The daily union., 1846-05-01

made at the preceding session Of Congress for h,
Improvement q the napigah0a Of ths Mississippi and
The Ohio, of the ha,b0r Of PYssqas isle on Lake Erie
and the repair Of the Plymouth beach," which en-
braced all the classes and objects Of appropriation
! proposed by this bill--yiz harbos, lake har-
bors, and nayigable rivers. (See Appendix No,
| 49,
| Ii was during the administration Of Mr.. J. q
Adams that Congress made appropriations for the
purpose OF establishing internal-improyemenI
system, which assumed an unqualified power in the
general government not only to make appropria
tons to works Of improvement, not only Of ma.
tonal, but Of local character also, and likewise
overturned the distinction and limitation which had
been taken by Mr.. Monroe and anogsted to Con-
gress the power to carry those appropriations into
effect, by assuming in the general government
the jurisdiction and sovereignty over the subject
matter Of the Improvement. IL was this usurpation
| Of power by Congress-this invasion Of the soye,
reignty ofthe Slaes-this disregard Of the eharacei
| Of the work, whether national or local-whch con.
stituted the general system of internal improve,
ments, which, afterit had progressed 70 alarming
extent, and was sowing corruption in the eounsels
Of the nation and disease in the body polite, was
| condemned by the democratic party, and stran,
gled and crushed by General Jackson. General
Jackson, in his first annual message-4th March,
l829-to avoid difficulties which might arise from
the differences OF opinion and conflicting interests 10
regard TO internal Improvements, simply recon-
mends division Of the surplus revenue among the
States; but does not himself express any doubt OF
the power of Congress TO make such appropriations
as are proposed in this bill. (See Appendix No
49, On the contrary, at that very session, he APP
proved bills making such appropriations.
Genera Jackson in his veto message on the Mays
vile road bill, May 9th, 1880, which caused SO
much excitement at the tune, and which has been so
often alluded to in this debate by gentlemen opposed
to this BILL asserts no such doctrine as that which
those gentlemen contend for. (See Appendix No.
l4) On the contrary, he clearly takes the distinc-
tions which had previously been taken by Mr. Mad
ison and Mr.. Monroe. He denies, as they had
done, the power to exist in the general government
to promote works of internal improvement within
the States il Jurisdiction of the territory which they
may occupy shall be claimed necessary to their
preservation and use. But he admits distinctly and
clearly that the right Of appropriation is not limited by the
potoer 10 carry into effect The for pheh the money
is asked and that, Congress has unlimited pOtDer
10 raise money IL has in lis appropriation discretionary
potcer restricted only by the duly 10 appropriate 10
purposes Of common defence, and Of general, not local
national and not State bentft. In accordance with
these principles he vetoed the Maysyile road bill
because, to use his own words, he was "n"t able 10
rsio il in any other light than measure Of purely
local character"
With his sixth annual message, Cd December,
1884, General Jackson returned the bill making APP
preparations for the improvement of the Wabash
river. His objections TO that appropriation were
that message he does not change, in the slightest
degree, the positions he had previously taken; on
the contrary, he reasserts the general principles
which had been previously defined by himself, Mr..
Madison, and Mr.. Monroe, and particularly admits
the porT Of making appropriations for The erection Of
lighthouses hs placing, planting and sinking ofbuOys,
bedeOns and piers, and the rsnopal Of partial and tempo
ray Obstruetions in nauigabls rpers, and the harr
bOrs upon great lakes, iotA the seaboard;
which is all the power claimed by the appropriations
in this bill, the objects of which improvements
which General Jackson, in his remarks upon the
Wabash appropriation says, "hape aitoays been re,
sarded Standing upon different grounds from" such
as the Maysville road, the subscription of stock in
companies, and for the direct construction Of roads
by the general government. (See Appendix No.
l6)
And yet little coterie Of gentlemen this floor,
who, however respectable they may be for their tai
ents, in number do not amount to more than cor.
poral's guard compared to the democratic party,
have the bodness to get up here and denounce this
bill a violation of the consttuton; brand those
of us who support it federaliss, and attempt 10
read Us out Of the democratic party Why, sir, this
is ridIculous-perfecily ridiculous, sir.
IT, sir, the cotemporaneous exposition Of the con-
stitution be derived from the and opinions Of
those who framed it-f the uniform and progressive
action of the government in its legislative and exec
utive departments-if the uniform opinions Of emf
nent statesmen of the democratic party from all parts
and sections of this Union, from the earliest history
Of our government TO the present time, can have
any weight in settling construction Of the consitu-
ton in relation any particular power, can any evil
dence more conclusive be furnished in relation to
the existence of any power exercised by this gov
ernment, than the legislative and executive history
Of this nation furnishes the power to make ap
preparations for the objects contemplated in this bi
A power salutary and sanctioned will never
be surrendered by the people of the West.
Under the powers to which | have referred the
government has made large appropriations and ex-
pendtures, as will appear by the tables which
have before
To light houses, S7,2l6,l22 o. up to ls4l inclu-
sive, (See Appendix, No. IT,
To Notifications, S23, ,S59 ,2s2 II, up to ls45 in
elusive, (see Appendix No. 49,
To Atlantic and gulf harbors, S4,67S,l7s &c, to
January, 1876.
To lake harbors, 81, SCI, 1854 80, to ls45 inclu-
sive.
To rivers, 81, 1853 800, to 1874 inclusive.
OF these appropriations but small proportions
have been expended in the West. They have been
expended on the seaboard, together with immense
means, year after year, for keeping up these forh-
cations, lighthouses, &c. &c, besides millions OF,
millions annually for the support of the navy,
whilst year after year you have drained the people
of the West of millions upon millions, as the table
before me shows, now amounting to $l25,24S,-
730 So, up to IS43 inclusive, (see Appendix, No.
l9,) for the purchase Of the public lands; and the
gentleman from Georgia, Mr. CoBB,] and other
gentlemen from Virginia, and from east Of the
mountains, cry out that it is system Of robbery
and plunder and scrambing for public money, when
representative from the West asks for most mod
crate appropriation for clearing distractions and re-
moving the dangers of western navigation ,,,
[Some gentleman here interrupted Mr.. T., and
asked who gave those lands to the government
Did not Virginia do it Another asked, did not
Massachusetts do it
Mr.. T. resumed: Who gave those lands to the
government Do gentlemen ask this question: Was
i not Virginia and Massachusetts,, am askedI |
say no, sir, neither Virginia Massachusetts, gave
them; neither Virginia nor Massachusetts had them
to give | will tell gentlemen who gave them.
They were given to government by the valor of the
hardy adventurers who crossed the mountains,
and entered the forests Of the mighty West Great
Britain and her savage allies held to the western
country, in violation Of the treaty of peace of l783
and this country never got them again until they
were won, and the British and Indians forced to
give them up by the valor Of the brave pioneer,
who first settled that country; service for which
they have never been requited by the government;
and gentlemen here yet talk of justice! have In