Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-09-05

ing navigation safe and easy, and Of ailord'
ing protection, and shelter for our navy
and other shipping. These are safeguards
placed in existing channels Of navigation
After the long acquiescence OF the govern.
ment, through all proceeding admnistra.
tons, ain not disposed TO question or dis.
turb' the authority 10 make appropriations
for such purposes. .---..---.
When we advance step behind this
point, and in addition TO the establishment
and support by appropriations from the
treasury, OF lighthouses, beacons, buoys.
piers, and other Improvements within The
BAYS, inlets and harbors on our oceans and
lake coasts Immediately connected with our
commerce, and attempt to make improve.
ments in the interior at points unconnected
with foreign commerce, and where they are
not needed for the protection and security
of our navy and commercia' marine, the
difficulty ARISES in drawing line beyond
which appropriations may not be made by
the federal government.
One of my predecessors, who saw the
evil consequences Of tine system proposed
to be revised by this bill, attempted to de.
fine this line by declaring that, "expendi.
lures of this character should be ssconfned
beloU the ports of entry or delivery estab.
lished by law" Acting on this restriction
he Withheld his sanction from bill which
had passed Congress. "to improve the navi
CATION OF the Wabash river" He was at
that time ''sensible that this restriction was
not as satisfactory as could be desired, and
that much embarrassment may be caused to
the executive department in its execution,
by appropriations for remote and not well
understood Objects" This restriction, II
was soon found, was subject 10 be invaded,
and rendered comparatively useless in
checking the system Of Improvement which
it was designed to arrest, in consequence
of the facility with which ports OF entry
and delivery may be established by law up.
on the upper waters, and in some instances,
almost at the springs Of some of the mos,
unimportant Of our rivers, and at points on
our coasts possessing no commercial impor.
lance, and not used as places Of refuge and
safety by our navy, and other shipping
Many OF the ports of entry and delivery
now authorized by law, so far as commerce
is concerned, exist only in the statute
books. No entry Of foreign goods is made,
and no duties are ever collected at them.
| ANo CApCllS VI hlitIlCdu UOuIu
for foreign counties, ever clear from them,
To assume that their existence in the
statute books as ports of entry or delivery
warrant expenditures on the waters lead
Jag to them, which would be otherwise un
authorized, would be to assert the PROPOSE.
ton, that the aw-mahing power, may en-.
graft new provisions on the constitution
If the restriction be sound one, it can on.
ly apply tothe bays, inlets, and rivers con.
nected with, or leading to such ports as &C.
tua,ly have foreign commerce, ports at
which foreign importations arrive in bulk,
paying the duties charged by law, and from
which exports are made TO foreign coun.
tries. 1t will be found by applying the
restriction thus understood to the bill under
considerations. that it contains appropria.
tons for more than twenty objects of in.
ternal imp ovement, called in the bill har.
bors, at places which have never been de-
clared by law either ports OF entry or de.
livery, and at which, as appears from the
records of the treasury, there never has
been an arrival Of foreign merchandise, and
from which there has never been vessels
cleared for foreign county.
1t will be found that many of those works
are new and at places for the improvement
OF which appropriations are now Tor the
first time proposed. 1t will be found also,
that the bill contains appropriations for RI
vers upon which there not only exists
no foreign commerce, but upon which there
has not been established even paper port
OF entry, and for The mouths Of creeks, de.
nominated harbors, which if improved can
benefit only the particular neighborhood in
which they are situated. = will he found,
too, to contain appropriations, the expendi,
ture 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 a law the
same principle which authorizes the appro.
prlatlons which itproposes TO make, would
also authorize similar appropriations for
the Improvement Of all the other bays, iu.
lets, and creeks which may with equal pro-
pretty be called harbors and OF the rivers,
important and unimportant in every part
OF the Union. To sanction the bill with
such provisions, would be TO concede the
principle that the federal government pos.
sesses the power 10 expeud the public mon.
ey IN general system Of interna! improve.
ments, limited IN its extent only by the ever
Varying discretion Of successive Congress
and successive Executives. 1t would be to
eilace and remove the limitations and re.
strlctions OF power, which the constitution
has wisely provided to limit the authority
and action of The federal government to
few well.defined and specified objects. Be-
sides these objections, the practical evils