluded from the sentence. Ami, indeed,
if this were so, it would reudrr unnecessary
another provision of the constitution, which
grnntsto Congress the power to legislate,
with the consent of the States, respectively,
over all places purchased for "the erection
of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards,
S-r." These being (ho "property" of the
United Slates, if the power to make "need
ful rules and regulations concerning" them
includes the general power of legislation,
then the grant of authority to regulate "the
territory and other property of the United
States" is unlimited, whenever subjects are
found for its operation, and its exercise need
ed no auxiliary provision. If, on the oilier
hand, it docs not includo such power of leg
islation over the "other property" of tho
United Stales, then it does not include it
over their "territory i" for the same terms
w hich irrant the one! Brant the other. 7V.
ritory" is here elassed with property, and
uvaii-u i. such j amiiueniijcct was evident
ly to enable the general Rovcrnmcnt, as a
property holder which, from necessity, it
must bo to manage, preserve, and "dixpot
of" such property as it might possess, nnd
P mui miiuurny is csscniiai almost toits be
mg. But the lives and persons of our citi
zens, with the vast variety of objects con
ncctcd with them, cannot be controlled by
an authority, which is merely called Into
existence lor the purpose of making rule
and regulation for tht ditpetition and man
agemeiit of property.
Such, it appears to me, would he the eon.
