The daily union., 1846-05-02

der this power, the administration Of Mr.. Madison
was characterized by an act which furnishes the
strongest evidence OF his opinion of its extent A
bill was passed through both houses of Congress,
and presented for his approval, "setting apart and
pledging certain funds for constructing roads and
canals and improving the navigation Of water cour-
ses, IN order 10 facilitate promote and give security
to internal commerce among the several States and
10 render easy and less expensive the means and
provisions for the common defence" Regarding
the bill as asserting power in the federal govern
ment TO construct roads and canals within the limits
Of the States IN which they were made, he objected
70 its passage the ground Of its unconstitutional
ty declaring that the assent Of the respective States
in the mode provided by the bill, could not confer
the power in question: that the only cases in which
the consent and cessisn Of particular States ex-
tend the power Of Congress- those specified and
provided for in the constitution; and superadding to
those ayowals his opinion, that restriction Of the
power "to provide for the common defence and
general welfare" TO which are 10 be provided
for by the expenditure Of money, would still leave
within the legislative power Of Congress all the
great and most important measures of government
money being the necessary and ordinary means OF
carrying them into execution. have not been able
TO consider these declarations in any other point Of
view than as concession thai s rgh Of appropriation
Is not limited BY us Pcoer 10 carry into seci the
for ohch the money asked, Formerly eontsnded
The views of Mr.. Monroe upon this subject were
OOl lcll 10 lDlcrcnCc. administration a
bill was passed through both houses OF Congress
eonferring the jurisdiction and prescribing the mode
by which the federal government should exercise il
in the case Of the Cumberland road. He returned
IT, with his objections 10 ts passage; and in assign
ing them, took occasion TO say that in the early
stages Of the government he had inclined TO the con-
structon that Congress had no right to expend
money except in the performance Of acts authorized
by the other specific grants of power, according to
strict construction Of them, but that further re-
lection and observation, his mind had undergone a
change; that his opinion then was "ttat Congress
hare UNLIMITED POWER TO Raise MONEY, and that
in is appropriation they haze Discretionary pooer
sTmcTED only By the duty 10 appropriate IL 10 purposes
Of common offence and Of GENERAL, not local. national
not State, benefit" and this was ayowed to be the
governing principle through the residue Of his ad-
mlnlsraton. The views Of the last administration
are Of such recent date TO render particular ref
erence To them unnecessary. Ii is well known that
the approprlang power, TO the utmost extent which
had been claimed for il in relation to internal i'm
Proyemen's was fully recognised and exercised by
The bill before me does not call for a more def
mite opinion upon the particular circumstances
which will warrant appropriations Of money by
Congress to aid works of internal improvement; for
although the extension of the po,oer 10 apply money
beyond thai Of carrying into sGsct the object for ,oheh
Il appropriated has, haze see been long claimed
and exercised by the federal government yet such grants
hare dIoays been profesedy under the control Of The
general principle that the oorks phich might be thus
aided should be "ofa general, not local. national NOT
Stale, character" A disregard Of this distinction
would, of necessity, lead to the subversion of the
federal system.
That even this is an unsafe one, arbitrary in its
nature, and liable, consequently, to great abuses is
too obvious to require the confirmation Of expe-
rience. 1t is, however sufficiently definite and i'm
perative to my mind to forbid my appreciation of
any bill having the character of the one under con-
sderation. have given TO its provisions all the re-
Election demanded by just regard for the interests
OF those of our fellow-ctzens who have desired Its
passage and by the respect which is due to co-or-
dinate branch of the government; but | am not able
TO view 1t in any other light than as measure Of
purely local character; or if it be considered ma
tona that further distinction between the appro.
pirate duties of the general and State governments
need be attempted for there can be no local interest
that may not with equal propriety, be denominsted
national. II has no connexion with any established
system Of improvements is exclusively within the
limits OF State, starting at point on the Ohio
river, and running out sixty miles to interior
town; and far the State is interested con-
ferring partial instead of general advantages. . :
Considering the magnitude and importance of the
power, and the embarrassments to which, from the
very nature of the thing, its exercise must
rily be subjected, the real friends Of internal inn
provement ought not to be willing to con6de it to
accident and chance. What is properly national in
its character or otherwise, is an inquiry which is
often extremely difficult of solution. 1. The
question regards the character of the work. not that
Of those by whom it is to be accomplished. Not
wlthstandlng the union Of the government with the
corporation, by whose immediate agency any work
of internal improvement is carried on, the inquiry
will still remain, is it national and conducive to the
benefit of the whole, or local. and operating only to
the advantage of q portion of the Union. =
Rut otbonuh 7 r,iUbt feel m he of3Sc al
duty TO intepose the executive veto to the passage
of a bill aPpropriatng money for the construction
of such works as are authorized by the States, and
are national in their character, do not wish to be
understood as expressing opinion that it is expe-
dent at this time for the general government to
bark in system of this kind; and, anxious that my
constituents should be possessed of my views on
this as well as on all other subjects which they
have committed to my discretion, shall state them
frankly and briefly, b
By the statement from the Treasury Department,
and those from the clerks of the Senate and House
Of Representatives, herewith submitted, it appears
that the bills which have passed into laws, and
those which, in all probability will pass before the
adjournment Of Congress, anticipate appropriations
which, with the ordinary expenditures for the sup
port Of government, will exceed considerably the
amount in the treasury for the year 1880 Thus,
whilst we are diminishing the revenue by a reduc-
ton of the duties on teas coffee, and cocoa the sp
beyond the available means of the treasury; and if
to this calculation be added the amount contained in
the bills pending before the two houses, it may
be safely affirmed that ten millions of dollars would
not make up the excess over the treasury receipts,
unless the payment Of the national debt be post
poned and the means pledged to that object ap-
piled to those enumerated in these bills. Without
q well-regulated system Of internal improvement,
this exhausting mode Of appropriation is not likely
to be avoided, and the plain consequence must be,
either continuance Of the national debt resort
to additional taxes.
No. 16.-Ertract, from President Jackson's sirth
annual message, December 2, 1884.
The questions which have arisen upon this sub
iect have related
lst. To the power Of making internal improve
ments within the limits Of State, with the right of
territorial jurisdiction, sufficient at least for their
preservation and use.
ID. To the right of appropriating money in aid
of such works when carried on by State, or by
company in virtue Of State authority, surrenderng
the claim Of jurisdiction; and,
Sd. To the propriety of appropriations for Inn
provements of particular class-viz: lighthouses,
bsacons buoys, public plers and for the removal OF
sand bars sawyers and other temporary and partial