Democratic banner., 1845-03-15

that Congress will undertake to I'M
prove the second grade OF rivers
thro' the Union. Ifsuch should ever
be the case. even then the small n.y.
ers Of the Yves, are the very last
that will be improved. The prayer
Of this memorial ! an sure will not
be granted; but rs we ask for an APP
preparation to improve White river,
it will be natural 10 wait and hear the
result Of our application before we
proceed to work ourselves. In the
mean time we shall do nothing: and
as ! am decidedly in favor ct mprov-
ing White river, as soon as possible,
any unnecessary delay seems to me
to be wrong.
We have the means al our COM
mand TO improve Il rivers, and We
should begin to collect them, and go
to work. Our interests require us
10 d. 50. and our constitution enioines
it on US as a duty. There is a prop
er medium between a refusal 10 do
any thing in tie way Of improvement,
and 4 wild and extravagant system
Of improvement; and this medium we
should endeayor To adopt. Our i'm
provements should keep pace with.
but should not be suffered {" run be-
yond our means, or our condition or
our wants.
III am mistaken in the number OF
profits paid upon the tariff by the
people Of our State, that does not al
ter the principle for which ] contend.
even if the bur,hens upon the people
be less than | have estimated them
But | am in fact far short Of the real
my. in my estimate OF the IMPOSE
tiols upon the people; but have
said enough, if | am right, and have
made myself intelligible' TO show the
improperly OF this memorial. and
therefore, do not urge further objec-
tons.
| must add that | have often ex.
ipressei myself publicly and private
ly upon this subject. and especially
during the IVA aast sumner
On the subject of the Improvement
of the Usage river, | was particularly
Intercepted, and gave it as my opln'
: ion that Congress had no power to
do so, and would not appropriate
money to improve that river; and on
this subject my opinion has under
gone no change. The fact that
White river runs through two States
does not in my opinion change the
nature OF the case. There is nothing
: to prevent Missouri and Arkansa:
uniting in the improvement. unles:
: Arkansas has no use for the improve
ment. If Arkansas has no use for the
: improvement, we cannot expect he
to incur the expense of improving
! it for our benefit. II we cannot ex
pect Arkansas to DO it. then mucl
less can we expect Illinois, Indiana
q htUtuChSs duu tNC Viici 'autc ~
!, do it for US; even if it were true. tina
= when Congress gave us 100000 dol
lars for that purpose, it came from
them and was not a tax upon our
selves.
Our safety consists in keeping til,
: treasury door fast and tight agains
all such appropriations. We SHOULD
not ask others to do for Us what W
would no, willingly do for Them
, We should be just to ourselves, an
~ Just 10 others, and act as men full
. 2 competent to understand their inter
ests and to govern themselves.
return this bill. then, because
:, first, | do not think Congress has til
power to appropriate money TO in
. prove White river; and, second. b'
=, cause, If the power was clearly deli
- gated, then | think it would be vi
n. wise in US 10 ask Congress to exc
,s else il.
y, / have the honor to be,
H. Very respectfully. Your obi serv''
JOHN C. EDWARDS.