Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-12-20

plated
On motion Of Mr.. Appleton, twas
Resolued. That the Committee OF Ways and Means be
instructed inquire into the expediency OF bringing
bill 10 amend act passed on the twentieth day of May
1890 entitled 10 reduce the duties on Coffee, Tea
and Cocoa.
Mr.. White Of Florida submitted the following resolution
which lies one day on the table:
Resorcd, That the President of the United States be
requested communicate this House. the correspond
ence between the Governor OF Georgia and Depart
mcnt of the Government, in the years 1880 and 1881
in relation to the boundary line between The State of
Georgia and the Territory of Florida.
Mr.. McDulIe remarked, that while the House made
question TO the cxpcdcncy of resolution for the ap
ponlment of Committee Roads and Canals they had,
lust now by unanimous consent, adopted resolution for
the repair of the Cumberland Road the qucs,ona-
bile form in which the power OF making Internal Improve
mcns would he exercised: The resolution adopted was
perempory instruction TO the Committee Post Offices
and Post Roads report bill for the OF the
Cumberland Road the great vortex of expenditure Tor the
last twenty years lie moved reconsideration OF the
vote.
Mr.. Doddrdgc, the mover, had no objection to the
consideration; and it his intention 10 modify the rcsou
onwhich inadvertently had been made positive insiruc
ton TO rvFort bill.
Mr.. Sutherland asked if the motion in order Had
the gentleman from South Carolina voted in the aiirma-
i've the Speaker said he presumed the resolution
could not have been adopted i'll its stage any member
had objected 10 its passage.
The motion reconsider agreed and the rcsou-
ton being modified by the mover, instruct the
Committee to enquire into the cXpcency of repairing the
Road, ii adopted.
Mr.. Dayton, from the Committee on Military Affairs
reported hill for the adjustment of the claims of State
late war; and his motion, the special order of the
day for "Wednesday, the 2S,h instant.
ROADS AND CANALS.
The House resumed the consideration of the resolution,
offered by Mr.. Mercer
Mr. Mitchell OF S. c., continued his remarks in OPPOSE
ton to the re solution Yesterday he said when he was
arrested by the expiration of the hour he replying TO
the assumption of the of the resolution that the CON
tutonality OF Internal Improvement by the Government
had been recognized by the House. In reply he had ar
gucd that the Cumberland Road, which entitled TO
unusual favor as military, commercial, and national
road, not authorized by Congress until tho Secretary
of the Treasury instructed by Congress- had obtained
the assent of the States of Pennsylvania MARYLAND and
Virginia, through which the road pass He had
also showed that Mr. Madison held that Congress had no
power TO make roads through States with assent
OF those States lie had also referred to the similar views
expressed by Mr. Monroe in putting his the bill
Tor erecting toll gates the Cumberland Road and by
Gen Jackson in his reasons for putting the Mays
vile Road Bill. Similar opinions had been expressed by
Gov Clinton, in Message to the Legislature of n York
and by every State Legislature South of the Potomac He
had shewn therefore, that the mover of the resolution
had enormously assumed that the Government had ecog
nzed and acted upon the power of making roads
the States without their assent.
Mr. Mercer here explained Ii the gentleman frem
3 C. he said, undertakes report me, hope he will
port me correctly did assert the opinion which he
ascribes
Mr.. Mitchell TO say, that he considered the an
preparation OF money for roads, with without the assent
OF the States, as equally unconstitutional Congress had
no power IN either case. il admitted, all hands,
that there express power given by the Constitution
TO Congress to make roads and canals 1t
implied power. The variety the sources from which
gentlemen pretended imply the power was alone suf
hcicnt proof that such power existed One derived il
from the power regulate commerce another and one of
the most splendid in the country inferred il from the
TO establish Post Roads; and others asserted that il
belonged to the House under the general welfare" doc
trine. Nobody able 20 fix upon the precise
clause which gave the power. 1t of no consequence
therefore, in his opinion whether the right claimed was to
cut roads, to appropriate money for roads under the
authority Of the States The gentleman from Virginia
states that the has aud again acted
upon, since he became member of the House in 1916
Ills doctrine was, " co'n'nuntS error tdct JUS, and
such was the prevalent doctrine of the day In reading
last night the address of the New YORK Tariff Con-
vcntion, he noticed that they founded their doctrines
precedent Sir, for one, will yield TO this doc
trinc of precedent We may go adding precedent to
precedent error, and corruption corrupion till
arrive the of things which Great Britain
has reached; and there the foundations society
threatened by the attempt at a reform. / CALL said Mr.
Mitchell, for aid in opposition TO this system, upon that
class OF members who known 'stric construction
ists-he disciPesof Thomas Jefferson. invoke 10 my
aid those sobermindcd and prudent men, who here
not to waste, but TO preserve the public funds and who
arc dcscous of stopping every slucc OF extravagan
expenditure. There is sill another class upon which
rely for assisancehose who would preserve the admin
lstration OF the Government, pure and ncorrupible
There was no scheme of ccctonoering powerful as
that oil holding out the inducement OF internal improve
ments 1t effected in politics what the steam engines had
effected in mechanics- tore up rocks and hurled
tains AWAY demagoguc had only TO hold TO
the people of his vicinity the prospect of Road or
Canal increasing the value OF lands and products to
be looked upon as a public bcncfactor. If thus il
operated to the advantage OF obscure men, how much
more powerful was il in the hands of President,
possessed of high talents; and man, said Mr.. Mitch
scssing pre- eminent talents President would be able
thus TO buy not districts but whole sections Of coun
try. Let us for example, suppose Supposc the
Canal oil New York had not been made; and suppose that
her citizens could in prospect, behold all the advantages
arising from IT, which have since actually arisen the lands
from Erie TO the lindson approaching in value; furnishing
villages every where spriuging UP; the whole West be-
coming tributary to her commences; could the State
OF New York be purchased by the Administrations which
would by aiding the Canal assist in enabling the State
10 realize all these benefits Most assuredly il could and
the same he would say of Virginia of South Carona-
Mr. Mitchell had found he said, in visit New York
That public sentiments there hostile to the continu
ance oil this system 1t regarded there system of
corruption which ought TO be put down. North of the
Potomac 1t is stgmatiscd corrupon and South of the
This was old and hackncyed subject; but he deem
cd 1t his imperative duty TO resist the resolution for
the reasons that it held up the idea that we have
right TO make Internal improvements and that il is our
intention TO make them permanent part of sys-
tenn Now, admitting the existence of the power he de-
MED the oxpedicncy of exercising in the present
oil things or under any circumstances He had doubt
the resolution would pass with his unfeigncd regret
Mr. Wilde of Georgia, rose into the discus
SON. but to make motion which would the sense of
the House TO the propncy of continuing the discus
SION on the resolution and its present posture fhe
unuance Of the discussion desired he thought il
ought to take place in the Committee the Whole where
every member would have opportunity of participating
Committee of the whole House and be made the order of
The day for Monday next. Lost
On the motion Of Mr.. Mitchell seconded by the rcaui-
site number of the House, the ayes and were order
cd on the question.
Mr. Davis, of Mass. drew the attention of he House 10