Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-08-07

II be- flEsE III 'pi tsI'h - Nr
or -. cnu,,b.tors. would, am con:incst, g'.e ut!
mate sa,i-fact on 10 a vasi majority o! the people Of In
United States. and arrest that spirit o. d.scnn'eh
winch Is now u~nh1fPly 50 prevalent. ana when 'n:a
tens such extensive INJURY u Inc institutions = !"
country
va, rcr, Ak me. whether / would sanction an!
I'm y,,n,;nr appro,riations Of the public money for th'
PURPOSES OF la,srnal. improvement, b. means Of canals
railroads, &c.
Nv views uoon the subject Of Internal Improvement
by the Federal Government were sIVcn al the sam
tame and upon the same application. They are a. 10!
lows:
..In,.r,aI improvements are 50 diversified in ,hci
nature, and the pos<ib.r agency "i the feGeraI Govern
uent IN tneir construction 80 variable ~ us ch:!actr
and Gerr.s : 10 render It not a llt,le Difficult: 10 Ia
down any PRECISE rule that Will embrace the wA"!. SUD
,ect. The hroadcs: and best defined division = tina
which disttn cuisines between lie direct construction Q
works Of Internal Improvement D. The Ien"ral ""
vernnea:. and pecunrary assistance g'Trn ny u 70 shci
~ are undertaken bv Others. Ia the former are IN
clud,d the rrrht 10 make and establish roads and canals
within The States. and the assumption of as Inuci
Jurisdiction over The territory they may occupy. a. !:
necessary 10 their preservation ana use. The latter ::
restricted to simple grants OF mnnev, IN AID OF suci
works, when made under Stale authority.
The Federal Government does not, n my oplni"n
possess the power first specified; nor can II crr'Ye q
from the assent Of the State IN winch such WORKS arf
to be constructed. The money power, as u y calico,
Is not 50 fee from difficulty. Various rules ha'c from
tune 10 time been suggested u ti!pSt WIN pIbD'I'. az
precia,e TIE Importance of precision and certainty ~
the operations ri the Federal power; but they have been
20 frequently tu:rngrd upon b. In" apparently uha""io'
able acton of the Government. that 4 final and saiiSiac'
tory settlement OF the question has been prevented
The wide difference between a definition OF the power
IN question upon paper. and ITS practical Application Il
the operations Of Government. has been scn,Iblr felt bG
all who hlye been entrusted with the management Of
ruhIrC affairs The whole subject was reviewed IN The
Presidents Mays"die mcssag~. Sincerely believing
thai, the BIS, interests Of the whole country, the quiet
not 10 say the stability, "i the Union, and tn" pres"r"a
ton Of tina, moral force winch perhaps, a much as any
otn-r, holds II together, 'mprr"usly required that the
destructive course OF legislation upon that subject then
prevalent, shonl IN some proper and constitutional way
he arrested, Throughout. gave 10 the measure, OF which
that document was an exposition, my active, jealous,
and anxious support.
.Thc opinions declared b: the President IN the Mays
vlIc, and his succeeding annual message, As under
stand them, are as follows: I.t. That Congress does
not possess the power to make and establish a road ~
canal withln 4 State, with 4 rirht of Jurisdiction 10 the
extent / nave stated: and that !: it IS the wish OF the
people that the construction .; such works should be
undertaken b. the Fedora! Government. n previous
amcntmcn: OF the Constitution comforting 'ha: power,
and defining and restricting is exercise, with reference
to the slyerrigDty OF HI" States. Is Indispensable I'd
An animation Of his belief ihr, the RIGHT 10 max" ap.
proprattnu. IN ai Of such Internal improvements a
are q! Il national character. has been 81 generally
acted upon, aad 50 !! ng acGuesced IN y The Fedora!
and State Governments, and the constituents o! each.
as to jus,Ity is exercise, butthat Ii 5 nevertheless highly
-~xpcdicn, that even such appropriations should, "ita
the exception ot such a. relate TO light houses, bcac"ns,
buovs, pubic piers. and other improvements IN the hlr.
bors and narigablc rivers If the l. States, for the secu.
rtv and facility OF our foreign commerce., be deferred
at least anti! our national debt is paid. Sd. That u II
IS the wish Of the people that the agency OF The Fedc.
raj Government should be restricted 10 the approprra-
lion OF money, and extended in that form in aid OF such
undertakings, when carried on BY State authority, then
tie OccHsiOR. ike maRRsr, md ahe tIirnt attic aypr0PriG-
i;on. should be made the subject II Constitutional regu-
HiiOH.
sin these views / concuTred: and likewise particI-
patcd IN the difficulties which were encountered, and
expressed hv the President, IN adopting the principle
which comedies to the Fedora! Government the right
10 make appropriations in AID Of Go:xs winch might
Ur regarded ~ of a national Observation-Disclosures
which arose rs wcliSom the danger Of consIderIng mere
usage III" foundation of The rgtt, as from the extreme
uncertainty and consequent insecurity Of the best rule
thu, had ever been adopted. or ihat could, IN the absence
Of positive constitutional provision, be established.
