Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-05-31

National Treasury IN support OF that IulproSem ent
with The appreciation of every President of the United
States, including my predecessor, since It's commence
Incnt.
independent ofthe sanction given to appropriations
for the Cumberland and other roads and objects
under this power, the administration OF Mr. Madison
was characterised by act which furnishes the
stronges, evidence OF his opinion of It's extent a
bill passed through both houses of Congress and
presented Tor his approx ell setiug apart and plcdg-
ing certain funds FOR constructing roads and canals,
and improving tho navigs ion Of water courses III
order to facilitate, promote, aud give security to IN
ternal commerce among the several States; aud to
render easy, and less expensive the means and
provisions for the common defence" Regarding the
bill as asserting power IN the Federal Government
to construct roads and canals within the limits of the
States IN which they we've made, he obectcd to It's
passage, on the ground OF its uDconstItuonaty, de
cisrlng that the OF the respective States IN
tho mode provided by the bill could not confer the
power IN question; that tho only IN which the
consent ard cesSion Of particular States extend
the pnwer of Congress. are those specified and pro-
VIdcd for the Cunstitu ion and superaddng 10 these
Gvowals his opinion, that "a restriction OF the pow
or TO provide for the common defence and general
eiaTe, TO cases which to be provided for by the
expenditure OF money, would still leave within the
Legislative power OF Congress, all the great and most
npor mt measures of Government, money being the
ordinary and necessary means of carrying them into
execution kave not been able 10 consider these
dccla ratons in any other point of view, than
concession that the right of appropriation is not im
tied by the power to carry into effect the measures
for which the money Is asked, formerly con
tended e
The views of Mr. Monroe upon this subject wcro
not cit TO Inference. During his administra ton
bill was passed through both Houses of Congress,
comforting the jurisdiction and prescribing the mode
by which the Federal Government should exercise II
in the case of the Cumberland Road. He returned
1t with objections TO ITS passage, ard IN assigning them
took occasion say, that in the carly stages of the
Government, he had inclined To the construction that
1t hsd right eXpend money, except in the perfor-
nance of acts authorized by the other specific grants
OF power, according to strict construction uf them;
but that. furthrr reflection and observation hiS
mind had undergone change that his opinion then
"that Congress have uni nliicd power RAISE
money, and that. III It's appropriation, they have dis
creionlry power. restricted only by the duty ap-
proprute IL TO purposes OF common defence, and OF
general, not local national, not State bencG.;" and
this aVowed ~ he the governing principle through
the residue of his administrations The views uf the
last administration of such date 70 rem
der n particular reference TO them unnecessary. II
utmost extent which had been claimed for il in Eela-
ton 10 internal improvements, was fully recorn 2cd
and exercised by II.
This brief reference TO known facts will be sufi-
cient to show the difficulty If not npracicability
of bringing back the operations Of the Governments
TO the construction OF the Constitution set UP in 7o3
assuming that 10 be It's true reading, relation to
the power under consideration: thus giving an ed
mont6ry proof of the force of implication and he
necessity of guarding tho Constitution with sleepess
vigilance against the authority of prcccdents which
have not the sanction of it's plainly defined
powers. For, although II IS the duty of all to iook
to that sacred instrument. instead of the statute
book 10 repudiate at all times, encroachments upon
its spirit, which too apt be Effected by the
corJuncture Of peculiar and facilitating circumstan-
ceS, IL is not less true, That the public good and the
nature Of political institutions require that indi-
v!dua differences should yield to well settled nc
quIescencc of the people and confederated auhor-
ties, Particular constructions Of the Constitution
on doubtful points. Not 20 concede this much to
the spirit of institutions would impair their sta.
biuy and defeat the objects OF the Constitution IT.
self
The bill before docs not call FOR more definite
opinion upon the particular circumstances which will
warrant appropriations OF mo ey by Congress- 10 aid
works of internal Improvement, for although The ex-
tension of The power 10 apply money beyond that Of
carrying into effect the object for which appro
priatcd, has, as we have seen been long claimed and
exercised by the Federal Government vet such
grants have always been prolesscdly uud, the con-
troll of the general principle, that the works which
might be thus aided, should be "of goncral not 10
educational, not state character. DISREGARD of
this distinction would Of necessity lead TO the sub
version of the federal system. That even this is an
unsafe arbitrary IN its nature. and liable conse-
queny to greai abuses, IS too obvious 10 require the
confirmation of experience. IL is however, sufF-
GENTLY definite and imperative my mind to cjrbld
my appreciation Of any bill having the character of
the Under consideration. ave given To- its pro-
visions all the reflection dema ndcd by lust terard
for the interests of those Of our fellow citizens who
haze desired its passage, end by the respect which
IS due TO a coordinate branch of the Governments
but am not able to view 1t in any Other light than
az measure purely local character; or if It can he
considered NATIONAL that further distinction be-
tween the apprnp lat duties Of the General e. State
Government need be attempted for there can DC no
local interest that may not with equal propvety be
denomna'ed national. II hos no connection yi.b
any established system If improvements. is exclus-
lively within the limits of State, startling at point
on the Ohio nver and running out sixty miles to an
int error town; and even far the Slate is inter-
esteI cgufeTTIup Dartial Insfpnh ~
ges.
Considerir- the magnitude and importance Of the
power, and the embarassments to which, from the
very nature Of the thing its exercise must nece,sar
lily, be subjected, the real friends Of internal i'm
provement ought not to be willing to confdc il to
accident and chance. Whist 10 properly natjonai m
its character otherwise. is an nqiiry which is
often extremely difficult Of solution The appropri-
atoms of one year for object which j. Considered
national, may be rendered Dugotory, by the refusal
Of q succeeding Congress to continue the work ON
the ground that it is local No aid can be derived
from the Intervention Of corporations The question
TepnTda the chaFacfpT of he 81. E