The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-22
VIE VETO ON THE RIVER AND HAIR
Dor BILL

The "National lntelgencer" of this morning de-
votes large portion of its couns to the President
veto Of the river and harbor bill. We not sur.
prised at its objectlons-for, in long days Of yore
we have broken many lance with It on the federal
power over internal Improvements. We have long
drawn our water from different The lntelli-
gencer has adopted the federal school, where the
disciple goes for enarging the power of the govern
ment, and sees scarcely any assgnable limitation in
the constitution to its Jurisdiction With it, almost
every measure may be justified by the doctrine Of
the general welfare, whether il relates to bank mo.
ney to the industry and employments OF the people
10 roads and canals, or to almost every measure
which is calculated to swell the power ofthe govern
ment, at the expense Of the rights Of the States
and the rights Of the people. The republican school
the other hand considers the constitution char
ter ofcerain, designated and limited powers grant
ing nothing which is not specified, or which is not
necessary and proper for carrying out specified
power. Upon the question Of internal improve
ment, in particular, its views are limited. The re-
publicans reeOlleet that the power to make roads
and improve water-courses, proposed in the fed
eral convention, and refused and in this spirit they
hailed with pleasure the last great act OF Mr.. Mad
ison's adminstration-the veto Of the internal i'm
proyement bill Of March, 1917. They were pleased
also with General Jackson's manly and efficient
veto on the Maysvile road bill; although it
drew the line too wide, and its doctrines were
80 liberal as to admit afterwards the passage OF
measures, which the National Intelligencer
in its article of this morning, notices in con.
trast with Mr.. Folks recent veto. The argu.
uuhic IL draw Of he
presidents of General Jackson's administration,
and their inconsistency with the veto, not
conclusive; because il still remains to be proved
that those measures are strictly consistent with the
supreme law, the constitution itself.
We shall not follow the "Intelligencer" through
out its analysis Of the late veto message. 1t would
take more space to answer its objections in
full, than we can very well spare this evening;
and we may have time enough hereafter to
examine the subject. But what logic is this
which, because we may not in every be able to
draw the distinction within hairs BREADTH between
what is "local" and what is Irrational" would deny
that there was any distinction between them' The
principle Of this distinction, indeed, runs not only
to great degree through legislation, but through
the constitution itself, shaping of its powers
giving in ono case, and denying in another. Or
what are to think Of the objection made to the
second proposition that the constitution confers no
power to construct works of internal improvement
within the States" which the Inteligencer attempts
to answer by sophistical play upon words Gao
cordng to it, the internal improvement to be con-
sdtuonal, must be external ~ As if the distinction
between what was confined to one State, or which
ran through several States, or along the margin of
several, was not correct; and yet, the proposed OBJ
iect might still properly be called, it usually is,
"internal improvement"
The rest of the article in the National Intelgencer
Is founded, we must be excused for saying, either
on Misrepresentation Of the Presidents doctrine,
gross misapplication of it to certain cases. For,
who would otherwise have dreamt of denying to the
President, upon his own limited ideas Of the consti-
tution the power of marching troops "beyond the
Nueces"which part of the territory of the United
States threatened with INVASION and afterwards actu-
ally :avaded--or, who would otherwise think of
denying his power to employ even Mormons
to carry on the with Mexco' But in several of
the cases as put by the National Intelligencer, we
still regret to see its disposition to hwart the efforts
of our own country against foreign enemy peeping
forth in various forms. Why, for example, should
1t put the case: "Wha Of btockading the to,cn Of Vera
Cruz ,ohen at peace Nth .Merico? What o.
stopping the mouth Of the Rio Grande, if it Next
co's' What of stopping it, if it our own
There was no presidential power certainly, express
incidental for any of these acts, or for any others
which the President is committing dangerous and
high as they are) without Of those scruples
which have made him, in a matter so authorized
by precedent, 80 comparatively inexpensive and 50
purely benefcent, strike dead law passed by one
of the most entirely democratic congresses that we
have had for many years"
Now be it recollected, the National Intelgencer
puts these cases, Notwithstanding it well knows that
Congress has itself recognised state of war with
Mexico-that they have authorized so 900 volun-
teers and s20,000,000 to be employed in fitting out
our armies and our naves, to blockade Vera Cruz,
and take it at the proper time-not only to block up
the mouth of the Rio Grande, but to seize upon
the river itself and its shores-to advance to Monte
rey, and even to the capital itself The most eau
tious and the shrewdest of the wing senator's, Mr.
Crittenden, admitted all this and yet here is the
Inelligencer denying war with Mexico, and trying
paralyze our efforts to force the establishment of
peace, and to carry the on to glorious termi.
nation.
We forbear, however, any further notice at this
time Of the article in the National Intelligencer and
in lieu of any additional remarks of our own, beg
leave to adopt the following editorial article from the
Batavia New York; Spirit Of the Times of the 18th
inst, which, though located within twenty miles
perhaps, of the lake. (he theatre of some Of the con-
tenoplated improyements takes the following rnenIy
constitutional ground. 1t answers, too many of the
Arguments Of the National Intelligencer.
From the Batavia N. W Spirit of the Times
VETO OF THE HARBoR BILL.
We publish to-day President Folks veto Of the
bill appropriating one million three hundred and
seventy-eght thousand four hundred and fifty dol.
lars for harbors &c. That this act Of the President
should be denounced by the wing press, is no more
than was to be expected, and that this should be
done without publishing the veto, or reasons of the
President, s characteristic Of the same press And
that The democratic ress located at points proposed