Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-19

increased safety and facility of the COM
merce of the Atlantic coast, your commit
tee will next proceed to consider the ques-
ton, whether it may not be constitutional
y applied to increase the safety and facil.
ity of The commerce of the Mississippi and
lis waters.
1t is admitted that the trainers Of the
constitution, in deIegating the power, had
IN contemplation the Atlantic coast only.
AT the time, but very small portion OF
our population had passed the Allegheny
mountains into the valley of the Mlssis-
SlPpi, as has been stated, and none had
reached the ST, Lawrence and its Lakes.
There was not single State situated
wholly within the valley. Indeed, the
greater part, including the whole of its
right bank, and all on both banks below
the 3lst parallel, belonged to Spain, who
claimed the exclusive right to navigate
the river to the south of it, and right in
common with us to the residue. In such
a state of things, it is not probable that
The navigation of river so full of obstruc-
lions, and with a current too rapid for
ascending navigation, with the power then
used for propelhng vessels on its waters,
ever occurred to the trainers of the cOnstI-
tuition, while deliberating on delegating
the power in question. But, although
their attention was directed to particu-
lar case, they were too wise TO provide a
remedy applicable exclusively to 1t, by
restricting It to the coast navigation, or to
the establishment Of light houses, buoys,
beacons, and public piers. They looked
to the future, and provided one of more
comprehensive character, and calculate d
to remedy the evil in whatever form it
might appear.
Great changes have since occurred
We have acquired the entire valley OF
the Msslssissippi, and have the exclusive
control of its commerce. What was then
an almost uninhabited wilderness, now
contains nearly one half of the population
Of the whole Uuion, and many great and
Furnishing States. Its commerce, then of
small amount, and carried on in frail
boats of small tonnage, and impeIled
by power too weak TO ascend its stream,
now rivals that of the coast in amount, the
cost and size of the vessels by which trans.
ported, cheapness of freight, rapidly of
transit, and the force by which they are
impelled-a force so great as TO complete
Iy overcome its turbid and rapid current.
1t has done more. 1t has so intimately uni
Ted the navigation Of The river and the gulf,
that vessels navigating the one may the
other, so as to pass and repass TO and from
each other in one continuous voyage; just
as if (for all practical purpose) the Mis-
slssippI was part of the gulf, or an inland
sea.
In consequence Of these great changes,
the reasons which influenced the trainers OF
the constitution to delegate 10 Congress the
power to regulate commerce among the
States are now applicable to the States
bordering on the Mississippi and lis great
tributaries, as it were then to those border
ing on the Atlantic coast. Ii it was neces.
sary to delegate it in reference to the lat
Ter, TO prevent embarrassment and COLI
sion between them in consequence of each
other, the necessity is equally urgent IL
reference to those bordering on the Mis-
sissippi, for the same reasons. Indeed, i
may be said to be more so; because hume
rous States grouped together on large
stream and its tributaries, and depending
on its navigation exclusively, as the me
| dunn of their commerce with each othe
and the rest of the world, would be much
more exposed to embarrassments and col
lisions, without common power to regu
late their commerce, than those stretched
out on long line of seacoast. The lat
ter might possibly manage each to regu
late It's own commerce, without common
power; but without such a power the for
mer would almost necessarily be involved
in continued conflict and hostIities. So
again, the necessity OF common powe
to regulate commerce among them, in re
ference to the safety and facility OF its ma
vigation, is greater in relation TO the State
on he borders ofthe Mississippi, including
| ito tributaries, than on the coast as tn
DANGERS ana Experiments to which it is ex
posed are greater, while, from their char
acter, they may be more enectuai'y guar
ded against by being removed.
So urgent, indeed, is the necessity OF
common power to regulate It's commerce
that it may be safely affirmed that it woul
require confederation among the State
on lis borders for that purpose, as the oni
means of preserving peace and preventing
the most deadly conflicts among them, de
structlve alike to their commerce and pros
perity, had not the constitution dlves;ed tn
States of the power, and delegated it
i tho FodaraI rovernment If to these III
j gent reasons for a common power to regu
late the commerce Of the Mississippi, in
! GLIDING It's great tributaries, we add, thu
the States directly interested are positiVel
prohibited by the constitution from enter
ing into any treaty, alliance, or confeder'
e, and nf cnnrse. from adopting the OF