Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-13
RICHMOND, VA.
Friday Morning, March 10, 1916.

We hone ,ha, the House OF Representatives
will pause before they hurry ihe oosefhi''e" my
,.;i, -, sv,,,vaoant system of National In
,e-r.l ,mr,ovemenls vioatve OF the Consti'u-
lion, dangerous TO the prcscrVa'io' % 'no,e
"checks and balances" without a scrupniouS %,
servapce u which, our form oil Government WIN
no rerveucd 10 Inc worst purposes, ana eininen'y
cal ula,ed 10 corrupt The public morals. II We
establish the principle that the National treasury
is 10 be drained for the consTuc'o" o VIZ ,:
within The several States, system ol 10Y
viii lie SET on foot, that VIII Destroy a'' ''''.
Sovereignty, and make the States pensioners an
tsaa,,s q, The door OF the Federal Government
Onnosi,ion 10 The Internal Improvement doc
,r;ne was made one of The great issues OF me
last canvass. Mr.. Polk, consistently s"ie'
conslruclionist, and an untlinching opponent 10
,b;s dangerous doctrine was elected TO represent
The principles OF the Republican Party. Ana ye'
we soc an attempt now being made TO vote away
tor local improvements millions OF money taken
from The pockets OF The whole people. we nave
ever commended, that the powers oil The Geheral
Government were limited and clearly defned.--
The Republican doctrine has always oeen 'na'
STATES and individuals should be lett 10 me Tree
and unrestrained management of their own do
mes,ic affairs. II IS with regret, then, mat we
see the present effort in Congress 10 thrust me
hand of The Federal Government INTO wnat pro-
perly and exclusively belongs 10 the States. 10
effect this mischievous object, certain sections OF
country which need moi the aid OF The General CO.
yernnent will be compelled 10 pay nnlhst taxes
for the construction of improvements lhousah'S
OF miles distant, in which they have not The least
interest. The thing is wholly wrong. The peo-
PIE will tie better off, i. the Government confines
itself 10 lis own legitimate duties, and permits The
citizens 10 look after their own inIeress For
full development of all the energies OF This Re
public, we need nothing but Just and equal laws
and cheap, economical Government How
can We obtain the lallcr, it. by system q log
rolling enormous appropriations be ceait out
from Washington, 10 meet the manifold wants oil
the beggars at The treasury door!
We had hoped that the celebrated Mays
willie Road veto Of General Jackson had given a
ouslus 10 the fatal principle OF Internal Improve
ments BY The General Government What was
our surprise, then, 10 see a Wing member OF
Congress coolly argue that he was in favor OF
that veto, but that il applied only 10 local I'M
provemcnls, and not 10 ''lhe great tennessee
River" II this "great" river be fair subject
for Government favor, We canno, conceive by
what rule we should refuse appropriations 10
every river and creek in the nation
We hope that Republican Congress VIII mol,
in Inc moment OF victory, sacrifice the vital pfn-
cipe OF opposition 10 national internal improve
menls. IL has been sanctioned BY The popular
voice, and cannot be abandoned without deep IN
lury 10 our cause. Admit the right and duty OF
The General Government 10 make internal I'M
provemens. and high Tariff, national DEBT,
consolidation, and all the other Federal heres'es,
will follow as the natural and inevitable fruits of
so dangerous doctrine.