Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-19

to or from one State shall not be obliged
20 enter, clear, or pay duties in another
the conclusion is irresistible, that its COM
merce comes as fully within the power TO
regulate commerce rs that of the coast il.
self. There is, indeed, nothing in the
terms by which it is delegated, or in the
nature OF the power, or the reasons for
deIegating it, which can possibly exclude it.
Assuming 1t, then, as unquesiionable,
that the power is as applicable TO the one
as the other, 1t follows necessarily that the
right Of Congress to establish light houses,
buoys, beacons, and public piers, as far as
they may be necessary for the safety and
facility of navigation, is as full and perfect
in reference to that of the Mississippi, as
that of the Atlantic coast. Thus far, there
can be no doubt. Indeed, they have been
established on the lakes of the St. Law
renee, where they are as necessary as on
the coast, without objection or question,
although their commerce was as little IN
contemplation of the trainers of the consti-
tuition, as has been stated, as was that of
the Mississippi.
The doubt, then, if doubt there be, is re.
duced to the single point that the dangers
to which the navigation of the Mississippi
is exposed are, from their character, such
as cannot be guarded against by light
houses, buoys, beacons, and public piers,
except to a very limited extent. They con.
sIst of distractions in it's channel, and can
only be well guarded against by removing
them. The question, then, is, whether the
power TO regulate commerce among The
States, which authorizes the establishment
OF light houses, buOys, beacons, and public
piers on the coast of the Atlantic and the
lakes, with their CULTS and bays, does not
also authorize the removal of snags, logs,
and other distractions, which endanger or
impede the navigation of the Mississippi
Your committee, after tull and impartial
consideration, can see no reason which
would authorize the one, that would not the
other. The dangers 20 be guarded against
are not only as great in reference to the
navigation eff the Mississippi, as has been
shown, but the reason why the government
should have charge of its improvement is
no less strong. If light houses, buoys,
beacons and public piers, would be neg
| lected, il not placed under its charge, be.
SodoO hSithSA AuulFtOudlS LOl AOLdiCO "Oulu
have adequate inducement or power to es.
tabish them; so likewise the removal of
snags, and other distractions, which en-
danger or impede its navigation, would be
neglected, and for the same reason, if not
put also under its charge. The only diff.
ference, indeed, between them. is, tina: in
the one case the money is appropriated to
make visible, or designate, the cause of
danger, by establishing light houses, bea-
cons, or buoys, while in the other it is ap-
{ propriated to remove them. But it would
seem impossible to doubt that the right to
make them visible, or 10 designate their
place, in order that they might be avoided,
involves that of removing them where
practicable; and that the right of reno.
wing them involves that Of pointing them
out, to be avoided. Whether the one or
the other should be adopted in either case,
is not a question OF right, but one of expe.
diency, depending on their respective prac-
hcabiity, cheapness, and inefficiency. Re-
I verse the cases, and who can doubt, if the
dangers against which light houses, buoys,
, and beacons were intended to warn were
of nature that they could be removed as
cheapiy, or more 50, than they could be
r pointed out, but that The same power which
would authorize the former would also au.
thorise the latter; or that the power to re-
move the cause of danger, would not au-
! thorise the warning against it, if it could
not be removed?
Having now shown that the power &c
! regulate commerce among the States is as
applicable t. that of Mississippi as it is tc
4 that of the Atlantic coast, and that the re.
j.. moval of the distractions which endangel
r or impede its navigation is as fully embra
!. ced by it, as the establishment of ligh
!. houses, buoys, beacons, and public piers
$ your committee will next proceed TO con
o slder how far that power, as applied to the
e Improvement OF its navigation, extends
J. They are of the opinion it extends t.
: the removing Of all distractions within it.
;. channel, the removal of which would ado
to the safety and facility of its navigation
including such as might endanger or i'm
pede ii by sliding in or of projecting from
j It's bank, or islands, over the channel. |
: includes (to be more specifcl the remova
v of snags, logs, rocks, shoals, sandbanks
o bars, including the one at lis mouth, ant
!. trees projecting over or liable 10 slide in
!. to its channel, where the removal woult
e improve or secure lis navigation. Thest
= all are either within The channel of the ri
;. yer, or hanging over it, or in danger of sill
!. ding into it, so as to obstruct it as the com
!. mon highway of the commerce of tn,
Il States on its borders; and, as it may trul,
v be added now, through the power Of steam
r of the States having intercourse by con
i tinuous navigation with them, on the gul
!. and even Atlantic coast