American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-08-05


be compelled to see the national treasure-tht
| common stock of all-unequally dsbursed, an(
often improvidently wasted for the advantage
| of small sections, instead of being applied tC
| the great national purposes in which all have
a common interest, and for which alone the
power to collect the revenue was given
Should the system of internal improvement,
proposed prevail, all these evils will multiply
and increase with the increase of the number o
the States, and the extension of the geugraph
cal limits of the settled portions of our country
| With the increase of our numbers and the ex
tension OF our settlements, the local objects de-
handing appropriations of the public money
for their improvement will be proportonately
increased. In each case the expenditure oftht
public money would confer benefits, direct o.
indirect, only on a section, while these section!
would become daily less in comparison will
| he whole.
The wisdom Of the trainers of the constitu.
ton in Withholding power over such object;
from The federal government, and leaving
them TO the local governments of the States
| becomes more and more manifest with every
years experience of tie operations Of our sys-
TEN.
In a country Of limited extent, with but few
such objects of expenditure, (if the form OF
government permitted it, common treasury
might be used for their Improvement with
much less inequality and injustice than in one
of the vast extent which ours nov presents in
population and territory. The treasure of
the world would hardly be equal to the i'm
Provement of every bay, inlet, creek, and
river in our country which might be supposed
to promote the agricultural, manufacturing or
commercial interests of neighborhood.
The federal constitution was wisely adap-
ted in its provisions to any expansion of our
limits and population; and with the advance
of the conIederacy Of the States in the career
of national greatness, il becomes the more ap.
parent that the harmony of the Union, and
the equal justice to which all its parts are en-
titled, require that the federal government
should confine its action within the limits
prescribed by the constitution to its power
and authority. Some of the provisions of this
bill are not subject to The objections stated,
and did they stand alone | should not feel it
to be my duty to withhold my approval.
If no constitutional objections existed TO the
bill, there are others of a serious nature
which deserve some consideration. II sppro-
PIRATES between one and two millions of dol
lars for objects which are of no pressing ne
cessity; and this is proposed at time when
the country is engagedin foreign war, and
when Congress at its present session has au-
thorized loan or the issue of treasury notes
to defray the expenses of the war, TO be resor-
ted to if the ''exIgencies of the government
shall require it." II would seem to be the
dictate of wisdom under such circumstances
TO husband our means, and not to waste them
on comparatively unimportant objects, so that
we may reduce the loan or issue OF treasury
mt xuhi oh IN ha
smallest practicable sum. 1t would seem to
be wise too, to abstain from such expenditures
with a view 10 avoid the accumulation of a
large public debt, the existence of which
would be opposed to the interests of our peo.
pie, as we'll as to the genius of our free institu
tions.
Should this bill become a law, the princ-
pie which it establishes will invitably lead to
large and annually increasing appropriations
and drains upon the treasury, for it is not to
be doubted that numerous other localities not
embraced in its provisions, but quite as much
entitled 10 the favor of the government as those
which are embraced, will demand through
their representatives in Congress, 10 be placed
on an equal footing with them. With such
an increase or expenditure must necessarily
follow either an increased pubic debt, OF in
creased burdens upon the people by taxation,
to supply the treasury with the means of meet
ing the accumulated demands upon it.
With profound respect for the opinions Of
Congress, and ever anxious, as far as | can
consistently with my responsibility to our
common constituents, to cooperate with them
in the discharge of our respective duties, it
is with unfeigned regret that | find myself
constrained, for the reasons which | have as
signed, 10 withhold my approval from this
bill ... JAMES X. POLK.
WASHINGTON, August 81, 1896
THE CHERoKEEs. The New York Com
merclal has advices from Washington, that the
Commissioners have determined upon the fol-
lowing settlement:
That the Western Cherokees have no exclu-
sive title to the present Cherokee country, but
that the country was intended for and belonged
to the whole nation.
That the Western Cherokees had an interest
in the old Cherokee country, East of the Mis-
sissipPi, and have a claim upon the United
States for the value of that interest The
value is represented to be about $3.50, 900, to
be divided among 5000 Western Cherokees.-
This in addition to their share of the invested
funds.
The treaty party are to be allowed their ex-
penses of removal and subsistence-about S53
each. The families of the two Ridges and
Elias Boudinot are to have compensation fol-
property sacrificed when they were obliged to
fly after the murder of those three men.
John Ross is to account for the enormous
sums of money received by him, and the resi-
due of the five million fund, after deducting all
proper charges, is to be invested or otherwise
disposed of for the benefit of the nation.
The Cherokee country is not to be partition
ed at present, but ample provision is to be
made for enabling the present parties TO try TO
live peacebly together.
WAsHMGroN UNION AND THE New TARIFF
We see that the Government paper has also
been deceived in relation to the valuation oi
dutiable commodities under the new law Fri.