Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-12-09

particular, must not be forgotten that. Ia relation TO
our foreign commerce, the burden and benefit Of pro-
ec,nG anil accommodating II necessarily 90 together
and NUT do sas long the public 10 drawn
from tho people through the custom hous, II 10 ndis
pu,abie that whatever gvss facility aud security
navigation. eheapen' imports; aud all who consume
them alike interested in whatever produces this ei
feet. IL they consume. they ought. ss they do,
TO pay; othsrwis-, they do not pay. The Ia
the most inld State derives the same advantage irom
very necessary and prudent expendi oe the acl
~ sni curity oil our foreign commerce and navi
that he does who resides In maritime State. Local
expenditures have not, Of tbemselveP, correspondent
operation.
From bill m liking direct appropra ions Tor such OBJ
jects, should no, have withheld my assent. The
now returned does go in several particulars hut IL ale
contains appropriations Tor surveys Of local character
which cannot approve. IL gives me sai faction TO
6n that serious Inconvenience ha, arisen from with
holding my approval from This bil'; will il, trust.
be Of regret that an opportunity will be thereby
Afforded Tor Congress, Co review its provisions under
circumstances better calculated for m1e full iuves
xation tia those under which il was passed.
10 spea log OF direct appropi Atons, mean not 10
include practice which has obtained TO some ex ent,
and 70 which ave. In one instance, in different ca
racity, given my assentthat OF subscribing to the
stock Of private associations Positive experience, aud
thorough consideration OF the suhjsc have
WINGED me Of The improperly W Ill as inexpei sncy
o. such investments. All improvements effected by
the funds OF the naticn. ior general should he
open TO the enjoyment Of all our fellow ciizen',
empt from the payment Of tolls or any imposition oil
that character. The practise Of thus mnglng the
Of the Government with those Of the
Individuals IL inconsistent with the object oil s in I'll
tu'ion, and highly impoc. The successful operation
OF the ederrI System only be preserved by conn
ing to tbs few and smp,, but yet impor,an. TO-
which u was designed.
Adj rent practice, IL allowed to progress, would Ill
hmitely change thu character Of this G,vernm.D by
consolidating into enc the General and State Govern
mcnt which were inten ed TO b. kept forever distinct
cannot conceive how bills authorizing such subsctip
iinns can he otherwise regarded h,n az bills Tor
que, and consequently subject TO the rule in that
spsct prescribed by the Cons itu ion If the Interest
oil the Government 10 private companies IL subordinate
to that OF in ivduas. the and control OF
portion OF the pub ic fun 3 II dreg authority
unknown to the Con'tituiion aud beyond the superv
son Of our constituents if Superior its officers and
gents will be constantly exposed TO imputaton. OF IA
vos ism add oppression Drre; prejudice To the p bic
Interest or an alienation OF the all cions and p
OF portions OF the prople, may, therefor in addition
the general discredt resulting "a he Govsrnma from
emo rstng with its constituents in pecuniary sprcuia-
ion be look tor az the ptobsbls fruit Of IN
Citations IL 10 TO this sciion, say ,ha'
the extent OF conseqneIces like III Sc be great
from limited and small number Of investments be-
cause experience in ohsr matters teaches us, and
are not at liberty to disregard its admooion that
less an entire stop be put 10 them, will he i'm.
possible TO prevent their accumulation, until they
spread over tbs whole country, and made TO embrace
many OF the private and appropriate conceTns Of ind
viduals.
The power which the General G,v.rnmen, would
acquire within the several States, by becoming the
p'inci al ockho'cr in corporations, controlling every
canal and saeh sixty or hundred mls- of every imppr.
elections, is almost incooceivable and, in my visw
dangerous to the liberties OF the people.
