Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-12-15

in relation to their bearing upon the fu-
ture operations Of the Government, have
been approved by the great body of the
people. That those whose immediate
pecuniary interests are to be affected by
proposed expenditures should shrink from
the application of rule which prefers
their more general and remote interests
to those which are personal and immedi-
ate, is to be expected. But even such
objections must from the nature of our
population, be but temporary in their du-
ration, and if it were otherwise our course
should be the same; for the time is yet,
hope, far distant, when those entrusted
with power to be exercised for the good
Of whole, will consider it either hon
est or wise to purchase local favor at the
sacrifice Of principle and the general
good.
So understanding public sentiment, s.
thoroughly satisfied that the best inter
ests Of our common country imperiously
require that the course which ! have re-
commended in this regard should be a
dopted, i have, upon the most mature
consideration, determined to pursue it.
1t is due to candor, as well as to my own
feelings, that should express the reluc-
tance & anxiety which | must at all times
experience in exercising the undoubted
right ofthe Executive to withhold his as
sent from bills on other grounds than their
unconstitutionality That this light should
not be exercised on slight occasions, all
will admit. 1t is only in matters of deep
interest, when the principle involved may
be Justly regarded as next in importance
to infractions of the Constitution itself,
that such step can be expected to meet
with the appreciation of the people,
Such an occasion do / conscientiOusly
believe the present to be. In the dis
charge of this delicate and highly respOn-
sible duty, am sustained by the rehec-
ton that the exercise of this power has,
been deemed consistent with the Obliga-I
ton of official duty by several ofmy pre-
decessors and by the persuasion, too,
that, whatever liberal institutions may
have to fear from the encroachments of
Executive power, which has been every
where the cause of so much strife and
bloody contention, but little danger is to
be apprehended from precedent by
which that authority denies to itself the
exercise of powers that bring in their
train ihuence and patronage Of great ex-
tent, and thus excludes the operation of
personal interests, every where the bane
of official trust | derive, too, no small
degree of satisfaction from the reflection,
that, if have mistaken the interests and
wishes of the people, the Constitution al
fords the means of soon redressing the err
ror, by selecting for the place their ia
vor has bestowed upon me, citizen
whose opinions may accord with their
own. trust, in the mean time, the in
terests of the nation will be saved from
prejudice, by rigid application of that
portion Of the public funds which night
otherwise be applied to different objects
to that highest of all our obligations, the
payment of the public debt, and an OPP
portunitv be afforded for the adoption of
some better rule for the operations Of the
government in this matter than any
which has hitherto been acted upon.
Profoundly impressed with the impor-
tance of the subject not merely as it re-
lates to the general prosperity of the
country, but to the safety of the federal
system, l cannot avoid repeating my
earnest hope that all good citizens, who
take a proper interest in the success
and harmony of our admirable political
institutions, and who are incapable of de-
string to convert an opposite state of
things into means for the qualification of
personal ambition, will, laying aside mi
nor considerations, and discarding local
prejudices, unite their honest exertions
to establish some fixedgeneral principle,
which shall be calculated to effect the
greatest extent of public good in regard
to the subject Of internal Improvement
and afford the least ground for sectional
discomfort.
The general ground of my objection to
local appropriations has been heretofore
expressed; and shall endeavor to avoid
repetition ofwhat has already been urg-
ed-the importance of sustaining the
State sovereignties, as far as is consis-
tent with the rig htful action of the FEEDER
al Government, and of preserving the
greatest attainable harmony between
them. l will now only add an express
sion of my conviction-a conviction
which every days experience serves to
confrm-that the political creed which
inculcates the pursuit of those great OBJ
jects as paramount duty is the true faith,
und one to which we are mainly indebt-
ed for the present success Of the entire
system, and to which we must alone look
for its future stability.
That there are diversities in the inter
est ofthe different States which compose