South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1834-12-13


which have arisen upon this subject have
related
LIST. To the power of making Internal
Improvements within the limits of a state.
with the right ofterritorial jurisdiction,
sufficient at least for their preservation
and use.
end. To the right ofappropriating mo-
ney in aid of such works when carried on
by state or by company in virtue OF
state authority. surrendering the claim of
jurisdiction and
Sd. To the propriety of appropriating
for improvements of particular class,
viz for lighthouses, beacons, buoys,
public piers, and for the removal of sand
bars, sawyers, and other temporary and
partial impediments in our navigable riv-
ers and harbors.
The claims of power for the General
Government upon each of these points
certainly present matter Of the deepest
interest. The first, is however, of much
the greatest Importance. inasmuch as, in
addition to the dangers of unequal and
improvident expenditures Of public mo-
neys, common to all, there is superadded
to that the conflicting Jurisdictions of the
d;ct;ou - ,5an sxton Taff rs inEis-
ted, has been Justly regarded by its, advo
Gates as necessarily appurtenant to the
power in question, if that exists by the
Constitution. That the most injurious
conflicts would unavoidably arise between
the respective Jurisdictions of the State
and Federal Governments, in the absence
of a constitutional provision marking out
their respective boundaries, cannot be
doubted. The local advantag es to be OBJ
tanned, would induce the States to over
look in the beginning the dangers and diff
ficulties to which they might ultimately
be exposed. The powers exercised by
the Federal Government would soon be
regarded with jealousy by the State au-
thorities, and originating as they must
from implication or assumption, it would
be impossible TO affix to them certain and
safe limits. Opportunities and tempta-
tions to the assumption Of power incom-
patible with state sovereignty, would be
increased. and those barriers which resist
the tendency of our system towards con-
solidation greatly weakened. The Off
GERS and agents of the General Govern
ment might not always have the discre-
tion to abstain from intermeddling with
state concerns +; and if they did, they
would not always escape the suspicion of
having done SO. Collisions, and conse-
quent irritations would spring up-that
harmony which should ever exist between
the General Government and each men,
Der oflhe confederacy, would be frequent
ly interrupted-a spirit OF contention
would be engendefed-and the dangers
of division greatly multiplied.
I Yet we all know, that Notwithstanding
these grave objections, this dangerous
doctrine was at one time apparently pro.
ceedng to its final establishment with
fearful rapdity. The desire to embark
the Federal Government in works of In
ternal Improvement, prevailed in the
highest degree, during the first session of
the first Congress that | had the honor to
meet in my present situation. When the
bill authorising a subscription on the part
of the U. s. for stock in the Maysville &
Lexington Turnpike Companies, passed
the two houses, there had been reported,
by the Committees of Internal Improve
ments, bills containing appropriations for
such objects, exclusive of those for the
Cumberland road, g. for harbors d light
houses, to the amount of about one hun
bred and six millions of dollars. In this
amount was included authority to the Sc
cretary of the Treasury to subscribe for
the stock o. different companies to great
extent, and the residue was principally
for the direct construction of roads by this
Government. In addition to these pro.
jects, which had been presented to the
two Houses, under the sanction and re-
commedation of their respective Commit
tees, and in memorials to Congress, pre-
scented, but not referred, different pro-
iects for works of similar character, the
expense of which cannot be estimated
with certainty, but must have exceeded
one hundred millions Of dollars.
Regarding the bill authorising a SUBJ
sbripten to the stock of the Maysville g.
Lexington Turnpike Company as the en-
tering wedge of a system, which, howe
yer weak at first, might soon become
strong enough TO rive the bands of the
Union asunder, and believing if its pas
sage was acquiesced in by the Executive
and the People. there would no longer be
any limitation upon the authority of the
General Government in respect to the
appropriation of money for such objects.
deemed it an imperative duty to with
hold from it the Executive approval. AL
though, from the obviously local charac.
ter of that work, | might we'll have con-
tented myself with refusal to approve
the bill upon that ground, YET, sensible of
the vital Importance of the subject, and
anxious that my views and opinions in re-
gard to the whole matter, should be full
ly understood by Congress, and by my
constituents. felt it my duty to go fur
ther. | therefore embraced that early
occasion to apprize Congress, that, in my
opinion. the Constitution did not confer