Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-29
ALEXANDRIA, ID. Z.
SATURDAY, MORNING, jay 90, 1850.
NASHVILLE ROAD BILL

JACKSON to the House Oh REPRESENTATIVES, i"
red to in our Congressional proceedings:
To The House of Representatives.
GENTLEMEN: have maturely considered the
bill proposing to authorize ga subscription OF
stock in the MaysviIle, Washington, Paris, and
Lexington Turnpike Road Company" and now
return the same to the House of Representatives,
in which it originated, with my objections to Its
passage.
Sincerely friendly to the Improvement OF our
country bv means of roads and canals, | regret
that any difference of opinion IN the mode OF con-
tributing to it should exist between us; and 1t, IN
stating this difference, | 30 beYoHd what the &C.
caslon may be deemed to call for, | hope TO lind
an apology in the great Importance OF the subject,
an unfeisned respect for tie high source IRON
which this Branch oft has emanated, and an anX-
ious wish to be correctly understood bv my CON
stituents in the discharge % all my Il ueS. d.
versity of sentiment among pubic tunctcnaries,
actuated BY the same general motives, on the
character and tendency of particular measures,
is an incident common to all governments, ana
the more to be expected IN one which. like ours,
owes its existence to the freedom of opinion. and
must be upheld by the same influence. Control
led, as we thus are, by a higher tribunal. before
which our respective acts will be canvassed with
the indulgence due to the imperfections of our ma
ture, and with that intelligence and unbiased
Judgment which are the true correctIves OF error,
all that our responsibility demands is, that the
public good should be the measure of our views.
debating alike their frank expression and honest
maintenance.
In the Message which was presented to Con-
gress at the opening of its present session., l en-
deavored to exhibit briefly my views upon the
important and highly interesting subject to which
our attention is now. to be directed. ] was desi-
rous of presenting to the Representatives of the
several States in Congress assembled, the inqui-
nv, whether some mode could not be devised
which would reconcile the diversity of opinion
concerning the powers of this Government over
the subject of Internal Improvement. and the
manner in which these powers, if conferred by
the Constitution, oughtto be exercised. The act
which | am called upon to consider, has, there
fore, been passed with a knowledge of my views
on this question, as these are expressed in the
Message referred to. In that document the fol
lowing suggestion will be found:
After the extinction Of the public debt, it is
not probable that any adjustmentof the tariff, upon
principles satisfactory to the people Of the Union,
will, until a remote period, if ever, leave the gov
eminent without a considerable surplus in the
treasury, beyond what may be required for its
current service. As, then, the period approach
es when the application ofthe revenue to the pay
ment of the debt will cease, the disposition of the
surplus will present a subject for the serious de-
liberation of Congress; and it may be fortunate
for the country that it is yet to be decided. Con-
sidered in connection with the difficulties which
have heretofore attended appropriations for pur-
pose. of internal Improvement, and with those
which this experience tells US will certainly arise,
whenever power over such subjects may be exer-
cised by the General Government, it is hoped
that it may lead to the adoption Of some plan
which will reconcile the diversified interests of
the States, and strengthen the bonds which unite
them. Every member Of the Union, in peace
and in war, will be benefited by the improvement
of inland navigation and the construction of high
ways in the several States. Let US, then, en-
deavor to attain this benefit in a mode which will
be satisfactory to ALL" That hitherto s. adopted
has been deprecated as an infraction of the Con-
stitution by many of our fellow citizens; while,
by others, it has been viewed as inexpedient. All
feel that it has been employed at the expense Of
harmony in the legislative councils; and, advert
ing to the constitutional power of Congress to
make what ! consider a proper disposition of the
surplus revenue, l subjoin the following remarks:
/" To avoid these evils, it appears to me that the
most safe, just, and federal disposition which
could be made of the surplus revenue, would be
its apportionment among the several States, &C
cording to their ratio of representation; and
should this measure not be found warranted by
the Constitution, that it would be expedient to
propose to the States an amendment authorizing
The constitutional power of the Federal Co
vernment to construct or promote works of inter
nal Improvement, presents itself in two points of
view: the first as bearing upon the sovereignty of
the states within whose limits their execution is
contemplated, if jurisdiction of the territory which
they may occupy, be claimed as necessary to their
preservation and use; the second asserting the
simple right to appropriate money from the ma
tional treasury in aid of such works when under
taken by state authority, surrendering the claim
of jurisdiction. In the first view the question of
power is an open one, and can be decided with
out the embarrassment attending the other, arising
from the practice ofthe Government.
Although frequently and straneously attempt
ed, the power. to this extent, has never been ex-