Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-08-27

Tently unavoidable action Of the GoVerIl-
ment, that final and satisfactory settle
ment Of the question bas been prevented.
The wide difference between a defni..
tlOn OF the power in question upon pa
per, and its practical application 10 tba
operations Of the Government, has been
sensibly felt by all who have been enirus-
fed with the management Of public affairs.
The whole subject was reviewed in the
Presidents Maysville message. Sincere
ly believing that the best int erests ofthe
whole country, the quiet, not to say the
stability, ofthe Union, and the preserva-
ton of that moral force which perhaps, as
much as any other, holds it together, i'm
periOusly required that the destructive
course of legislation upon that subject
then prevalent, should, in some proper
and constitutional way, be arrested,
throughout gave TO the measure, Of
which that document was an exposition,
my active, jealous, and anxious support.
"The opinions declared by the Presi-
dent in the Maysville, and his succeed
ing annual message, as | understood
them, are as follows; 1st. That Congress
does not possess the power to make and
establish a road or canal within State,
with a right of jurisdiction to the extent
have stated; and that if it is the wish of.
the people that the construction of such
works should be undertaken BY the Fed
eral Government, previous amendment
Of the Constitution conferring that pow
er, and defining and restricting its exer-
else, with reference to the sovereignty Of
the States, is indispensable. I'd. An in
timation of his belief that the right to
make appropriations in aid Of such Inter.
nal Improvements as are Of national
character, has been so generally acted
upon, and so long acquiesced in by the
Federal and State Governments, and the
constituents of each, as to justify its ex-
ercse, but that it is nevertheless highly
expedIent that even such appropriations
should, with the exception of such as re.
late tp1ight houses, beacons, buoys, pub
lie piers, and other Improvements in the
harbors and navigable rivers Ofthe Uni=
ted States, for the security and facility of
our foreign commerce, be deferred at
least until our national debt is paid. Sd.
That if il is The wish of the people that
the agency of the Federal Government
should be restricted to the appropriation
of money, and extended in that form in
aid of such undertakings, when carried
on by State authority, then the occasion,
the manner, and the extent Of the apprO-
priatiop, should be made the subject Of
constitutional regulation.
"In these views concurred; and ]
likewise participated in the difficulties
which were encountered, and expressed
by the President, in adopting the princi-
pie which comedies to the Federal Gov
eminent the tight TO make appropriations
in aid ofworks which might be regarded
as Of a national character-dificulties
which arose as well from the danger Of
considering mere usage the foundation
of the right,sas from the extreme uncer-
tainty and consequent insecurity Of the
best rule that had ever been adopted, or
that could, in the absence of positive con-
stitutional provision, be established
The reasons on which these objections
were founded are so fully stated in the
document referred TO, and have been so
extensively promulgated, that it is uEne-
cessary for me to repeat them here
Subsequent reflection and experience
have confirmed my apprehension of the
injurious consequences which would
probably flow from the continuation Of
appropriations for internal improvements;
with no better rule for the government
of Congress than that OF which | have
spoken; and do not hesitate to express
it as my opinion, that the general and
true interests of the country would be
best consulted by Withholding them,
with the exceptions which | have already
referred to, until some constitutional reg
ulation upon the subject has been made;
tIn this ayowal am certainly not in-
fluenced by feelings of indifference, much
less of hostility to internal Improvements.
J AS such, they can have no enemies. |
have never omitted to give them all the
proper aid in my power. for which, by
, the way, / claim no particular merit, as l
, do not believe there is an honest and
sane man in the country who does not
, wish to see them prosper; but their con-
} struction, and the manner in which, and
b the means by which they are to be effect
: ed, are quite different questions. Rath-
: er than again expose our legislation to all
, the corrupting influences of those scram-
bles and combinations in Congress which
have been heretofore Witnessed, and the
other affairs of the country to the igurI-
/ GUS effects unavoidably resulting IRON
: them, it would, in my opinion, be lniin-
5 litely preferable TO leave works OF the
: character spoken Of, and not embraced
: in the exception which has been pointed
o out, for the present, to the supports upon.
J. which they have reposed with 50 much
!. success for the last two years, viz: State
,f efforts and private enterprise. If the
4 great body Of the people become cen;