New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-08-05
The Veto on the unrbor Bill.
Editorial Correspondence

WASHINGTON Monday Aug 8, up. NJ
Arriving at Washington this morning, and pro
ceedng at once TO the Capitol, was Just In time TO
witness the presentation and listen in part 10 the
reading OF Mr.. Folks Veto Message the bill pro
viding for the iinprov ement OF Rivers and Har
bors, especially the Harbors on the great Western
Lakes which so sadly need improvement The
Message is very long and contains little that is new,
the bulk OF its staple having been used over and
again in similar Vctocs on more plausible grounds
by Gen. Jackson ana similar grounds by Mr.. Ty-
Ter | was talking about it half an hour before it
appeared with prominent LocoFoco, who, IN re-
Div to an expression of wish, observed Or
course you would be glad to have him sas TINT the
existence and cost Of the Mexican War iorbids
our expanding any money for such purposes, but
he is not fool enough to give you such a handle
against the War" On listening to the Message,
however I found he was just exactly fool enough
to do that very thing though what there is so fool
ish in telling plaii. notorious truth, cannot see
We cannot carry H. Foreign War and make
great Internal lmprtvemcutsa at the same time, and
it was but fair to say The People OF the Lake
region may chew upon this ut their leisure.
II any view can be narrow, any opinion absurd,
it does seem TO me that the groundwork OF this Veto
is So We collect ninetenths Of our Revenue on
Commerce. to which Harbors and Internal Navign-
ton are Indispensable Suppose the Government,
by removing distractions III particular ltivcr-say
the Mssouri--coud OPEN at cost of Hall Mil
lion, n vast region to the operations o. Commerce
and add One Million per anum to the Revenues,
who could seriously contend TINT such outlay
would be unconstitutional Who would ask for an
express grant in the Constitution authorize i;
Yet all do know that the Improvement OF Rivers
and Harbors generally has this effect on the Rev
enue-thnt these Harbors are indispensable to Com
msrce, the basis of our Revenue. Then why this
miserable cavimg about the power, in the worst
spirit Of the Abstractionst School of Virginia 1t
10 mournfu that the well-beng OF great People is
ct the mercy Of such little minds
ii I rightly heard to-day, Mr.. Polk admits that 1t
would be Constitutional to improve the Harbor at
Port OF Entry, but not elsewhere. How arbitrary
in the standard here set up Suppose the Govern
ment chose to have its highest Port OF Entry onthe
Hudson at Albany, while great portion of the
navigation and trade of the River heads at Troy,
why should it be Constitutional improve the
navigation below Albany and not between there
and Troy Z The whole thing is absurd. This is
originally quirk OF Gen, Jacksons. But when
you come to apply it to the Harbors on Lake Eric,
for example, where Harbors are wanted iorthe con-
venience of Commerce and not Of Custom Houses,
the absurdity becomes more palpable.
There was quite debate on the subject to-day.
but there is no hope OF overriding Veto Several
Loco-Focos tried their hand at speaking for and
against Mr.. Folks course Mr.. Douglass OF Illinois
datanced all competitors. H.G.