This mole OF aiding such works s aiso, in its nature
deceptive, an J in many conducive 10 imprcvl.
deDce in the ad.nnsrson of the national funds. APP
props ations wall be obtained with ch great r. sclty
AMI granted with lees scrutiny 10 The public interest
VIII the measure IL thus disguised, than when dei-
mite and direct exp mixtures of asked for.
The Interests OF tho nation would doubtless be better
served by avoiding all such indirect modes of aiding
particular objects. In Governm ent like ours more
especially, should all public act', far as pracc
simple TN disguised, aud inelligibe, that they may be-
come TIT sui .cis Tor the approhao, or anuiadversior
oil ms peopa. The bill authoTisng subscription to
the Louisville and Portland canal affords striking ILL.,
ustaon OF the difficulty of withholding additional APP
prop'aion for the came object, when The first
neouS step has been taken by ils'itutpg ship
between the Governnsnt and private companies Il
proposes third subscription The part OF the United
safes when each preceding AZ the tim, re
garded as the extent Of the all which Government was
to render 10 that work; aud the accompany ng bill Tor
iish houses Sc cortaius appropriation for survey
OF the bed OF the river. with view 10 its impfovemsn
oy removing the obstruction which the canal is dssign
Ell to avoid. THIS improvement, il successful, would
aIrd free 10 the river, and render the canal
entirely useless. To such mproyisn"e is the course
81 gi'lsion gu jet in relation IN internal improve
men's or heal matters, even with tho best inten-
lions on the pa-t of Congress.
Although the motive, which have Influenced me in
this matter may he already sufficiently stated am,
nevertheless. induced by it's lance TO ad few
ob'e'vationS OF gen .rai character.
In my obi 'ction TO he bills authorizing suhscrp ions
L
pressed my views fully in regard The 10 OF Cor
gres, to construct road and canals within Se or to
appropriate money Tor Improvements local charac-
Ter. l. at 'ha saa" tim, iniimscd my belief ihu the
RICH to make appr0sria for such were of nation
al character had bean generally acted upon and 30
long acqu "s-ed in by the Fs!araI aud Stats ,yern-
ment7 Add the conc u nts OF each, Justify it's ex
9rcl7e en- the ground of continued I'd uninterrupted
age; but that it was, Dever,hel g. highly pxpeden,
thai ropriaons, even OF that charac er houd with
the execution made at the time, be deferred un il the
national bt is paid and h't. in tn while some
general rule for the actioo of the Government i'm tina
resrect ought to be establ 'hed.
These snggeso1s were not necessary 10 the decision
OF The question then before aud wer- read ly al
M, Intended to awaken the tenti'n. and draw Ter
e. opinions AMI Observations of our consttue ots upon
subject OF III highest importance 10 their interests
and ons destined to extra powerful Influence upon the
iUture operations OF our political system. know of no
tribunal to which lic in this country i'm
Of doubt and difficulty. csn appeal with greaier aiy,n
tage or more proprisiy than tho judgment OF The peo
g'-; and although must, necessarily in the discharge
OF my official duties, be governed by the dictates of
own Judgment havo desire to conceal ny anxicu
wish 60 con'or II, a far "a can 10 the tiws of those
for whom sct.
Ali Irregular lions Of public opinion are Of
necessity attended with some doubt TO their accura
cy: but IN king full allowance, on IN account, can
no., itink deceive myself in believing that the acs
retired 10, az we'll as the sngg 'ssDs which allowed
mYselfto ke in rel ton cir bearing up IN the i
tnrs operations OF the Government have been
by the great body Of Tie people. That those whose iu
mediate Pscuniary interests to be affected by pro.
posed expenditures should shrink from the annie
Of rule which prefers their more general a6d remote
n'ere's 10 thos) which personal and Immediate
to be expected But even such objections must, o..
the nature o. our pnprlon, b. bu, Temporary in their
duration and II Il were oherwi.e our course should
he the Sanction the dime il yet, | hope far ts,snt
VIII n hose entrusted with power to he exercised 10
the good Of The whole III con der il either honeat mr.