Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-08-29


which your enquiry extends, in his annual message
10 Congress, in December, 1894, fiIly concur.
| They ~ follows:
"1hcrc i, another elias, of appropriations for
what may be called, without improperly, in
trrnal Improvements, which have always been re-
rardcd standing upon different Grounds from
those to which have referred. allude to such
as have for their objects, the Improvement OF our
harbor,, End the removal Of partial and temporary
obstruction. in navigablc rivers, for the facility
and security of our foreign commerce. The
ground. upon which distinguished appropriations
Of til, character from others, have already been
stated 10 Congress, | will now add, that the first
session of Congress, under the new Constitution,
il was provided by Law, that all expenses winch
should accrue from and after the 18th day OF Az
gust, 1880, in the necessary support and maintain
ancc and repairs of NIL light houses, beacons,
buoys, and public piers, crcc,cd placed or sunk
before the p,ssaec of The act, within any bay, IN
l,,i harbor or port of the United States, for rem
dcrinr the navigation thereof easy and sale, should
be dciraycd nnt of the Treasury OF tue pncd
Stnics, and further, that it should be the duty %
the Secretary Of the Treasury TO provide by con-
tracts, with the appreciation OF the President,
lor rebuilding when necessary, ana Keeping W goou
repair the liphl-houscs hcacons, buoys, and pub
! lie piers in the several STATES, and for furnishing
them with supplies. Appropriations for similar
objects have been continued from tina, time to the
present without interruption or dispute. rs
natural consequence of the increase and extension
! ol our foreign commerce., ports ol entry ana dc-
/ livery have been multiplied ana established, not
only upon our sea-board, but in the interior OF the
country upon our lakes and navlgable rivers
! The convenience and safety ui TINS commerce
have led the gradual extension of these cXpcndi-
lures; To the erection of lighthouses, the placing,
planting and sink ine ofbuoys, bcacons and PIERS,
/ nnIt he al al Temporary
tons in our nnvipahc rivers, and IN the harbors
npon our great lakes rs well rs ON the sca-board.
Although have expressed to Congress MY appre-
henson that these expenditures have sometimes
been cxiravnnant and dsproportionac to the adj
Va IMAGES 10 he derived from them, have not iclt
II 10 he duty Ia refuse my assent 10 ol'lS con
tanning ilcm and have con,cnted myself to follow
IN this respect in the tooi'tcrs OF all my pfodcccs.
sors. Sensible, however, from experience ana
observation, OF the great abuses to whch the I'M
restricted exercise of Tins authority by congress
wis exposed | have prescribed limnatioa lot the
government of my own conduct, by which cXpcn-
dIlnrcs al tins character are confined TO places ne
low the ports of entry or delivery established by
law. am very srnsblc that this restriction is
mol rs satisfactory aS could be desired, ana u'at
much embarrassment may he caused to the ENccn-
tive Department in lis execution, by approprIa-
lions lol remolr aud not well understood objects
Ban is neither nv own reflections, nor the 'leh's
|nhicll may properly derive from other sources,
/ have supplied me with better, | shall continue
10 apply my best cNorlions To faithful applica''oh
of the rule upon which il is founded lshccrriv
repret lhai could not give my assent to the biI
entitled IN act IL improve the navigation o' 'h'
Wabash river; but ] could not have done !"
without fecrdmg from the gronnd winch nave,
upon the fullest consideration, taken upon TINS sub
lecl and OF which Congress has been heretofore
] 4 M
open 10 abuses Which no good citizen, entertaining
my opinions, could desire"
President Jack son has where gwen MS lbs
views us To the particular provisions oil me eaa-
raj Constitution, by which he conceivcs cxpendi-
lures of this character TO be authorized. Upon
referring 10 the carly proceeding OF the govern
mcnt we find that General Hamilton, while Sc
crctarv of the Treasury, contcndcd, that they
were warranted by the authority given 10 Congress
10 regulate commerce. Mr.. Jefferson, on the
other hand, whilst ho deprecated their liability to
extravaganza and abuse, assumed that they could
be justified under the power To maintain n navy.
President jackson has left the question OF consli-
luiionaliiy 10 the state IN which II was lett by ms
predecessors, But having had actual proof OF
the tendency of those appropriations to the abuses
which Mr.. Jefferson apprchcnded he has cndca-
vorrd 10 apply To the subject practical remedy
With this view, he refused his assem-, TO all appro-
that he held the more fact OF the establishment "f
such ports by Congress decisive of the question
Of consiiuionaitv, but because the Constitution,
under the general discretion it coniers in regard
10 the approval or disapproval OF bills, gives INN
the right do so, with reference to the conslll'i-
lionaI question: and because he thought its exer-
else would be highly conducive TO the public good.
Noonr believe contends that the President ought,
50 far as il depended upon him, to Lave arrested all
appropriations of this character, nor could II with
an, show OF propricv be insisted that he should
have uycn his consent to the extension OF them to
objects of a character altogether different from
those which have been promoted by grants from
the Federal Treasury since the commencement OF
the Federal Government. That the rule he a
doprd for the regulation of his conduct in the
matter, is free from objection, IS not rontened.
am, however, satie1 that it has been produce
tive of much good, and will, until a more satsiac-
tory one is suggested, give it my support.
You next ask, wheilcr | will assign and ai-
prove, Of II becomes necessary TO secure and
save from depreciation. the revenue and finances
the nation, and to afford sound, uniform cur
rency of the people of the Il. Sta,cs,) bill, (w'il
proper notifications and rcsirictions,) char'erlhe
Bank of the United States.
In the published letter of Mr.. Butler to Mr.
Garland which has already been referred to, he
thus states my opinions upon the SUBJECT OF the
Bank Mr. Van Burcn's opinions IN regard to-
the Bank of the United States, were expressed IN