The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-05

ceai my views, have given themi ana endeayored
TO give them, the widest circulation. These re-
marks are made in explanation Of my acts; not for
the gentleman from Tennessee, but TO be seen and
read by my constituents. | am sometimes told
that the system of internal improvements Is kept
up, and in that way the public money Is being
distributed TO other ryersi that the Tennessee river
is national, as constitutional and deserving as
they are; and | am then asked why do not get a
part Of the money while Il is going. | admit all OF
these things; but then | do not understand the
principle OF morals or justice which teaches that
because others do wrong. | must do the same
thing, or join them in their wrong in order 10
make il right II wrong in others, il would be
equally so in me. | admit that the immediate IN
jury To my constituents might not be 50 great, u
they could obtain share Of the spolls; but, in the
proportion OF lis dimlnution to them, IL would TO
that extent AT least be Increased upon those who
could get no part Of the money because ofthe want
Of an object upon which 10 expend IT, then ask
my constituents IL they would be willing 10 take
the money Of their fellow -clizens Of other sections
OF the Union, against their will and apply 10 their
own local purposes, merely because Others uce doing
az am sure they would not. Would they be
willing for others 10 take their money under the
same circumstances II they would not, then let
us remember, and conform TO, the golden rule-d0 as
zoe could be done by. Suppose the Tennessee river
did not run where Il does, and there was no nayi-
gable stream within hundreds Of miles Of my dis.
rct, would my people not condemn me il | were
TO 90 into the support Of the system Of internal
Improvements, thereby appronriating their money
TO objects in New York or Massachusetts, when
there was no chance under the system for them TO
get any portion ofiI believe such would be the
course Of any people. Then if unjust when they
were excluded, Of course the same Injustice would
exist II they were the recipients. Our government
Is not for the protection OF the strong against the
Dsak, or the many against the teo. No such pro-
lection Is needed, but the reyerse-that the weak
.k.ll. A. -. - -
The combinations OF the many. The great prinei-
pies of eternal and evenhanded Justice which lie at
the foundation Of our government and its insttu-
tons, must be observed, or the government Is a
curse instead Of blessing.
Take, II you please, the item of $4,000 for the
ST. Louis harbor. That harbor interests as | con-
ceive, no portion Of the country except ST. Louis
and the immediate country surrounding it. Ma
tlonal harbors are constructed by this government
for the use and protection Of the navy They should
be built by the general government for no other
purpose. Does any one suppose our navy will 60
TO 81. Louis for a harborl Is not such an idea RI
diculous and absurd The $4,000, then, given to
that harbor Is taken out Of the money OF all Of the
people, and given to the citizens and property-hod-
ers OF ST. Louis, to keep up the price Of their prop
erty and TO project and guard them against misfor-
tunes or the charging Of the channel Of the river
The money Is not needed TO give them navigation,
but to give direction to the channel Of the Missis-
~ 70 ShhHklub lTOHi tue InuSOufl W inc
Illinois side II it make the change, the price Of
property in St Louis will deprecate; and therefore
the citizens and property-holders Of that city call
on and obtain from this government the common
money Of the uhois people to throw back TO them
and their city the channel Of the river for their own
indridual personal benefit And yet | arm required
to vote for such bill. Suppose, however, all
States and sections Of States had rivers so that in
improving them, there would be some equality in
the favors distributed, and we were all to join in
and get our share of the appropriations: where let
me ask, is the money to come from; and what
amount would be required to meet such heavy de-
mandss Frfly-yes, one hundred millions per an
nun would not be sufficient. .-+ " r
These consrucratrns uuurcss tnemscIvrs 10 tire
good sense Of the community. Such, however
will never be the case. The system Of internal i'm
provements by this government, like protective
tariff feeds upon its own inequalities and atiens one
portion upon the hard earnings Of the other; and
soon as you make it equal in its sractions Of and
tapors 10 the phote people, it will tumble into ruins
The friends Of the system know this, and will never
consent to make it universally they will combine
until they get strength to carry it, and leave the
to be heeced for their benefit. A protective tariff
would benefit no one, if all interests, great and
small protected to the same extent for as soon
you protect all alike, you afford protection to
none; you destroy the inequality. The consequence
is, that no one is benefited the rest, and the
system, of course, fails.
Such has been the history of protection in Great
Britain, where 1t is now in the very act Of being
abandoned. The very same may be said Of the
system of internal improvements, or any other sys-
tenn Of distribution. As soon you make it equal
and just TO all in its exactons and favors it fails to
benefit any, and will be promptly abandoned II
would do my constituents good to increase their
taxes to this government 100000 per annum more
than they now pay, in order 10 give that 800 900
to the Tennessee river. They could do that them
selves, and save the expense of collecting and dis
bursting; but if you will collect the money equally
of all The people of the United States and distribute il
among my constituents, then they are benefited
for they get more out than they pay I'M they get that
which has been paid in by others, and therefore the
system operates to their advantage. Snch must be
the case everywhere.
will not elaborate this view further. 1t is too
plain to require calculation. You need not tell me
that river is national, and therefore entitled to
the aid of this government. What makes it ma.
tionaR Is it the length, breadth, or depth?-or is
it because 1t happens to run into an ocean, gulf
or another river | can well imagine that work
is national when it is necessary for the of the
general government as contradistingushed from the
people; and when it is necessary do not mean erpe
dient for the government to transport its troops
supplies, munitions of war, &c, or for the protec-
ton of the navy, and without which the purposes of
the government must fail But to say that the
government may have a war "sone hundred uears
hence" and if so it would be convenient to have
the use VI u pauCuRiI river neTc, OF canal or
road there, does not come within the proper dis
tinction. Am | to understand gentlemen as say
ing that commerce makes river natonal' Such
an idea is absurd. How much commerce is neces-
sary to make it natonaP Will some gentleman
give the true point standard Of nationality in
commercial point Of view Congress has power
to regulate commerce. &c; and if internal improve
ments are carried on under that clause, you have
no right to require that the amount be over or
under any specified sum. Such rule or standard
lie entirely arbitrary, and unknown to the consttu-
ton. You must regulate commerce wherever il is
found, whether it be Sl0,000,000 or 800, 900 600
The constitution knows nothing about amounts;
and, in commercial sense, there is no such thing
as nationality. lfyou have power under that par
tcular clause to clear out rivers, you have the
same power to dig canals make turnpike roads,
build railroads. boats, warehouses; or do any
thing else which will promote and prosper the com
merce Of the country, both external and internal.
Mr.. Chairman, it may not be entirely out of
place for me to inquire who il is who attempts thus
to read lectures to membersand where his author.
y for the exercise Of the duties of that responsible
statoni IL had been called on to select some one
to give lessons on consistency, would never have