The reasons on which these objections were founded
are so iulIr stated in the document referred 10. and
have been 50 extensively promulgated, that II IS unne-
cessarv Tor me to repeat them here. Subsequent re-
Election and experience have confirmed my apprehen-
SION o. the injurious consequences which would pro-
badly flow from the continuation of appropriations for
Internal improvements: with no better rule Tor the 70
rernn"nt og Congress than that of which have
spoke: aHd ido not hc$if0to In cypress as my opimt0o,
hint ;s gcnerai ami true in,trtSts Of The country 'cOU'd
br hes; r0R>niicE bY rj,hhOidthg MctH, riM the trctpti0Hs
rhih Ihore nireody rttrred To, until some constitutions
nj r, uuIaEoa 1pon the subject has teen made.
ala this ay"wal ana certainly not influenced by feel
ings Of nd f-r renee, much less Of hostility, TO internal
improvements. As such, they can have no enemies
have never omitted TO give them all the proper aid
in nv power. for which, by the way, claim no par,r.
cular merit, as TO not brlieve there is an honest and
sane man III the country who does not wish to see !hc.a
prosper bnt their construction, and the manner IN
which, and the means BIZ which they are 10 be effected,
are quite different questions. Rather than again ex-
pose our legislation 10 al! the cnrruptIng influences OF
those scrambIes and combinations in Congress winch
have been heretofore witnessed, and the other affairs OF
the country TO the injurious effects unaroidab!y result
inr from them, it would, in my opinion, be infinitely
preferable 10 leave works Of the character spoken Of.
and not embraced IN the exception which has been
pointed out, for the present, TO the supports upon
which they have reposed with so much success tor
the last two years, VIZ: State efforts and private enter
prise. If the great brdv of the people become con.
WINGED hat the progress ofihrse works should be acce.
leratcd hy the Federal arm, they viii not refuse to come
10 some proper constitutional arrangement upon the
SUBJECT. Ii@ suPr"sitinn that an eqnitab!" rule, which
pays a proper respect to the interests and condition al
tie different States could fail 10 rccriv" ultimately the
constitutional sanc,;on, would be DONG Injustice 10 ;Er
INTEL renee Of The country. b. such a settlement .!
tie question. our political system, IN addition 10 the
other ad.auta res d rived from i, would, IN relation 10
this vnti c; ri las, u" relieved from those dangerous
shocks = i.'tE 4iri,E from NlVerSlti'S Of opinion upon
conSt tu,nna! p,inis OF deep interest: and, in tho mean
time, inc resonrcr, Of the country would be best hus.
banded by being !rl in the hands of those By whose
labor they are produced
To this exposition Of my opinions upon The general
subitc;, wCrc aGfcd some additional observations, IN
NY letter 10 ifr. Williams, already referred To. They
were chiefly applicable 10 s'the improvements OF our
harbors and The removal of partial and temporary Oh
s,rncilons IN our navignhle rivers, for TIE facility If our
foreign commerce., and the best means of checking
the tendency to abuses which sucii appropriations often
produced. To tie prime, pies laid down ~ the two
publications referred 10, ! still adhere, and it has been
my endeav0r 10 carry them into full and far effect m
the adm nisrratinn Of iIr Gnvrrnuicnr, since have
been al lis head. II ,hry have been departed from, IN
respect t. any works commenced under my admins.
tration, am not advised of il.
In conclusion, YOU ask m, ''wIethcr approve of
Mr. PGinsetiS scheme f"r the organization II militia: :"
Nv knowledge Of Military affairs, is very limited: hu,
| vii! nevertheless give you such views as have been
able 10 take Of the subject of your enquiry.
The Constitution Of the L. States authorizes Congress
10 provide for or@"Eijng, Grming and dSctpiiHi"g the
militia, and for g0UcruiRg them when IN the service of