Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-04-17


the Constitution was adopted; il will exist for
ever. Thus cons.rued, you make the Constitution
what II was designed TO be-a stable AMI fixed
thing. Rut consirue it as gentlemen woaii per
suade Us, and you make it anything eise-a;
changing is tickle circumstances.
But not satisfied with the argument derive,
from the Constitution itself, gentlemen resort ic
precedent, and they refer particularly 10 The esah
lishmen, oilish,huuses. The power Of the Go
vernment TO establish lighthouses is very ques
tionable. Mr.. Jefferson and Mr. Madison both
SO regarded it. They did mol derive The power e
erect them from The power 10 regulate commerce.
They referred il TO power TO maintain a navy
Lighthouses we're considered necessary foi
that purpose as dock.yards, power to conslrnc'
which is recognised by The Constitution to DC IN
Congress; and the power in the case OF light
houses was considered, as also recognised in the
inqs THE language OF the Constitution is 10 s1er-
" else exclusive legislation ia all cases whatever
over all places purchased by The copsen, Of the
/" Legislature oil the Stale in which The same shall
g be for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals
" dock-yaris and other neclfsei juIl,ngs.' The
connection in which these last words were used
showed tina, the seeker needtu buildings" referred
20 such as were in the same category with dock.
yards, and ncedlul ~ the army ami navy; and
lighthouses were considered "a belonging 10 This
class.
A more striking illustration OF The mischief o
relying upon precedent, oy which the abuse OF To-
day i. made the Law o. 10. morrow, could mol wei
be produced than this case affords. In Inc case o
lighthouses d doubtful power is eIeI,ec; ihi, u
made The precetcn, for ono still more so; and this
again, is made precedent, until by this Sys,en
OF hcaring Peliln upon Ossa YOU destroy every
thina like Limitation of over ID the Government
But, sir, the power TO elnsliucl internal I'M
pruyements is not only not grantee; in the Cositu-
ton, i, is Inconsistent with its spirit. Unt"rMiy
i. characteristic or the Constitution. "A,l du-
lies impos,s and exercises shall be uniform
Throughout, the United S,aes.' Naturalization
and bankrupt Law. shall. lie natform. NO prefer.
ence shall be given, ~ any regulation OF COM
merce or revenue, L. The ports Of one State over
.hsse Of another" Representation and direc'
taxes shall be appo,loned amongihe several States
according to the respective Numbers"
These last provisions were designed 10 insure
equal advantages, aid 10 provide against unequal
farors among Ike several States Blu, what folly
i, was in the frauc.s II The Constitution 10 take
so much pains II secure uniformity IN raising
revenue, il they designed 10 permit ncqua'l i
its distribution. Practically lha same result iol
lows. There Is as a. mach partially aud ~
Justice in the on. case As in the oher. lneQaa!!-
" is ieh:.en, IN this Whole system; IL IS The vel
Law Of iis existence. II no State or section could
receive more under il than lis share Ill no STATE
caul: receive more iEan she contributes, noBe
would care anything abou! il; for they wont' only
get back their own, diminished by tho cost 81
collection and disbursement. Ii no Stale ccu!d
receive more than il. contributes, II would be bel
ter iur il 10 collect and dsburse TOR itself. il II
does receive more than its just proportion, other
-. t.l,tr oh
So this is a system which, TO make IL desirable TO
any. Won must make j, unjust 10 some. The pro-
vision. OF this bill show the inequality oil III.
system. II appropria'es million and halt Of
dollars: and in the Southern States, hlty ihrn-
81 1 dollars for Savannah and twenty thousan nd
dollars Tor Charleston comprise the Whole OF
the appropriations from Tie banks cf The Poo.
mae 10 the Gulf of Mexico! AMI This inequa!l-
~ has exist whenever The system has been III
operation. and II will continue as long as II ex
ISIS. TIL. tacls upon This head presented by the
gentleman from Alabama Mr.. fanoey) are con
eusye.t
Bu, sir M, only insist tha, this system is un-
constitutional, bnt that, il it were otherwise, il
wonhl bs iaeIpedient. This Government could
MOI wisely exercise such power. The county
over which We legislate is so extensive that II IS
impossible for US 10 possess the local information
necessary tor The judicious exercise oil such
power Suppose an appropriation is asked tor IN
Maiue or Wisconsin, how can know anything
personally OF the pruprieiy OF il Shall rely
upon the Representative He will be interested
in misleading me.
