Mississippi Democrat., 1846-05-06
River and IlaFbOr bill.

At people should be aroused to the inequaIit,
ID direct robbery, and danger to the perma
e nence Of the government attending III
- " " nternaI Improvement syslem,n one of .h
q safsty ratres Of high tariff
= "Fhough this harborand river system, a
u il is called, has created much excitement,
has not generally received The attention /
" deserves think it was member from
Il New York, who predicted a few wears
c since in debate that this system, would ul
:, limalely cause the dissolution of the Union,
= What abuse Of legislative power is more
: likely to do sol Against these nnprinci.
pied combinations, some relief has occa.
. sionaly been found in the frmness, and
patriotism, and honesty of the Executive.
IhIs IS, however, an uncertain protection,
and when the abuse is better considered,
, and moge generally understood, il cannot,
and will not be borne, We have com.
} planned much, and think Justly, of the
partial operation Of the protective tariff.
This however iaVofs Il class, and in Meory
at least that class may be- found in all sec.
lions of the Union. Not so with these 10.
cal Improvements. They are entirely 10.
cal or sectional IN their character, DHhou
u single national feature about them. What
possible interest have the Southern States
for example, in The improvement of har.
bors from Burlington to Baltimore? Why
should we be taxed to improve the channels
Of commerce from these ports TO the West,
lrhcn he object and effect is to injure our
oUa? Why tax us to clean out the mouths
OF every rlyulet on the Lakes, or to cut
through the marshes OF Michigan to build
up the fortunes Of village spectators =
| II the harbor OF Boston needs attention,
let Boston clear it out. 1t is her own af-
fair, not ours, Most of our Southern ci.
lies have taxed themselves 10 the verge of
bankruptcy to extend their own commerce,
whilst they are called on to contribute 10
about S300.000 to make a mere riper land. /
ing at St. Louis! ~ Let US complain off
this oppression, and we are told of lots
renting in st. Louis by The square fool
houses going up like magic, and an in.
crease of wealth beyond all example. A !
few thousand dollars to clear out the Sa.
yannah river would gladden. The hearts of
every merchant in Savannah and Augusta.
But whilst they are deviSing the means of
raising it themselves, they are called or
to contribute TO $475,000 per anaum to
Northern and Western riyers Let US
complain OF this, and our ignorance is phi
tied. Southern gentlemen are not blam.
ed for their opposition to the Improvement
OF the West, they know not what they do.
They are unacquanted with The vast ex.
tent OF Western commercen
Let us propose TO amend by inserting
some Southern river, the improvement of
'ohicb conflicts Nth the pripate interest and
commerce Of this iog.roIling combination,
md we are told that " it travels one step
beyond the scope that the committee had i
out for itself" They had only
appropriated for the Hudson and the Mis-. I,
slssippl, and its main branches. The Ten.
neSsee is large tributary Of the Misissip.
pj, but unfortunately it proves an impor-
ant link in great line Of improvements,
connecting the Southern Atlantic coast
with this same prosperous West, and con
Rcting ,oah the interest Of crery port and
North and West of Bahi.
more. 1t was therefore beyond the scope /,
which the committee had reserved for it. ,
'elf' Why the Hudson? When clear
If ice, we know that that river is covered
with boats Of the largest class, running ,
md racing day and night at the highest
speed, and who has ever heard of any Sc.
'ious difficulty in the navigation between ,
Albany and New York? Even the accom-. y
bureau of 1874, did not report /,
n favor OF this river and at the last ses-
,ions, 1t is said, it did no. lulI within the :
scope Of the committee. On trial of ;
rongth, however, ii was soon found that :,
he bill could not pass without buying more
,oteS from New York. This necessity =,
brought it ,oithia the scope: the Hudson !;
was inserted, and by this bribe the bill :,
passed. This caution seems to have had !
Is effect upon the committee, and this !,
session the Hudson stands foremost.
rave named the only necessity for this ap- a
,roprialon. True, N. York was heavily
provided for on the lakes, and lake rivers,
,ut the Empire State knows her strength, Il
md as the price of support, insists on ye.
y full Fellowship n the p'uoder' k
81 will say nothing Of the Constitution. b
know that in the present state of poltl. I
'al morals that is feeble barrier against is
my selfish project ask however, with h
10 hope of an answer) why these ports Il
nd rivers are entitled to preference over tC
hersl The absurd claim under the or
nance Of 1887, is not often referred to.
was once claimed under that ordinance, u
hat because the States could not shut up u
he Ohio, they had no power 10 keep il open a
nd, therefore II must be done by the Ge- "a
eral Government If tho ord;panco ., a,