Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-11-04
FREKssaY:, .S'OVoEgHE3EEc 4, 1886.


lie should protest rgainst tie admission OF such doc
irlnr and he should resist all incnis and purposes,
the idea that the Of this Congress were to bind him
and his constituents hereafter. AVID voted against
the appropriation.
in these few brief but rprcib!c remarks the whole
ground at Ubc is covered nd the power over This
subject drn"d TO the General Government. There are
many nlhr votes which Mr.. Van Buren, gave i'll the Sc
nate. all 81 which in sr:c, accordance with the re-
marks and votes which have been cited, and none in the
slightest degree in conflict with them.
In iS32 II Heller addressed by Mr.. Van Buren, TO
committee q" lretingat Shcccn Springs: IN North a.
rnna, MIR. Van Buren, reviewed the subject IN all It's
bearings and ramicaliuns. He sustained the Mays
Vile and subsequent expressions Of opinion b. Pre-
sld"Gt JucksGn in his several messages upon this sub
jet. in most drcded and uncqnivoca terms, end ogain
denied 10 tie Federal Government any constitutional
power over it, Thus you scr, that all MIR. Van Burens
expressed srlcnts and votes, with the sing eIccp
ilph Of The toll gate vote decidedly hostile To tins
system Yet his opponents notwithstanding this
whrning Of evidence to the contrary rally up
on tie toll rate vote and charge Mr. Van BuTea with
being friend Of the Internal improvement system, be-
al that single rne-wth what !arrcss justice or
magnaTmiir, We leave you 10 judge" We here present
you the concluding paragraph o the Shocco letter, as
containing able expose oi n" rrasnns why ihc cXer-
else Of this power should be withheld from the frderal
Government, under the present Constitution. reads:
Internal improvements diversified III their
nature and hr public agency OF the Federal sr"Ve'n
mrnt in ilC construction, so variable In lis character
and degree, render il not little difficult, to lay
down any precise rule that will embrace The whale sub
rcl. The broadcast and best defined DIVISION is that
which distinguishes between tie direct construction Of
works Of Internal Improvement by the General Govern
ment un rcuuary assistance given by Il to such as are
undertaken by o:.rs In The former included the
make and establish roads and canals Wi thin the
States ard The assumption "t Is much jurisdiction over
the territory they may occupy, rs Is necessary In the
preservation and usr The latter restricted to simple
grants of m"ncy III and ul such works, when made ui
der State authority.
.Thc Frtt ra O. vcrnmcnt does EOt. in ny opinion,
possess pwrr first specified; il derive iro'@
the assent Of The Stale in which such works were to be
constructed The money power ii is called, is not So
free from difficulty Various rules have, from time 20
time been suggested by those who properly appseea!e
the importance o! precision aud certainly IN The opera
tons Of the Federal wer Eul they hlve been 50 fire.
GIcnv iniringrd upon by the apparently unavoidable
action of the Government, that final and satisfactory
settlement of the question has been prryritfru me
wide difference between definition "I the power In
question upon paper and It's practical application 10 te
umrauu Gi government. has been sensIbty lt by all
who have been entrusted with the management o! pun
lie affairs The hnir subject reviewed Ii: the Ere
sidcnts Maysy'' nlrssMg". Siacrf"iy believing l''"
the best interests q" HE Whole counr. The iIe' not To
say the stability If The Union, and the preservation OF
that mral incr which, p":hars. US much as any otner
holds ii together, np"r"nsiy required That The drslfnc
I've Il Legislation upon that saiJct Then peVa
lent should III proper cEd constitutions way W
rvcrir lhroughout gave I" that measure, {" "hlch
that document e%pUsfton, my active: 2"alouS'
md anxious sufp";i .
