The daily union., 1846-05-01


of national character and interesting the whole
Union. have never doubted the power OF the
national government 10 make appropriations oi
money 10 objects of Internal impro royements Of a
national character, and will not cease whilst have
the honor OF seat in the councils Of the nation, 10
urge upon the consideration of Congress the making
OF such appropriations, guarded at all times by a
constitutional sanction. There is, In my opinion,
no object TO which Congress can appropriate money
which be Of more utility than for removing the
distractions and increasing the facility and safety Of
our commerce, for the preservation OF the property
Of our traders and merchants for the saving OF the
lives Of our mariners upon the seas and the lakes,
and Of the nayigators Of the rivers. To doubt a
power 30 salutary, would seem 10 me TO doubt the
principle Of sef-preservation-a principle co-exs-
tent with man, and inherent in all governments
This power has never been doubtsd by any states
man Of any distinction of the democratic party, so
far my knowledge extends.
The people Of the West have Justly complained
Of the tte attention which has been paid 10 the i'm
provement Of their nayigable waters, aud the com
parutiyeiy small amounts Of public money which
have been expended for that purpose. l warn gem
tlemen who now consider them and their claims 50
little worthy Of attention, that the time Is not far
distant when they will come here with the power OF
their representation, and take that justice which has
been so long denied TO them.
The lake harbors essential 10 the defence Of the
northwestern frontier, as much so az forthcauons
on the seabOard. The Improvements Of the rivers,
particularly the western tributaries Of the Missis-
sPp, are IN view Of war measures as well as Of com
merce.
The rivers in this bill are great national highways
the sea-coast and harbors on the Atlantic are not
common highways for the nation more than the
Hudson river and the great navgable rivers OF the
West, TO which appropriations are proposed TO be
made by this bill. We do not object to the immense
means which have been expended on the Atlantic
seaboard; we only complain of the little attention
which has been given and the comparatively small
appropriations which have been made to the lakes
and rivers Of the West.
The gentleman from Alabama, Mr. PAINE, re-
marked the other day that he never mentioned the
constitution 10 a representative from Kentucky but
that he was answered with smile. do not know
what meaning the honorable gentleman intended to
give TO the remark what he intended the committee
should deduce from it. would merely remark, how
ever, to that gentleman that the positions taken by
himself and some others, Of the constitutional pow
ers Of this government this subject, so i'm
practicable, and viewed in regard TO the conse-
quences to which they would lead if followed out
Of so udicrous character, that II can be count
ed no wonder that the representatives from Ken
lucky should smile when they mentioned, and
that it is owing solely to that courtesy which it
Is our habitual custom to practice towards gentle.
men for whom entertain a personal respect,
however much we may differ from them as to their
constitutional views, that not laugh outright.
deny that the democratic party has ever enter.
tanned such views as have been uyowed by the
gentlemen who have strenuously opposed this bill
as TO the power Of the general government to make
appropriations for internal Improvements Of a ma
uonal character. not only deny this, but challenge
these gentlemen TO name any one eminent statesman,
an acknowledged leader, one having the confidence
OF the democratic party, such as their Presidents and
Vice Presidents, such as have been generally
zE. .l.t. To-
has avowed such doctrine, denied the exist
ence of such power in the general government
So far from this oeing the this power has been
distinctly and repeatedly. ayowed by such men as
Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Van Buren, John
son, Calhoun, (see Appendix, No. 3,) McDufie, (see
Appendix No. A. and many other eminent states
men of the democratic party, from all sections of
the Union. | rejoice that have an opportunity
here this floor, this OCCASION to deny, to COM
bat and to refute the political hereses and ultrasms
which have been made and heretofore asserted by
the gentlemen opposed to this bill, as democratic
doctrine, and which have been often quoted upon
US by our political opponents, to the incalculable
damage Of the democratic party, and mischief to
the cause of true democratic and republican prin-
ciples.
The objections urged by gentlemen to the passage
of this bill, are contrary to the principles of the
common sense and common reason OF mankind;
and if mistake not, before | am done, will show
some Of them to be contrary to the principles Of
common honesty between man and man, and just
administration of the government towards the diff
ferent portions of the Union.
Furthermore, the principles urged by them are
against plain, fair, and reasonable Interpretation
of the constitution, and ifcarred out, would reduce
it TO an insignificant and useless blink piece of
paper, and render the government wholly inopera-
tive. Besides, they contradcted by the practi-
cal expostions Of the constitution, in the full exer-
else by Congress Of the powers which they now
deny, from the commencement OF the government
to the present time, well as being in direct OPP
position to the principles fully and distinctly avow
ed, asserted, and practiced upon by every eminent
statesman of the democratic party who has been dis.
tingushed by the confidence of the people.
The argument which gentlemen attempt to draw
from the abuse of this power which has heretofore
taken place, and which was checked by Gen. Jack
son, and Of the possible abuse Of the power here
AFTER and the tendency of the exercise of it to
rupt combination, is entitled TO no weight or con-
sideraon whatever, as a constitutional argument.
There is no power in the government which is not
subject to the same objections The abuse Of a
power is no argument against the proper and egitl
mate use Of it, nor egainst the existence Of the
power.
1t will be impossible for me, Mr.. Chairman, to
take any other than very rapid view Of the ques-
ton of constitutional power, which has been of
ten brought up and denied on the side, and as
serted on the other, in this debate. Gentlemen in
quire where we will find the constitutional power to
pass this bill? | think, sir, there will be no diff
Guilty in finding it if we construe the constitution
upon the plain practical principles of common sense
and a constitution is political instrument, made to
govern the people who are governed by the practi-
cal principles Of common sense, and it ought not to
be construed upon any other Before attemI to
find this power, however, will premise that do
not find il in that clause of the 9th section Of the
constitution, where the gentleman from Tennessee
[ Mr.. JONES thought he found the power " to erect
FORTS magazines, arsenals dock-yards, and other
needfu buildings" This clause confers no power
for the purpose of this bill, ner such power is
supposed by the gentleman from Tennessee. This
clause simply confers the power to "exercise exclu
sive legislation over "places purchased" for those
purposes. 1t presupposes the power to purchase
such places and to erect the forts &c, thereon, to
have been granted somewhere else, and the gentle
man must look somewhere else for the power to
purchase such places, and the power to erect forts
thereon, unless he would indulge in the widest kind
Of construction. If he will travel with me little
way in search Of it, think we will find the power
to purchase such Places to erect FORTS &c, thereon
and to make all the appropriations called for in this
bill all together, and at no great distance from the
clause to which he referred