Davy Crockett Learns About the Constitution

“One winter evening while standing on the steps of the Capitol, I and other members of congress saw, as the result of a large fire, great light coming from Georgetown. We drove over as fast as we could. When we got there I went to work but in spite of all that could be done, many houses were burned and many families made homeless, and, besides, some of them had lost all but the clothes they had on. The next morning, a bill was introduced appropriating $20,000 for their relief. We put aside all other business and rushed it through as soon as it could be done.

“The following summer, while working for reelection, I stopped to talk with a farmer in one of my districts. The man turned to his plow and was about to start off when I said, ‘Don’t be in such a hurry, my friend, I want to have a little talk with you, and get better acquainted.’ The man replied, ‘Yes, I know you; you are Colonel Crockett. . . I shall not vote for you again.’

“I asked what was the matter, to which the man replied, ‘You gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. In either case you are not the man to represent me. If the Constitution is to be worth anything, it must be held sacred, and rigidly observed in all its provisions.’

“I replied, ‘I admit the truth of all you say, but there must be some mistake about it, for I do not remember that I gave any vote last winter upon any Constitutional question.’ The man answered, ‘No, Colonel, there’s no mistake . . . last winter you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000 to some sufferers by a fire in Georgetown. Is that true?’

“I answered, ‘Well, my friend, I may as well own up. You have got me there. But certainly nobody will complain that a great and rich country likes ours should give the insignificant sum of $20,000 to relieve its suffering women and children, particularly with a full and overflowing treasury, and I am sure, if you had been there, you would have done just as I did.’

“The man responded, ‘It is not the amount, Colonel that I complain of; it is the principle. . . The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man . . . you see, that while you are contributing to relieve one, you are drawing it from thousands . . . Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose . . . The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution. . . So you see, Colonel, you have violated the Constitution in what I consider a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it, and no security for the people.’

“Realizing the man was right, I replied, ‘Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I did not have sense enough to understand the Constitution. I intended to be guided by it, and thought I had studied it fully. If I had ever taken the view of it that you have, I would have put my head into the fire before I would have given that vote, and . . . if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law I wish I may be shot.’

“Following this experience, a bill was raised to appropriate money to the widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches were made in its support. It appeared the bill would pass unanimously when I arose and spoke. ‘Mr. Speaker—I have much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please to charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money. We cannot, without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as charity. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week’s pay to the object, and, if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.’  As a result of my speech, the bill failed, receiving very few votes. I had honored my oath to ‘support the Constitution.’”

Note: This is a retelling of actual events as written by Cameron C. Taylor in his new book Preserve, Protect, and Defend. Used by permission.  See also: Edward S. Ellis, The Life of Colonel David Crockett (Philadelphia: Poter & Coates, 1884), 138–148.

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