The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-08-19

the Constitution authorises the general
government TO exercise any poweroser
internal Improvements, and that in or
der TO confer this power, the constitu-
ton must be amended. This assertion
is made, although every Congress, for
twenty years, hae exercised this power,
and With the public appreciation. The
President further contends that the
Maysyille road is not national, but a
locel road. Il is as much national
object as was The Chesapeake and Del +.
aware Canal for which Gen. Jackson
gave his vote in the Senate of the Uni
ted States. The .Maysville road was
section of the great road which has
long been projected in connection with
the national road al GAINESVILLE, ando
that extensive route was the most es-
seniial part. Ii the use, rather than
the extent of a road is To determine its
character, the Maysyille road must be
considered national, when taken in
connection with the Cumberland road
in its eastern direction, & the propos.
ed south-western continuation Of it.
| The President further assigns as o
reason for his veto OH this bill, the ne
cessity of fdischarging the national debt
But this consideration did not prevent
the recalling of foreign ministers at q
great expence--or the Indian measure
I on which millions are to be expended
or the establishment of numerous
new Offices. 1t did not prevent appro-
priations for improvements IN other
States, for removing distractions il
creeks and rivers 1t was applied for
the first time TO Kentucky.
The idea Of amending the constitu-
tion to delegate and define the power
of internal improvement is preposter-
Gus. Two thirds of the people Of the
Union believe that the power already
exists in the constitution. Those who
deny that the constitution embraces
such power, will never consent to
place it there.
The fourth resolution adopted at the
public meeting in Fayette proposes to
alter that section of. the constitution
which now requires a majority Of two
thirds Of the House Of representatives.
and Ike majority Of the Senate, to
pass bill that has been disapproved
by the President. This is monarch
ical feature, which is believed not to
exist in the constitution of either OF the
States. In that of Virginia all legisla-
tive power is interdicted to the Gov
erner. 1T is inconsistent with the na-
ture of free representative government
that single individual should be allow
ed to annul the acts of the representa-
tives of the people, and Of the States,
after twice deliberating on the subject,
with all their views and those of the
President before them.
The amendment proposed is, that Il
amajority afterhearing the Presidents
objections, is still in favor of the pas
sage of a bill, it shall become law.
The seventh resolution adopted at
the Fayette meeting relates to the ln-
dians. 1t asserts that this measure was
wrested from the government by Geor-
gia. Until General Jackson's admin
istration, one fixed and uniform prin-
ciple bad prevailed respecting the In
dians-that they had right to govern
themselves, and that they were entitled
to the protection of the government Of
II the United States. President Jackson
undertook TO overthrow this long es-
tablished policy. He told Georgia
that she had right tito legslate for the
Indians, and this was all she wanted.
If the laws of Georgia are enforced q
gainst them, the Indians must either
fly or die. They have no other alter
native. When Congress met ut the
last session, the President found that
by his precipitate admission ofthe pow
er of Georgia, he had placed himself
in an awful dilemma. If Georgia at
tempted to enforce her laws against
the Indians it would be his duty to pro-
tect them. He therefore recommend
ed his famous Indian Bill-that stain
upon the character and humanity Of
the nation. And what are the means
by which this measure is to be carried
into execution. The Iniians are first
to be prosecuted with punishments and
penalties for disobeying what they do
not understand-amidst their vexa-
ticns and difficulties commissioners
empowered to bribe their chiefs will
arrive among tbem-a majority may
he corrupted to consent to removal.
and the treaties thus effected will he
laid before Congress for approval, but
not the means by which they were OBJ
tained. The Secretary of War has
declared that corruption is to be re-
sorted to--and half million Of dol
lars not specifically appropriated are
+ at the disposal Of the President.