Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-12-08

Y ~ ff"' ~ Hstf AftttHa RIF' u
, ti"s and temptations &, the assumption Of power
a Incompatible Ia STATE sovereignty, would lie IN.
creased, aud those bartiar. wlie, resist thu ten
tsney oi Our svt'rm towards con s~pl,iat,on greatly
weakened. 1he officers aud agents of the Gene
fa' Ghvefnmeni might not always hsse he ,liscr..
ton 10 abstai, tr,m ihletpeddlfne with STATE con
Germs nni iitbey dill. t.ey would not always rs.
cape the suspicion III hssing done ~. Co'li,iaos.
and consequent irriistioos would sp,inp up-ihai
harmony which should ever exist between The
6enerai Government Il each member Of lha Con
iedracy, would be frequently inierrupted-a sprit
OF contention would be eneendesed-and the dan
gers of division greatly multiplied
Vet we all know that not withstandin these
grave objections. th, dangerous doctrine was ~,
nnc time apparently proceeding TO its final ps,sb
lishment with fearful rap dty. The desire 10 EN-.
bark the / ednial Gosernment IN wo,ks Of inter
nal improvement prevailed IN the highest degree.
doftrg tho first session of The first Congress that |
had the honor to meet IN NV present sltuatiuu.-
When the hill authofising ~ .nlsei iptlo 81 the
part 81 the United States Tor stock in the Nnysyillr
aud H. xingtbn Turnpike Companies passed the
Two Houses, There had b,en reported. ty tue com.
mi,tees of Internal improvements, bnis containing
appropriations Tor such objects, exclusive of those
for the Cumberland road, aud Tor harbofs aud lighi
houses. 10 the fmount Of about = 100 Ooo, OoD. In
THIS amount was included authority TO the Secfe.
iarv of the Treasury to subscribe for tho stock OF
different companies In u great extent, aud the res-
idne was principally for the direct construction OF
roads by this government. In addition 10 ihese
projects, Which had been presented to the two
Houses, undet the sanction and recommendation
of their respective Committees OF Internal In
r.eVsnont thara "nrs ,h~" ell, n.n l.rtr hi
The committees, aad in memol iaIs To Congress,
presented, but not referred, different projects tor
works Of a similar character. the expense oil which
cannot be estimated with certainty. BAT mus nave
exceeded Sl00, 1000, o0o.
Regarding the bill authorizing n subscription /
the stock Of the Naysy,lie aud Lnsine' on Turnpike
va ma .s ma I1a a,atu.t.,a tF.I II - - Itsh
however weak Al ff,t. might soon brcomc strong
enough to rive the bonds oil the Union %asnnder.
aud believing that u lis passage wns scqaiesecd III
10y the Executive aud the people there would no
longer he any Limitation upon the authority oil the
General Government IN respect Ia the appropria-
tian OF money Tor such oljecis, ] dcem,d II an
imperative dur, 10 withhold from il the Executive
approval. Although, from the obviously local
Character of that york, | might well havo conlen.
ted myself with n fetnsnl 10 approve the bnl on
that ground, yet, sensible OF the vital importance
Of the subject. aud anxious that my views aud OPP
mons ~ regard 10 The whole matter should BE- fully |
understood by Congress aud by my constituents, |
fell II my duty 10 go further, therefore embraced
that eaily occasion 10 upprise Congress thai, Ia
my opinion, the Constitution did MOI confer upon
II the power TO authuGise the construction ot oTdi- |
mary ,oads aud canals within the limits OF u State,
aud TO say respectfully that no bill n limiting such
n power could receive my official sanction. did
SO ia the conldeut rx pectalipn that the speedy set
ilemcnt Of the public mind upon the whole subject
would be greatly facilitated by tie difference be-
tween the two Houses aod myself, aud that the
harmonious action OF the several departments Of
the Federal ''oyernment in regard to II would be
ultimately secured.
So FAR, at Least, as regards this branch Of the
subject, my best hopes have been reniized. Nra.ly
thn, y.ats hhye elapsed. mud several sessions Of
Congress have interviewed, and no attempt, within
my reeolleeti"o, has been made 10 induce Congress
10 exercise this power. The applications Tor the
construction ot roads aud canals, which wers for
me,ly mu,ilpliei upon your files, are no longer
preseutrd, md we have good reason 10 infer thai
the curienI OF public sentiment has become so de-
cided against the pretcnslon ms enectually 10 dis.
courage rs re-assritou. SO thinking | derive tn
greatest satisfaction from the conviction that thus
much, AT last, has been secured upon this i'm. or.
,ant subject
From attempts 20 appropriate the national
find. to objects which ae cGniessrdly OF n local
eh''ac'er' we .s es""oiM Ny ,da~s n e yresard to he eI.
pedieucy of making appropriations tor works that
are claimed to b. Of "a national character and pro.
secuted under State authority, assuming that Con
g,ess have The right 10 do so, were stated IN my
annual message TO Congress IN 1897, aud also III
thnt con aiming ny objections to he Mayssille
Roal Bill.
SO thoroughly convinced AN that no such ap-
preparations ought 10 he made bv Congress until
"A suitable constitutional provision ~ made upon
the hullfG', anu \ ID essen u AZ ' 'fBhib NV Ib'h' |
10 the highest Interests OF our country, thai could
not consider myself as dischargine my duty 10 my
constituents IN giving the Executive sanction 10
any bill containing such an Appropriations. II tht
people Of the u. S5aIes desire that the public ifea-
sury shall he re,ortrd TO for the means n prose
cute such work., they will concur in an amenimenl
of the constitution prescribing a rule by which the
national character of the works is 10 be tested md
by which the greatest praciicabl" equality OF ben
fits may he secured 10 each member 81 the coo1ed
cracy. The effects ol such II regulation would he
most salntaiy III preventing upptohtable expenh'e
lures, ia securing our legislation from the Itrnici
Gus con eqnenfos OF "A scramble -? the favors OF
Government. aud IN REFRESHING III. spirit oil discon-
tent which must inevitably arise from an unequal
distribution OF treasures which belong aka TO all
There is another class OF opriaiions Tor what
may he called. ~itIout impfopr-iy, intefn"l I'M
provements. which have been always regarded rs
standing upon different grounds from those 10
which have referred ! ailude 10 such AZ have
for their object he Improvement OF our harbors.
The removal of partial aud Temporary ob'tfuc.
tious 10 our rivcfs, for the facility and scc"rIiy oil
our foreign commerce. The grounds upon ~hlch
distinguished appropriations Of this character
from others have been already stated to Congress.
will only add that AT the first session OF Congress
under the new constitution. il was provi'cI by Ia"
tlat all expenses which should aecfue rom an
after the 10 Ia day OF August, 1889, IN The recessa
~ sppport aud maintenance aud repairs Of al
liz hi house, be8cons, buoys aad pubic Piers,
erected, placed or sunk before the passage Of thu
act. within any bay, inlet, haibor or port Of he u
States, for rendering Tie navigation thereof easy
and safe. sh Iu,d be defray.d out Of the treasury
Of the u. States ani farther, that II shoiid b
The duty Of the Secretary OF the Treasury 10 pro-
vide by CONTRACTS, with the appreciation oil the
President, for rebuilding when necessary and
keeping in good repair the light houses, beacon,