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

so frequently infrnged upon by the appa-
renfly unavoidable action Of the Govern
ment, that final and satisfactory settle
ment Of the question has been prevented.
The vide difference between a defni.
ton Of the power in question upon pa
per, and its practical application TO the
operations Of the Government, has been
senslbly ielt by all who have been eniTus-
ted with the management of public affairs.
The whole subject was reviewed in the
Presidents Maysville message. Sincere
lY believing that the best interests Of the
whole country, the quiet, not to say the
stability, ofthe Union, and the preserve
| ton of that moral force which perhaps, as
much as any other, holds it together, inn
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 Maysylle, and his succeed
ing annual message, as | understood
them, are as follows: lst. That Congress
does not possess the power to make and
establish a road or canal within State,
with right of jurisdiction to tie extent
have stated; and that il 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 comforting that pow
er, aud defining and restricting its exer-
else, with reference to the sovereignty of
the States, is indispensable. I'd. An in
timaion 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
expedent that even such appropriations
should, with the exception of such as re-
late 10 light houses, beacons, buoys, pub
lie piers, aud other improvements in the
harboFs and navigable rivers of the Uni
led 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-
priaiion, should be made the subject Of
constitutional regulation.
lin these views concuued; end l
likewise participated in the difficulties
which were encountered, and expressed
by the President, in adopting the princi-
pie which comedies to the Federal Gov
ernment the light TO make appropriations
in aid Of works which might be regarded
as of a national haFacter-dificultie
which arose as we'll from the danger Of
considering mere usage the foundation
of Ghe right, as 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.
stiiutiona provision, be established
The reasons on which these objections
J were founded are so fully stated in the
] document referredto, and have been so
extensively promulgated, that it is unne-
cessary for me TO repeat them here.-
/ Subsequent reflection and experience
: have confirmed my apprehension of the
6 IiniuFous 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 10 express
/ it as my opinion, that the general and
true interests of the country would be
: best consulted by withholding them,
e with the exceptions which have already
n referred to, until some constitutional reg
: ulation upon the subject has been made
t. ain this avowal am certainly not in
e fluenced by feelings of Indifference, much
= less Of hostility to internal Improvements.
is AS such, they can have no enemies.
l. have never omitted to give them all the
a. proper aid in my power. for which, by
i, the way, claim no particularmerit, as
10 do not believe there is an honest and
In sane man in the country who does moi
,e wish to see them prosper; but their con-
ne struction, and the manner in which, and
,h the meaus by which they are TO be effect
ay ed. are quite different questions. Raih'
"a er than again expose our legislation to all
to the corrupting influences of those scram'
ch bles and combinations in Congress which
y. have been heretofore witnessed, and the
1t, other affairs Of the country to the iyurla
ST GUS effects unavoidably resulting IRON
IS them, it would in my opinion, be .H,n-
ks tely preferable to leave works Of the
W. character spoken Of. and not embraced
Iif- in the exception which has been pointed
TO out, for the present, to the supports upon
70. which they have rePosed with 90 much
re- success for the last two years, yizs State