Mississippi Democrat., 1846-09-02

objects from the federal government, and
leaving them to the local governments OF
the States, becomes more and more mani.
fest with every years experience of the
operations Of our system.
In a country of limited extent, with but
few such objects of expenditure, (f the
form of government permitted it,) a COM
mon treasury might be used for their i'm
provement with much less inequality and
injustice than in one Of the vast extent
which ours now presents in population and
territory. The treasure ofthe world would
hardly be equal to the improveme OF
every bay, inlet, creek, and river in our
country which might be supposed to pro.
mote the agricultural, manufacturing, or
commercial interests of neighborhood
The federal constitution was wisely
adapted in its provisions to any expansion
of our limits and Population; and with the
advance Of the conlederacy of the States
in the career Of national greatness, it be.
comes the more apparent that the harmo-
ny of the Union, and the equal Justice to
which all its parts are entitled, require
,hat the fedora! government should con-
fine its action within The limits prescribed
by the constitution to its power aud authori.
iiy. Some of the provisions of this bill
are not subject TO the objections stated,
and did they stand alone | should not feel
it to be my duty to withhold my approval.
If no constitutional objections existed to
the bill, there are others OF a serious ma,
ture which deserve some consideration.
1t nppropriates between one and two mil
lions of dollars for objects which are of
no pressing necessity; and this is propo-
sed at time when the country is engaged
in foreign war, and when the Congress
at its present session has authorized a loan
or the issue of treasure notes to deiray the
expenses of the war, TO be resorted to il
the "exigences of the government shall
require it," II would seem to be the dc
tate OF wisdom under such circumstances
to husband our means, and not 10 waste
them on comparatively unimportant OBJ
iects, so that we may reduce the loan ol
issue Of treasury notes which may become
necessary to the smallest practicable sum
1t would seem to'be wise, too, TO abstain
from such expenditures with view tC
avoid the accumulation Of a large public
debt, the existence of which would be op.
posed to the interests of our people, as
we'll as TO the genius of our free instiu.
tons.
Should this bill become law, the prin.
ciples which it establishes will inevitably
lead to large and annually increasing ap
preparations and drains upon the treasury
for it is not to be doubted that numerous
other localities not embraced in its pro-
visions, but quite as much entitled TO thc
favor of the government as those whicl
are embraced, will demand, through thol
representatives in Congress, to be place,
on an equal footing with them. With sucI
anlincrease ofexpendtuFe must necessari
ly follow either an increased public debt, o
increased burdens upon the people by taxa
tion, to supply the treasury with. h.means 0
meeting the accumulated demands upon il
With profound respect for the opinion
of Congress, and ever anxious, as far as
can consistently with my responsibility
to our common constituents, to co.operat
with them in the discharge of our respec
tives duties, il is with un(eigned regret lha
find myself constrained, for the reason
which have assigned, TO withhold my ap
proyal from this bill.
JAMES X. POLK.