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


ger presented i; and we have good rea-
son to infer that the current Of public
sentiment has become so decided a.
gainst The pretension as effec,ually to
discourage its reasserlion. So think
ing, l derive the greatest satisfaction
from the conviction, that thus much at
least has been secured upon this inn
por,ant and embarrassing subject.
From attempts to appropriate the
national funds to objects which a recon-
fessedly of local character, we can
not, trust, have any thing further to
apprehend. My views in regard to
the expediency of making appropria-
lions for works which are claimed to
be of national character, and prose-
cuted under State authority, assuming
the: Congress have the right to do so,
were stated in my annual message to
Congress in 1880, and also in that
containing my objections to the Mays
VUlc nOdu UIIls -lfF
So thoroughly convinced am that
no such appropriations ought to be
mace ny CONGRESS, -~.il sni,ahle con
stitutional provision is made upon the
subject, and so essential do | regard the
point TO the highest interests of our
country, that l could not consider my.
self as discharging my duty to my con-
stituents in giving the Executive sane.
ton to any bill containing such an ap-
preparation. If the people of the u
nited States desire that the public
Treasury shall be resorted to for the
means to prosecute such works, they
will occur 10 an amendment Of the
Constitution, prescribing a rule by
which the national character of the
works is TO be tested, and by which the
greatest practicable equality Of benefits
may be secured TO each member of the
Confederacy. The effects of such a
regulation would be most salutary 10
preventing Improbable expenditures,
in securing our legislation from the per.
nicious consequences of a scramble for
the favors of Government, and in re,
pressing the spirit of discomfort which
must inevitably arise from an unequal
distribution Of treasures which belong
alike to all.
There is another class Of appropria.
tons for what may be called, without
improperly, internal improvements,
which have always been regarded as
standing upon different grounds from
those to which have referred. | al
Jude to such as have for their object the
improvements OF our harbors, the re-
moval Of partial and temporary OBJ.
structions in our navigable rivers, for
facility and security OF our foreign COM
merce. The grounds upon which !
distinguished appropriations of this
character from others have already
been stated to Congress. will now
only add that, at the first session Of
Congress under the new constitution,
it was provided by law, that all expen.
SEES which should accrue from and after
the 18Th day of August, 1899, in the
necessary support and maintenance and
repairs Of all lighthouses, beacons, bu.
oys, and public piers, erected, placed,
or sunk before the passage OF the act,
within any bay, inlet, harbor, or port
of the United States, for rendering the
thereofeasy and safe, should
be betrayed out Of the Treasury of the
United States, and further, that it should
be the duty ofthe Secretary OF the Trea.
sury to provide by contracts, with the
Of the President, for re-
when necessary and keeping
in good repair the lighthouses, bea-
cons, buoys, and public piers, in the
several States, and for furnishing them
with supplies. Appropriations for
similar objects have been continued
from that time 10 the present without
interruption or dispute. A natural
consequence of the increase and extern
sion Of our foreign commerce, ports of
entry and delivery have been multiple
ed and established, not only upon our
,eaboard, but in the interior of the
country, upon our lakes and navigable
rivers. The convenience and safety
Of this commerce have led to the grad
ual extension of these expenditures; TO
The erection Of lighthouses, the plac-
ing, planting, and sinking of buoys,
beacons, and piers, and to The removal
Of partial and temporary distractions
in ous navigable rivers, and in the har.
oours upon our great lakes, as well as
on the seaboard. Although have ex-
pressed to Congress my apprehension
that these expenditures have sometimes
been ex'ravagant and disproportionate