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

4
provement in a State.
There is one more restriction 10 which
it is subject, in common with all the pow
ers delegated to the government. 1t is held,
like its all other powers, not absolutely,
but as u trust, and as such il is limited in
its exercise strictly TO the nature and OBJ
iect of the trust. Thus regarded, it is re-
stricted not only to the regulation of COM
merce, and commerce among the States,
but to regulate it so as to preserve harmo- |
ny, as far as practicable among them, and |
to promote the prosperity of their mutual
commerce with each other, as far as the |
nature and extent of the power may ad.
init; these being the great objects for
which ii was delegated.
Your committee have now shown what
power it is that authorises the federal 60
vernment TO appropriate money to improve
the navigation of the Mississippi, including
its great tributaries, the objects it embra-
braces, and the restrictions to which it as
subjected. 1t remains TO consider what
annual appropriations and expenditures
would probably be required to remove all
distractions, susceptible of being removed,
which endanger and impede its navira-
ton, and what preparatory step should be
taken to insure proper and efficient ap.
pllcatlon OF the money which may be APP
propriated.
They are aware that the great oblec-
tlon, practically. to the execution of the
power, originates in the impression that
sums have already been appropriated and
expended IN the improvement of its navi-
CATION, and that their amount would be
greatly increased if it should be admitted
that the federal government possesses the
power. What they propose is, to show
that this Is very erroneous impression as
TO the amount OF past appropriations and
expenditures, and as to the probable
amount that would be required, should the
the power TO make them be admitted to be
constitutional.
so far from being vast or extravaganza,
they have been moderate, whether regard
be had to the great extent of the naviga-
ton of the river, including It's tributaries,
or the magnitude of its commerce, compar-
ed with that of the Atlantic or the lakes
The aggregate amount of appropriations OF
every description, for the Improvement of
the navigation of the Mississippi and It's
waters, from its commencement in 1924
until the present year, is S2,528, 800 -
For the same period, the amount for the
coast OF the Atlantic and the gulf, inciu.
ding appropriations for harbors, is $l2,.
90l,123: of which $S,485,946 have beer
for the establishment of light houses, buoys
beacons, and piers, and the residue har
bors. The appropriations for the i'm
provement OF the navigation of the lakes
for the same period, amounted to S3,lI9,
1875 of which S2 sol ,964 80 was for har
bors, and the residue for the establishment
OF light houses, buoyS, beacons, and piers
1t thus appears that the appropriations 70
improvement on the coast, includidg tn
Atlantic and gulf, have been, in the las
twenty-four years, nearly five times great
er than those for the Mississippi and it
waters, Notwithstanding the previous Iarg
appropriations for the former during th
long antecedent period extending back +
the commencement of the governments
Compared with the respective amount o
the value of their commerce and tonnage
and the length OF their line of navigation
it may be safely asserted, without going
into any minute or exact calculation, tina
the appropriations during the same pc
rlod for the coast are many times create
than for the Mississippi and its waters
Compared with the lakes, the dispropor
ton, although great, is not equally so a
that with the coast. Taking their ton
mage as the standard of comparison, an
estimating theft respective amounts by tn
last official returns, the appropriations 70
the lakes including the upper and lower
, are more than double those for the Missis
slppi and its waters.
If harbors be excluded as not proper
belonging to the power to regulate com
merce, but internal improvement, eve
f then the average amount of the appropria
tions for the coast will be more than tire
times that for the Mississippi; she forme
i being, on an average for the period, 1858,
1852 annually, and the latter only 500.
947.
2 Turning from the past to the future, an
S assuming that the appropriations hereai
: ter shall be strictly confined 20 objects fair
/, ly embraced by the power in reference t
q both, your committee feel assured that tn
: sum annually required for the coast wi
s be amply sufficient for the Mississippi, in
Guiding its great tributaries; and muc
3 more than sufficient after the obstruction!
e which now endanger and impede its nav
5 CATION, are efec:ually removed, as the,
e may be in a few years, If a sum equal to ,ha
n for light houses should be annually appro
!, prialed and properly applied. Nor wi
: the power be more liable to abuse in prac
$ tice ia reference the the Mississippi tha
e to the coast, as seems to be apprehende
: hv many No good reason can he ASSIGN