The natural tendency of such system Is 10
extravaganza. Such was the case in the States
where there were guards against II, which do not
eyis, here There was The heler local in!o'na-
ZION; there was The more direc, responsibility
growing OUT of smaller constituencies; there was
The safeguard OF direc! taxation 10 The States
there was no interes, in favor OF expenditure, ex-
cec, thai which was To profit directly BY IL. But
i, Is very different here. Allied with the interest
10 be diiecty bene6lted by the expenditure is the
tariff interest which is 10 profit Indirectly by IT.
With all The powerful guards 10 which have re-
fer-ei in the States, the system ran into pfoniga
cr and ruin. Ii the system is introduced mere,
wha, will be il. end Can any one doubt
This .s,em will enormously increase Govern
mental patronage. Heretofore It has been con-
fiaed 10 individuals; and thus confined, We all
know tie influence OF il. Introduce this system,
and il is extended 10 d!s,ricts-to States. sup
pose The Democratic party in The asceDdency, or
The Wing, and il will he the same with oolh'
The Democratic party is in me ascsndency. "a
district is Wing. Il gels no appropriation. AN
election is to GENE on in another IL Is impor'
taut 10 carry il; and i, GETS an appropriation
And look what enormous discretion mis- bill
contars upon the Executive. There is appropri'
atcd for the improvement Of the Ohio river, above
The falls at Louisville, SS0,0O0-beiow HE fails
and The Mississippi, Missouri, aud Aakansas
S24O0O0. For harhoIs, on Ailanic coast, S2U,
uO0,-no place named for this expenditure.
his such discretion as ongh to be conferred uf
on The Executive Il is so large as in edec' to con
Ter upon i, the power Of legislation. Bnt, sir,
will not pursue This discussion farther. MY
main design is to reply :othe gentleman from
Massachusetts; MIR HuDsnS.
Bu, permit ne TO remark, before DISMISS inc
subject that the insdons character OF me system
is SUCH, addresses itself 80 powerfully 10 the
sold;d interests Of the couniry-it has IN conse.
qn.nce implanted ir itso much vitality, that u
has revived again afeI FIVE Executive vetoes
greatly fear, like cal, ii has nine lives, and tha
il will rake nine vetoeS 10 Kill IT.
When, Mr.. Chairman, pending this bill, the
gentleman from Massachusetts MIR. Hudsonl
commenced his remarks upon the tariff, ne was
called 10 order, upon the ground tina, the subjects
Of the tariff aud internal Improvements were dis
tinct But The Chair decided that the gentleman
was in order. An appeal was taken from the
decision OF the Chair, and il was sustained by a
large majority, the party friends OF The gentle
man voting in The affirmative. think the de.
.The appropriation for Charleston was afterwards
stricken out.
Nj. YAxcrY said:
s.In the third volume Of Executive Documents, se-
cond session. twenty third Congress, 6nd the follow
ing facts, exbbi;irg tho amount OF dShuted by
the General Government TO the two sections Of the
Cnion-North and South-for purposes Of internal I'm
prov. msnt. between the years 1871 and 1883:
To the States North Of Maryland -S3,lI7, eo6 ~
To ths States Sonth OF Maryland, and In
Guiding that State eTs,7oo IA
"This array Of hgu:es shows that, In the course Of
forty year,, fourod the amount Of money dis.
bursed al the North that expended At ina South;
though coast il round numbers, ID four hundred
miles the Longest.
Elm my comparisons, shall also Include The g,a,o Of
Ohio, SO tbe gentleman from Ohio tMr BRisxERH,rPi
appeared to boast of the narnanmty of his Stats iu
asking for l:tle During that time there ID
ed purposes ofIntenal in the State Of
Ohio though State, $so, la4-a sum within $40 !.
0oV OF what Tho whole Snutb with exposed coast Of
four thousand milSs, had received! TT.
"Rnt thiA Ia not all that this favored region-ths
Eoh-recevPd In that period. 10 the above mention-
cd Items are not included the foilowiAgi
To Cumberland Read e3,727 $50 s.
To Ohio and Chesapeake Csuai ss9 600 90
To Louisvi,is and Portland Canal as $50 90
To Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Gnu, 900 ca
To improving Mississippi sad Ohio Rivefs- @s SIS y
"of-shis sum, amounting to s',Ssar $40 90,