The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-05

sovereignty was a moekcry. He might be told,
the State assent 10 these improvements THIS govern
ment could make them. He denied II. III
assent OF State could confer no power up
on this government She derives all ne
power from the consultation Of the United States
and from no other source. When that falls, tn
power does not exist and hence the assent OF
\ State could not change the question. lie might d
asked, il Congress had no power 70 build haIoors
lighthouses break-waters, DO He believes
Congress did possess that power-aetJsr eo"Insreia
puypose--bai upon the principle Of preserving IN.
public property. This government was charges
| with the defence Of the country. An an arm OF tina
defence, she was authorized TO build and equip ma
Wy. Vessels Of war were public propefy and wherev
or the eI'geney OF the public service required then
to 20, it was competent for the government TO pro
vide the means Of their Preservation and safety and
in his opinion al this precise pot the power Of th'
government over the whole question stopped. II.
might as well now, at any other time, express h'
total dissent from the doctrine that those large river
denominated finland seas" occupy different posi-
ton to the government from rivers of less msgni
tiids The constitution was the same over the Mis
sissppi that Il vas over the impd ryuet spark lne
down the noantain side. The power Of the COW
eminent TO Improve Tho navigation vss The ss,ns
over bob DE kss~ no diasrscss ytsah,ss ifos'
! ion, the Constitution speognised none.
! Mr.. p. said he was opposed 70 revival OF
this system of internal improvements for another
reason. II Is the main prop Of the protective policy
General Jacksons veto Of the Maysyille road bill
removed that prop, the policy fell, and the eomPro-
mise bill was substituted in its place. desire to
re.establish dis system Of internal improvement
contributed largely any other cause TO the re-
vva OF the protective policy, by the passage Of the
tariff billof 1892 Gentlemen should perceive this,
and remember that the slrest means Of enforcing
reform in your revenue system Is the accumulation
of a large surplus in your treasury. The people
nhun 10 h. IN rsd uhen the nuhliS
cy does not require it. That surplus never ac-
cumulate while this drain upon your treasury is
kept open. In this vast country, drained by so
many magnificent rivers, new and increasing OBJ
jests Of Improvement will constantly present them
selves and Of sufficient magnitude to absorb every
dollar you can draw into your treasury, by the ex-
listing or any other system OF revenue you may or
can adopt.
II was in vain for gentlemen to tell him that they
were in favor Of reforming the existing revenue sys'
TEN, or OF reducing the expenditures Of government,
and yet vote for such appropriations. He who seeks
to revive the condemned system Of internal improve
ments, seeks to psrpsuais the protective policy, no
matter under what specious pretences he may con-
cea his real motive.
These we're some Of the objections, Of general
character to the BILL and were of sufficient impor-
lance 10 secure his opposition TO this or any similar
proposition; and he trusted they would be deemed
Of Sufficient importance to control the action Of this
committee. He would next state To the committee
his specific objections TO the bill. He regretted his
ignorance of the particular locality of some Of the
objects, the improvement Of which is contem-
plated by II, because he could not, from that cir
cumstance, speak with the accuracy he could do il
| he possessed the desired information.
| The first objection under this head which he
should notice, was the sectional character of the
bill. He found, by examination, that the whole
sum appropriated by this bill amounts to 81 ,395,
$50; Of that sum S54S,0O0 is applied to the lakes
| Nearly one-half Of the whole amount is thus dis.
! posed OF.
Sir, (said Mr.. P.,) do we need harbors on the
lakes aone'-or does the patriotism Of the committee
embrace only the region ofthe lakes' This requires
explanation. His honorable colleague Mr. Nc.
CoNNELLl had given on yesterday very mag.
nicent, and he had do doubt, just estimate Of the
length Of those lakcs but if they fact long
las the gentleman from Chicago, Mr.. WENTWORTH,
vne "a deemed the amount appropriated thereto
vastly too large, and unjust in references to tnc res
Of the Union.
He found however, that Ibis was not the only
sectional objection to the bill. The northeastern
j parativcly a small section Of the Union, and al
which, if John Bull could get another stroke with hi
diplomatic knife, the residue would be scarcely
worth consdering-gets by this bill 1924, 450. To
the northwest-that vast region out of which empire,
may be carved-only Sl55000 is appropriated
Why this inequality Does the patriotism Of the
gentleman reporting this bill exclude that section
the Union Of which he is a natipe'
| The sectional Partially Of the bill is still NOR,
strikingly observed, by comparison of the appro
pratons for the northeast, with those of the south
east To the former, we have seen 1894 $50 hav,
been appropriated; to the latter, embracing the Stat,
of Maryland, and extending to the mouth Of thu
Rio Grande, only $4,000 have been appropriated
Could anything evlnse more disgusting sectlona
parality than the difference in the amount Of thes,
appropriations afford' He would now examine THU
bill in reference to the two great sections of tn,
Union-North and South. How stands the case
North of Mason and Dixon's line, this bill appro
PIRATES 1894 450; south Of that line, embracing two
thirds of the coast and territory Of the Union only
$4,000 have been appropriated. y He sckened a
that patriotism which was so circumscrbed in its
views as not to embrace every section of the coun
try in the discharge Of legislative duty.
Mr.. P. said he would now call the attention Of tn
committee to one of the most extraordinary section
ever reported in an appropriation bill; such was TIL
peculiar character Of that section, he felt consrane
10 read it to the committee. Mr. p read the sectio
as follows: There shall be appropriated
for purchase Of the residue Of the stock held by
diviua stockholders in the Louisville and Portland Can;
Presen, Of the United states is hereby authorized pu
chase 1t be obtained such terms as he shall deer
navigation and commerce of the Ohio river, and maxim
said canal free from toll"
Mr.. p. considered this section az peculiarly in
portant, because it fully illustrated the spirit
reckessness with which tn peoples money was to !
squaDdered by this Dill! What amount is mus aI
proprated by this section' Will the gentema
[Mr. TrBBATTs] who reported the bill inform tn
Committed Is it one, two, three, five, or ten mi
lions of dollarsi Can the gentleman tell? He coul
, not; the amount was to be limited only by the d.
mand Of the holders of the stock. The sum d.
manded by thrm is to be paid, unless the Presidei
Of the United States should nterposc his objection
e to the execution of law Of Congress. He did NJ
intend, 30 far he was concerned to place the E'
. ccutive in any such predicament. He felt conhde
v the President Tin whose integrity he (Mr. P.) hs
/ every confdence) desired to assume no such respo
: sibi6ty. He maintained that, in private life, cve
0 man should know the extent Of his liability. Wi
Q equal propreiy governments should always kno
theirs. If this bill passed, such would not be q
case; the government might be sadded with de
far beyond its expectation; and the principle of m
o king specific appropriations would be depart
= from--a principle, by the way, which cannot
, preserved with too much tenacity by this COVER
mcnt.
, Mr.. P. would ask for what object departu
f from this principle was demanded by the gentlem
il from Kentucky, mr. TBBATrs;1 In the lengus
of the section of his BILL already read to the col
o;,oa N 10 ufor Tho nurnose of relieving the MAJ