Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-08-14

sed. 1t will be found, also, that the bill
contains appropriations for rivers upon
which there not only exists no foreign
commerce, but upon which there has not
been established even paper por, Of en-
Try, and for the mouths of creeks, denom-
mated harbors. which if improved can ben
eft only the particular neighborhood in
which they are situated. 1t will be foand.
too, to contain appropriations the expen-
dinre Of which will only have the effect Of
improving one place at the expense Of the
local. natural advantages of another in its
vicinity. Should this bill become law,
the same principle which authorizes the
appropriations which it PROPOSES to make,
would also authorize similar appropriations
| for the improvement of all the other bays,
inlets and creeks, which may with equal
proprie,y be called harbors, and of all the
rivers, important or unimportanl, in every
part Of the Union. To sanction the bill
with such provisions, would be to concede
the principle that the federal government
possesses the power to expend The public
| money in general system ofinternal i'm
provements, limited in its extent only by
the ever-varying discretion Of successive
Congresses and successive Executives
It would be to efface and remove the linn
itations and restrictions of power, which the
Constitution, has wisely provided TO limit
the authority and action of,he federal gov
eminent to few welI-detined and speci-
fed objects. Besides these objections, the
practical evils which must flow from the
exercise, on the part Of the federal govern
ment, of the powers asserted in this bill
impress my mind with grave sense Of
my duty 10 avert them from the country
as far as my constitutional action may en-
able me 10 do so.
Il not only leads to consolidation OF
power in the federal government at the ex.
pcnse Of the righ.ful authority Of the States
but its inevitable tendency is, TO embrace
objects for the expenditure of the public
money, which are local in their character
benefting but few at the expense of the
common treasury of the whole. 1t vii
engender sectional feelings and prejudice.
calculated 10 disturb the harmony of the
Union. 1t will destroy the harmony which
should prevail in our legislative counsels
II will produce combinations of local ant
sectional interests, strong enough, wher
united, to carry propositions for appropria
tons of public money which could not 0
themselves and standing alone succeed
and cannot fail to lead to wasteful and ex
,ravagan. expenditures.
It mus. produce disrepu,abe scramble
for the public money, by the conflict which
is inseparable from such system, betv eel
local and individual interests and the gen
eral interest Of The whole. II is unjust t,
those States which have, with their owl
means, constructed their own internal i'm
provcmelts, to make from the common
treasury appropriations for similar improve
ments in other States.
; In its operation it will be oppressive AM
unjust towards those States whose repre-
sentatives and people either deny or doub
the existence of the power, or think il
exercise inexpedient, and who, while the
equally contribute TO the treasury, cannu
consistently with their opinions, engage il
; the general competition for share 0: tn
public money. Thus large portion O
J the Union in numbers aud geographical
extent, contributing its equal proportion 9
, taxes to the supror, Of the government
would, under the operation of such sys
tenn, be compelled 10 see the national trea
sure-the common stock of all-unequaII,
r disbursed. and often improvidently waste,
for the advantage Of small sections. instea
5 Of being applied to the great national pur
: poses in which all have common inter
, est, and for which alone the power 10 col
Iect the revenue was given. Should tn
system Of internal improvements prevail
all these evils will multiply and increas
I with the increase Of the number Of tn
States, aud the extension of the geograph
2 ical limits of the settled portions of on
! country. With the increase Of our NUN
] bers anL the extension Of our settlements
: the local objects demanding appropriation
8 of the public money for their improvement
e will be proportionateIy increased. In eacI
F., case the expenditure Of the public none.
2 would confer benefits, direc, or indirect
. onlv on a section, while these section
D would become daily less in comparison
: with the whole.
The wisdom of the trainers of the cor
t stitution in Withholding power over sue
, objects from the federal governments, an
: leaving them to the local governments Of tn
r States, becomes more and more NANTES
. with every years experience of the opera
t ,ions Of OUT system.