s.rh, opinions declared by ,ilc President in the Mays
:il,r and his succeeding annual messages as under'
stand Them are as follows: Isl. That Congress does
no, possess the power to ligIe establish Il F0na or
runal wlkin Stale. with right Of jurisdiction 10 Inc
y,rut | have stated: and that. If 1t Is The wish oil inc
,coul that the construction ot such works sh"nld De
Undertaken h. The federal Government, previous
,in.nt rnt u the Constitution: c'itcTrn9 that pow
r. and defining @nd restricting lis exercise, Win tcrr
nee the sovereignty oF lEs State Is "G'SprnS"oie
H.. Bali. lint Tho rrt,f In m
pprnp.iauns in aid Of such internal improvements I"
ialIn"a character. has been generally acted upon
and 50 nn acGncs,t hy The Federal ana Stale 90
crnucnls ard the constituents 81 each, as To Jns'iy us
.xccisr but tia, it is: nevertheless S. highly tSprd'eh
;lat even such appropriations sinuid WIN Tic tAceP
linn Of srci rs relate liTh 0uts, brasons, Dnoys
,u5l;c piers and other improvements IN The 'arno'S ant
,ayin,l rivers lie United States, Tor the sccsrity
md Iaci!y Of orr foreign c0mmc,ee, be deferred, Al
icas, until tie national tEbt is palG 3D. hat II IL
Inc. u.i of the people that the agency oil The ieGpTa
Government should be restricted 10 the appropriation o.
money and extended in that form in aid ct such unocr
;akngs when cairrs! on hy State authority thrh '''
,ccnsun the nlancr and The extent "t the appT"rfa
inns sbnuId r mad. .l.e subject Of c. INSTITUTIONAL regu
din these views concurrd, and Likewise pa'ilcpa
ed in the difficulties which were encountered, anu "a
,rpssrJ Lv the PRESIDENT in adopting the prnc pie whcl
:oucCdrs to the Federal Government ut The right 10 hhs
,pprovria ions in aid Of works which might be Gegatoe'
IS Of a national character: difficulties which arose. al
vel, from tie danger of considering mere usage 'iie i"uh
aliou of tie riulii. from lie extreme uncertainty
he hest rule that had been Adopted or tlIa conu
II the absence Of positive constitutional provision, VI
established The reasons OH which these onJrc'loS
ycrc founded are fully stated IN IN" document Fr'e'
red TO- and have been so extensively promulgated, Ina
is unnt crsSaIy for 10 repeat them mere ouose
,urn reflection and experience, have confirmed my ~
nrehrnsnrs Of the injurious consequences "hich wou'
low from Tie resumption OF appropriations LOT i"'e'
improvements with no better ru!t lpr Inc S"'e'"e'
a.. - ,Iph q
no Hesitate to xprtss il my opinion that The genera
md true interests OF the country would be best consult
d by withholding them, with tie exception which
nave already referred to- until some constitutions ''gu
alton upon tic subject has been made
In this avowal / am certainly rot influenced ny rr
mos Of indifference much Ices Of hostility 10 isFh'
ImpruvcirIits. AS such, they can have n" ene''hs
have never omitted 10 give them al! luz P'"p''
m nv power for which, by the way, ic"'Hi "o p'
,cu,r merit rs do not believe there 10 an honest hn
sane man in the country who docs mol WISH 10 SET W
,rvsper-but their construction, ara the hia"'sr
which, aud the means by which, thry are W Nc "H'"
4 are quite different questions Rather tian asa "a
nsc our lerislaon ~ all the corrupung influences
'hosr scramhrs and combinatUns in Congress, WIG
have been heretofore witnessed and Tic o'heI ,hhS ". "
.ouu,ry TO the injurious eilrciS unaVoaao'y result"
rom Them it would in ny opinion, Dc lhhh'tey P'.'e
ble to leave works of the character spoken OIL anu "
,mbtaccd in the exception which has hcen polhcu d"
or the present, 10 the supports upon ".'.h ivy ~,
reposrd with so much success loF the iast wv" W
State ci;rs and private enterprise. n ."e $50 hn
The people b, convinced that the progress oi ',
works should be accelerated by the EedrFai arm 'h'
sill moi refuse 10 TO sonr proper constitution.
,nrrn,,n, uw,n the subject. Ike superstition thai
o"tabe ruIe Which pays proper pect to the in'
rest and condition Of the different S.a,ss could 1o ,'
receive ultimately tie at s ,h coun uy'
sJ,;l,mcut IF the question, political systr
in addition to the other advantages derived from w9u
IN Tinun to this subject ~ ras., be relieved from mo
dangerous Shocks which sp:ing from dvrTs,tes OF o.
MON upon constitutional points OF deep interest," s
-; H.. meantime the resources of the country would
y his, husbandrd by being left in the hands Ct those
> whose labor they prcdneed..
; Il is charged ngaInsl Mr. Van Buren,, that he is
,drocar nf hich protective IaIia, nr tie otaeEl VI