Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-07-29

| around shoals, falle, or 0tner lInpeuuieuR
TO the navigation of the river or its trlba
'taries, as;the reasons applicable 10 the one
are mostly equally so TO The other. Thus
If there be nothing in the. practice of The
governm enls Of the States. a, or before the
adoption of constitution. or IN the early
! practice of The federal government, 10 JUS
iify il iu the one case, SO there is nothing
in the other. So, likewise, The reasons
reduced from The nature Of the power, thai
III is strictly inter atios, 80 much SO as 10
|frequire supplemental power exempllns
vessels, on going in or ou, Of a State, from
entering. clearing and paving duties, ar.
equally applicable 10 both. Indeed 1t ai'
plies. if possible, more strongly, as the.
are more strictly inter uiios. in reference u
such works, than TO hafbors; and 1t ma:
be added. as all additional reason. tha;
individual inducemeGt aud power are
alike adequate to both. it is proper to
add, also, that all they have stalled in this
connexi0n are applicable TO harbors aud
works ofthe Kind wherever found, whe'h
er OF, the Atlantic, the gulf, the lakes, or
rivers falling into lhem.'
We copy the subjoined lucid exposition OF
the Report Of Mr.. C'honu, upon the Memo
fialof,he Memphis Convention from the South
Caroliuian:
1--WE canno, disguise fact, which eve
~ day renders more palpable. and which
,he next Census will establish beyond con-
,roversy, which is, that the power OF Ibis
Government, the power Of saying what
ihe Constitution is, and what the Federal.
Government can do under it, is fast gliding
into the hands Of the people of the valley
of the Mississippi. They have deep in-
,eres, in The measure discussed in this Re
port. II is Of the last importance to the
welfare of the Old States, that wien they
assume the powers of The Government,
which they Ultimately will do; That they
should take them under well established
aud safe constructions. If, before they
have attained the strength which will ena-
bic them 10 seize and exercise this power
without any control but the unregulated
feelings and voices of'their own Interests,
we can give them safe direction to their
opinions and sound construction to the
Constitution aud the true pnlicy Of the Co
vernment, we shall have no cause 10 fear
The change. But, If we resist them to the
last, and deny not only what is not Con-
stitutioual, but what is Constitutional. We
sci them an example Of confounding what
is false with what is true, which they will
turn upon US when they have The power,
and their owrpufposes seduce them into
it.
"The first question in fact for an honest
mind is, docs the Constitution give any
power for the improvement Of the Mlssls.
sippi9 for if il dues, caDdOr requires US to
admit /, al once. awhile soundpolicy equally
enjoins US to admi, il as it is, aud TO sePa'
rate the legitimate and constitutional views
of the subject from the false and danger
Gus netesies with which it is enlansled
and that sprecIseIy what this Repor, does,
with an ability scarcely equalled, and
perspicuiiy no where surpassed.
; 1.-The Report shows couclusiyely, that
The power does exist for in proving the ma
NiSuuou Va itucS NslSsiSSipP. ouS TO
rries ;sno, under any fItlose powers which
hdvr-oeeH relied on as authorizing qintef'
nal Improvements, such as opening rivers
lyius within zone or two States, making
turnpike roads or canals, or improving
harbors, all of which are within the limits
and control of The States in which they are
situated, and belong to them exclusive OF
any right Of the Federal Government bu'
as authorized by The Power 10 regulate
Commerce between the States. The whole
argument is a profound and powerful ex-
position of Constitutional construction,
which restricts the poaoers O T the Federal
Government to its Legitimate limits, and er-
plains and strengthens those Of The States.
1t cuts off without exception, all such
schemes as those tha, are familiarl y known
s Interna! Improvements, and which con-
s,itu,e the vital elements Of those Bills, by
which, under log-roIing bargains, sections
and States are seduced, bribed and cor
rup,ed into voting for appropriations OF
millions on millions Of dollars for the i'm
provemeut of creeks, rivers and harhors,
and for making lurupkes, canals and rail
roads, never authorized by The Conslltu.
lion the money TO do which is TO he raised
by iniquitous and oppressive Tariffs.
That it is stringent and thorough re-
form document and is considered and fell
10 be the death warrant Of latiludiuarIas
and au,i- State Rights construction, OF all
these vile schemes of plumber and corrup-
ton, is clearly manifested by tho reception
in the House of Representatives Of the
Bill which was passed IN the Senatei and
which was drawn in conformity with this
Report. Extremes coaleseed, two classes
Of politicians united to reject il at its Sc
coud reading, without allowing it even 10
be discussed. Of these two classes, the
first and also by far the most numerous.
were The plundering supporters of the
River and Harbor bills, who saw in this
measure the death Of their schemes-the
second embraced good State Rights men
of ultra views, who wish for more lime to-
prepare tho public mind for the proper re-