Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-08-12
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE. VETO MESSAGE.
: ~ EJni,,lLss :of Representaiiues:-

IL
aet making appropriations appropriations for theimproye.
.zmenl of'certain harbors aud rivers" with
the care which its importance demands,
and now return The sameeto the House ol
Representatives 10 which ii originated
with y objections to its becoming a law ',
: The bill proposes to appropriate one mt
lion three hundred and seventy elght thou-
sand four hundred and fifty dollars 10 oe
applied TO more than forty distinci ano
separate objects .ofimpFoReme.ns.: On eH & :
amining its provisions, and the varie'y o'
objects Of improvement which II emora,
ces, many ofthem of local character, ana
Ills difficult 10 conceive. ifil shall be sane.
toned and become alaw, what practical
constitutional rest ainl can hereafter DO
imposed upon the most extended system
ofinlernal Improvements by the federal
government in all parts of The Union
The constitution has not, in my judgment,
conferred upon the federal government lhe
power to construct works of internal I'm.
iprovement within the States, or TO anpro-
pirate money from the treasury ior that
purpose. That this bill assumes Tor the
federal government the right 10 exercise
this power, cannot. think, be doubted.
The approved course Of the government
and tho deliberately v-exprcssed Judgment
,of,he people have denied the existence nj
such a power under the constitutional
Several of my predecessors have DENIED
lis existence in. the most solemn forms.
The general proposition that the teder-
al government does no, possess This pow
or is so we'll settled, and has for consId-
erabe period been so generally acquIesced
iu, that il is not deemed necessary lo'relt-
crate the arguments by which it is sustain
ed. Nor do deem it necessary, alter the
fall and elaborate discussions which have
taken place before ibe country on 'hs SUP,
ject, 10 do more than, state The general
considerations which have satisfied me oil
the unconstitu,ionality aud inexpedlency
Of the exercise OF such power.
1t is no, questioned that the federal gov
ernment is one Of limited powers. lis
powers are such. aud such only as are
expressly granted in the constitutions or
are properly incident TO The expressly
granted powers, and necessary 10 their
execution. In determining whether CIV
en- power has been granted sound rule
of construction has been laid down by Mr.
Madison. That rule is, that "wheneVer
a question arises concerning particular
power, the frs, question is whether the
power be expressed in the constitution
lit be, the question is decided. lf,it be
no, expressed the next inquiry must be,
whether tits properly all incident TO an
expressed power. and necessary TO its ex-
ecurion. Ifil be, it may be exercised oy
Congress. Ifit be not, Congress cannot
exercise it," Ii is not pretended THAI
there is any express gran, in,the cons'lu-
lion comforting on Congress the power IN
question. Is il then All incidental power.
necessary and proper for-th execution OF
any ofsbe.grantedpowers? All the gran
ted powers, it is confidently affirmed, may
be effectually executed without the aid ol
such sn iucidenl. "a power TO be inci-
dental must not be exercised Tor ends which
make i, a principal. or substantive power,
independent Of tho principal power'.to
which il is an incident" ltis not enough
that it NAV be regarded. by Congress as
Convenient. or that its exercise would ad.
vance the, public veal. ], must be neces'
saru aud propsT to the execution OF the
principal ex pressed power TO which 1t IS
an Incident. and without which such pr'n'
cipal power cannot be carried into effect.
The whole frame Of The federal constl'u-
ton proves tha, The government which II
creates was intended to he one OF limited
aud specified powers. A construction of
the constitution so broad as that by which
the power in question is defended, tends
impercep,ibly 10 consolidation OF power
in sovernmen, intended hy lis trainers 10
be this limited ia its authority. "The ob.
y;ous tendency and Inevitable resul, of
a consolidation of the States into one SOY
ercien,y would he 10 transform the repub.
lican system OF the United States into
monaicby." To guard against the as
sumption of all powers which cncroach
mon the reserved sovereignty of,he States,
and which consequently tend 10 consollda-
ton, is the duty Of all the true friends Of
our political system. That the power in
question is moi properly an incident to any
Of the granted powers. | am fully salistied;
bu, ir there were doubts on This subject,
experience has demonstrated the wisdom
of The rule tha, all the fuuctionaries Of The
federal government should abstain from
the exercise of all questionable or doubtful
powers. If an enlargement The powers
ofthe federal government should be deem
ed proper, j, is safer aud wiser to appeal
20 The States and the people in the mode
prescribed by the constitution for The grant
desired, than 10 assume its exercise with
OIL, an amendment of The constitution. If
Congress Goes not possess the general pow
ar TO construct works Of internal impro'e
men. within The States, or TO appropriate
money FROM the treasury for that purpose,
wba, is there 10 exempt come. a, least, of
the objects Of appropriation included in
this bill from the operation of the general
,ba ,cta, ,E