The Arkansas advocate. [volume] (Little Rock, A.T. [Ark.]) 1830-1837, 1834-12-26
the Federal Government in rega 70 il
would be ultimately secured.

the Federal Government in rega toit,
would be ultimately secured.
p 30 iar at least rs it regards tnIs HIeil OF
the subject, my best hopes have be reall-
zed. Nearly four years have clap, and
several sessions of Congress have intened,
and ne attempt, withiGfsray reeollecas has s
been made 70 induce Congress to exese this
power. The applications for the conHetlon
of roads and canals, which were Tnerly
multiplied upon your files, are no lorr pre-
scented and we have good reason to ef that
the current of public sentiment haecome
acknowledgement pretention aseetaally
to discourage its re-assertion. So mixing,
/ derivethe greatest satisfaction fre1ae con-
viction, that thus much at least hasen Sc
cured upon this important and embassing
subject. a
From attempts to appropriate thnation-
al funds to objects which are confetdly ola !
local character, we cannot, trust, We any
thing further to apprehehd. Ny Wis lnre-
gard to the expediency of making propria-
tions for works which are claimed to ofa4na-
tional character, and prosecuted uier State
authority, assuming that CongreglaFe the
right to dose, were stated IN my anal mes
sage to Congress in 1880, also in thaontain-
ing my objections to the Maysville I'd Bill.
So thoroughly convinced am ], tt nosuch
appropriations ought to be made byongfess,
until suitable constitutional ppision IS
made upon the subject, and SO esstial do I
regard the point to the highest sierests of
our country that / eouldsliot collsbf myself
as dlschargi14g my duty to my eonstuents IN
giving the Executive sanction to az bib con-
tanning such an appropriation. 1.-THE Peo-
pie Of the United States desire thu the pub
lie treasury shall be resorted to fo1le mems
to prosecute such works, they wiltenelr in
an amendaneat of the eonstitutionpreserib
ing rule by which the national caracter of
the works is to be tested, and byYhieh the
greatest practicable equality Of besfits may
besecured to each member Of the onfedera-
ey. The effects of. such regulaon would
be most salutary i'll preventing Hprofitable
expenditures, N securing our legisLtion from
the pefnieions# consequences of aseraInble
for the faKors of Government, andn repres-
sing the spirit of discomfort whiehailst inev-
itably arise from an unequal distribution Of
treasures which belong alike to al
There another class of appropratioas5r what, may
be called internal improvements whiehtaye always
been regarded standing upon differenfrounds from
those to which lave referred. aIlnde such as have
for their object the Improvement or rhors, the re-
aoyaof partial and temporary obstruetias in oufaaV
gabe rivers for the facility and securiyd onr foreign
commerce. The grounds upon which ] distinguish ap
preparations of this character from otersave already
been stated 10 Congress will now ofIy add That al
tie first session of Congress under the new Constitution
It was provided by law, that all expenses la should &C
crue from and after the 18th Aug 1885, iR necessary
support and aIntainanee and repairs OF ghthoas
beacons buoys and public piers erected pied sunk
before the passage Of the act within any bay, inlet
harboT, port of the S. for rendering the navigation
thereof easy and SAFE should be betrayed ont of the ea
ry OF the u 81 and further, that heuld be the dutJ
of the Secretary Of the Treasury provide by contract
with the appreciation of the President, for rebuilding
when necessary leepiug fcpair the iigas
houses beacen &c in the several States, and for furnish
ing them with supplies. Appropriations for similar oh
jects have been continued from that time to the presen
without interruption dispute. As a natural conse
quence of the Increase and extension of commerce
ports Of entry and delivery have been multiplied and es
tabished only upon board but in the inerio
Of the country upon our lakes and navigabe rivers Tn
convenience and safety of this have led to tn
gradual extension ofthese expenditures 10 the erection
Of lighthouses, the placing, planting and sinking
huoys beacons and pers and to the removal of parts
and temporary distractions in navgable rivers an
IN the harbors of great lakes well the sea
board AItho' have expressed to Congress my apprt
hension that these expenditures have sometimes been
rnvagant and dsproportionate the benefits to be der
vedfrom them, have not felt tito be my duty to refus
my assent TO bills containing Them and have coHtenfe
myself to follow In this rqpect in the footsteps of a
my predecessors. Sensible, however, from c1perienc
dobservation of the great abuses which the
strieed exercise OF this authority by Congress
posed have prescribed Limitation for the governmer
of my own conduct, by which expenditures of tn
character confined to places below the ports Of ei
try or delivery established by law. am very sensib
fhatthis restriction not satisfactory as could be d.
sired and that much embarrassment may be caused
the Executive Department in its execution, by appropr
tons for remote, and not wei understood Objects But
neither my reflections, nor the lights which ma
properly derive from other sources have supplied n
with a better shall continue apply my best exc
tons to faithful application Of the rule upon which
isfounded. sincerely regret that could not give N
assent TO the bill entitled Gan improve the nav
CATION Of the Wabash river, but could not have dor
so without Teeeding from the ground which have, VI
on thefuiest consideration, taken upon this subject,
Of which Congress has been heretofore apprized an
without throwing the subectagan open to abuses whc
no good citizen entertaining my opinions could desire
rely upon the intelligence and eandor of my feol
citizens, in whose liberal indulgence have already
largely participated for correct appreciation of m
motives IN interposng as have done this, and otht
occasions, checks of legislation which, witt
out, nthe slightest degree calling in question the motive
OF others, consider sanconing improper and
stitutona expenditures of public money.
1 am not hostile to internal improvements. and wis
to them extended every mart the country.