Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-06

lie mindupon the whole subject would be greatly fcil
"cd by The difference between the Houses and my
se anu that me ACRIMONIOUS action of the several de-
piftneitS OF The Federal Government in regard To IL
would be ultimately secured.
So far at least il regards this branch of the subject
my best hopes have been realized Nearly four wears
have elapsed and several sessions Of Compress have in
tcrvcned, ana no attempt, within my recollection has
been made 10 induce Congress to exercise this power
The applications for the construction of roads and canals
which were formerly multiplied upon your files are no
longer presented and have good reason TO infer that
the current of public sentiment has become SO decided
against the precnsion ccctually to Discourage its
rc-asscrtion So thinking derive The greatest satisc
ton from the conviction that this much least has been
secured upon tins important and en5arr subject
From attempts to appropriate the national funds 10 OBJ
Jccts which coniessedly of local character we
not, trust have any thing further toa pprehend NV
views IN regard 10 the expcdency of making appropria
ions Tor works which claimed To be Of national
character and prosecuted under State authority ussu
my That Congress had the right do So were stated i'm
my annual message to Congress 1890 and also i'm tb,t
containing my objections To the Maysvillc Road Bill
90 orongny convinced am l, that no such appropr-
ations ought to be made by Congress- until suitable
constitutional provision made upon the subject and so
essential do regard the point to the highest of
our country that could not consider myself discha-
ing my duty to my constituents in giving the Executives
sanction to any bill containing such AN appropriation
IL the People of The United States desire that public
treasury shall bc resored to for the prosecute
such works. they will in AN amendment of the
CONSTITUTIONS prescribing rule by which the national
Character OF the works he tested and by which tho
greatest practicable equality OF benefits may he secured
To each member of the cocdcracv The effects az s,c
regulation would be most saotary in preventing un-
profitable expenditures in securing our legislation from
the perIcious consequences of scramble for the fyors
oil and IN Expressing the spirit discomfort
which must inevitably arise from AN UNEQUAL istr hutton
OF treasures which belong alike to ALL
There is another class OF appropriations for what may
DC cied without improprcty, internal improvements
winch nave always been regarded standing upon diff
terent grounds from those which have referred Ial
iudc TO such rs have for their object the Improvement of
our harbors, the removal OF partial and temporary OBJ
coc.l
cnrlty OF our foreign commerce. The grounds upon
which distinguished appropriations ots character from
Others nave already been stated TO Congress- will now
only add that at the first of Congress under The
new Constitution, it provided by law that all cx.
penscs which should accrue from and after the 18th tav
august lo' m the necessary support and
and repairs ofal light houses beacans buoys and pub
lc piers, erected, placed, sunk before the passage of
the act within any bay, inlet. harbor, port of the
~ Tor rendering the navigation thereof easy and safe
should be betrayed out of the Treasury of the u States
and further that il should be the duty of the Secretary
OF the Treasury to provide by contracts with the appro
baton OF the President for rebuilding when necessnryand
Keeping IN good repair the lighthouses, bcacons bnoys
ana public piers IN the several States for FURNISHING
them with supplies. Appropriations for similar objects
have been continued from that time TO the present with
out interruption or dispute. AS natural of
the increase and extension of our foreign commerce.
ports OF entry and delivery have been multiplied and es
tnbshed, not only upon seaboard in the interior
OF the country upon lakes vpalc rivers The
convenience and safety of this commerce have led 10 the
gradual extension of these expenditures to the erection
OF lighthouses, the placing, planting, and sinking of
and temporary distractions navigable rivers and i'm
the harbos upon great lakes, we'll as on the sea-
BOARD. Although have expressed to Congress my ap
prehenslon that these expenditures have been
cxravagant and dsproporonac the advantages TO be
derived from thein have felt it to be NV ,utv IN
refuse my assent to bills containing Them and have CON
tented myself To follow in this respect in the foostrps of
all my predecessors Sensible however from ,.xpcri
ence and observatory of the great abuses to which the
unrestricted exercise of this authority by Congress was
exposed have prescribed limitation for the govern
'eht OF my own conduct, by which expenditures of this
character confined to places below the ports of entry
or delivery established by law | ann very sensible
lt s restriction Is not as satisfactory could be
desired, and that much embarrassment may be caus-
ed to the Executive Department in lis execution bv
appropriations Tor remote, and we'll understood OBJ
Jects But as neither my own reflections. the lights
whlch may properly derive from other sources have
supplied me with better; shall continue TO apply INV
best exerons to faithful application of the rule upon
winch 1t is founded sincerely regret that could not
give my assent to the bill entitled An act 10 nnrovc
the navigation of the Wabash river" but could not
have done so without reccdng from the ground which
eve, upon the fullest consideration taken upon this sub
ec and OF which Congress has been heretofore npurz
ed, and without throwing the subject cain omen To o,,ss
desire. F' 0'
rely upon the intelligence and candor of NV fellow
citizens, in whose liberal indulgence have already so
largely participated for appreciation of NV mo-
yves IN interposng, as have DONE this and other
occasions checks to course of Legislation which, with
out IN the slightest degree, calling question the motives
oil otiers, consider sanctonng improper and uncon
stutional expenditures of public treasure
am not hostile to Internal Improvements, and wish
10 see mem extended to every part the country But
am fully persuaded, if they not commenced in n
proper manner, confined to proper objects and conduct
ca under an authority generally conceded to be rght
at successful prosecution of them cannot be reasona
bly, expected. The attempt will meet with resistance
where IT might otherwise receive support and instead f
strengthening the bonds Of conederacy it will only
multiply una ogSraVatc the causes OF dlsuEIon.
DEcEMBER, l, 1884.