Litchfield enquirer., 1830-03-11

1 the majority of the South Carolina dele Agation in Congress, modestly extends-the Accommodation to Mr. Monroe and the whole 1 Republican party" Here are his words. During the administration of Mir, E1on- roe, much has passed which the relmbIi- can party would have been glad to ap- prove. if they could ]! But the principle feature, and that which has chiefly elicit ed these observations, is the renewal of the SYSTEM oE INTERNAL IMPRoyEwnN Nrs' Now, this measure was adopted bj | yote- of ll5 to SC, of republican Congress. and sanctioned by a republican President.
 Who, then, is this anthor, who assumes the high prerogative of denouncing, in the name of the republican party, the repubi- can administration of the country de- nunciation including within its sweep, Cal- houn, Lowndes, and Cheves; men who will be regarded as the brightest ornaments of South Carolina, and the strongest pil- lars Of the republican party, as long as the late war shall be remembered, and talents and patriotism shall be regarded as the proper objects of the admiration and erat-
 tude of free people !''
 Such are the opinions, sir, which were maintained by South Carolina gentlemen ! in the House of Representatives. on the subject of Internal Improvements, when | took my seat there as a member from Massachusetts, in 1923. But this is not all we had bill before us, and passed it in that House, entitled "An act to procure the necessary surveys ,plans, and estimates, upon the subjects of Roads and Canals" 1t authOrised the President to cnWss sur- veys aud estimates to De made ofthe routes of such Ro0ds and Canals as he might deem cf National importance, in q cOmmcr- ciaI or military point cf view, or for the transportation of fhe nail; and appropri- ated thirty thousand dollars, out of the Treasury, to defray the expense. This act, though preliminary in its nature, coy- cred the whole ground. 1t took for erant- ed the complete power of Internal lm- provement, as far as any of it's advocates had ever coniended for it. Having pass ed the other House, the bill came up to the
 Senate, and was here considered aud de- bated in April, 1924. The hon. member from South Carolina was member of the Senate at that time. While the bill was under consideration here, a motion was made to add the following proviso: Procided. That nothing herein con ,aned shAIF be coNsUued 10 .aInym or ua1TH a power in Congress, on their own autllor- ily, to make Roads or Canals, within any of the States of the Union."
 The yeas and nays were taken upon this proviso, and the hon. member voted ." the negative. The proviso failed. A motion was then made to add this proviso, viz:
 ProUided, that the faith of the Uui- ted States is hereby pledged. that no mo- ney shall ever be expended for Roads or Canals, except it shall be among the sew eral States, and in the same proportion as direct taxes are hid and assessed by the provisions of the Constitution"
 The hon. member voted aeainss this prsUiso also, and it failed.
 The bill was then put on its passage, and the hon. member voted for tt, and it pass ed, and became law.
 NOW, 1t strikes me, sir, that there is no
 maintaining these votes, but upon the pow
 CT ot internal improvement, in it's broad
 est sense. In truth, these bills for surveys and estimates have always been considered as test questions. They show who is for, and who is against internal improvement. This law itself went the " hole length, and assumed the full and complete power.- The gentleman's votes sustained that power, in every form, in which the various propositions to amend presented it. He
 went for the entire and unrestrained au- thority, without consulting the States,
 and without agreeing to any proportion-
 ate distribution. And now, suffer mo to
 remind you. MT. President, that it is this
 very same power, thus sanctioned, in every
 form, by the gcnIleman's own opinion, that Is so plain and manifest a usurpation, that the State of South CaTolina is suppo- sed to be justified in refusing submission to
 any laws carrying the power into effect.
 Truly, sir, is not this little too hard1 May
 we not crave some mercy under favor and
 protection of the genileman's own author
 ity Admitting that road or a canal must be written down flat usurpation as ever was committed, may we find nc mitigation in our respect for his place, and his vote, as one that knows the law?
 The Tariff, which South Carolina had an efficient hand in establishing, in 1916. and this asserted power of internal im- prOvement, advanced by her in the same year. and as we have now seen approved } and sanctioned by her Representatives in = Il