Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-01-15
THE WABASH IMPROVEMENT.

On the 7,h inst, the dill for the improvement Of
the Wabash river being before the Senate, on the
question of its final passage, Mr.. Clay rose, and
dissected in the following keen and mastcrly style,
! tho ludicrous position recently assumed by the
President tourhing the power Of the general 60
! verament over tho subject Of informal improve.
| ment:
+" Mr.. Clay said, that no could not allow the
question to be put, without passing notice OF tho
principles contained in the message Of the Frost
dent, returning the bill passed a, the last session,
making an appropriation for the improvement OF
the Wabash. lie hoped this bill would pass. and
experience from the President kinder fatc than
the bill Of the last session.
According to the President, the Constitution
does not authorize or at least ough, to be practical
" limited. to those improvements in our navigsbe
waters which are calculated to advance the inter
est, of our foreign commerce. lie thinks no I'M
provcmenr ought % be made above the highest
mort Of entry II this be tho true meaning OF the
Constitution, our powers do not depend upon tho
terms or grants Of that instru ncnt ITSELF but upon
our previous exercise Of another power, on col
lateral subject. The effect would DO to make the
Constitution floating machine, .impelled not by
itself but nv the will OF Congress, exercised in the
establishment Of ports Of entry.
"And what would be the effect Of this interp'e-
tation or execution Of the Constitution upon The III
teres,s Of the ,n,crior Of the country, BY far the
creates, portion oft The grea, interior Of the
Country would be repudIated, cut of, from all he
benefits OF tao C0nst n,on IN one OF "s
most bcnehccnt provisions. Our internal com
rncrce--the commerce between the diner
en-, States, would be sIrip Of all advantages
from the exercise Of power, which u 10 IN
possible to show does not equally compIe-
he,d thai, with our foreign commerce. We
should apply tn. power, generally. below the tide
wafer, fo- ports of entry are generally con hned 10
tide. water, where from the bounty of nature, it
=, no, I. sentaly necessary; and we should refuse
i, where its exercise is d manded for the comfort
and convenience Of the People IN the transportation
of thu proJuc,s Of their industry.
"Asanst such a limited partial, unequal, and
unjust execution of the Constitution Of tho United
State. 1 enter my protest IN the most solcmn form
in which Il can be made. Il IS impossible that the
Peoplc Of this country can ever consent to such "A
construction Of il. Il is impossible that they can
ever be satisfied with an arbitrary rule, presented
too not by the Legislative authority but put Tor
ward by Executive will. He had risen for the sole
purpose of entering his protest; he should vote WIN
pleasure for the BILL
The question was then taken on inc passage u
the bill. by yeas and nays os follows
"YEAS -Messrs. Benton, Clay, Clayton Ew'
ing. Fr.l,nyhuysen, Hendricks, Kanc, Kent,
knight. Linn, NlcKeun, Naudain, Porter. Prea-
,,ss. Robbins Robinson, Sisb e. Smith, S"uihard,
Swift. Tipion, Tomnson, Webster. "a.
NAYS-Messrs. Bib, Black, Buchanan
Calhoun. Gruody, Hill, King Of Alabama. King
Of Georgia, Leigh, Mansum, Moore, Morris
Preston, Snepiey, Talmadgc. Tyler, white
IT,"