Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-09-02

ooJeCtS 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, (if 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 of the world would
hardly be equal to the Improvement 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 confederacy 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 lis parts are entitled, require
that the federal government should con-
fine It's action within the limits prescribed
by the constitution to its power and author-
ity. Some of the provisions of this bill
are not subject to the objections stated,
and did they stand aicne 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 appropriates between one and two mil
lions of dollars for objects which are Of
no pressing necessity; and this is propo-
sed at a time when the country is engaged
in foreign war, and when the Congress
at its present session has authorized loan
or the issue Of treasure notes to defray the
expenses of the war, to be resorted to if
the "exigencies of the government shall
require it," 1t would seem to be the die
tate of wisdom under such circumstances
20 husband our means, and not 10 waste
them on comparatively unimportant OBJ
iects, so that we may reduce the loan or
issue of treasury notes which may become
necessary to the smallest practicable sum.
1t would seem tos5e wise, too, TO abstain
from such expenditures with a view to
avoid the accumulation of a large public
NtLsis tatC CAlSlCiiCO VI "ilICl hOblA NC bP-
osod 10 the interests of our people, a.
ell q IN he Genius e ou- 5fc5 instifr
0ns.
5b-c.~ Ms 4 become law, he pi
cipIes which it establishes will inevitaUi
lead to large and annually increasing ap-
preparations and drains upon the treasury,
for it is not to be doul led that numerous
other localities not c1sbracel in its pro-
visions, but quite as Hllch entitled to the
favor of the government as those which
are embraced, will demand, through their
representatives in Congress, to be placed
on an equal footing with them. With sucn
anyincrease of expenditure must necessari-
y follow either an increased public debt, or
increased burdens upon the people by taxa
ton, to supply the treasury with'means Of
| meeting the accumulated demands upon it.
With profound respect for the opinions
Of Congress, and ever anxious, as far as
can consistently with my responsibility
t to our common constituents, to cooperate
with them in the discharge of our respec-
tives duties, it is with unfegned regret thai
find myself constrained, for the reasons
which have assigned, to withhold my APP
| prevail from this bill.
5 JAMES X. POLK.