Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-08-18


Tended, tends, imperceptibly to console
dation of power in Government intended
by its trainers TO be thus limited in its au.
thority. aThe obvious tendency and In
evitable result Of consolidation of the
States into one sovereignty would be TO
transform the republican system oftheU. S
into monarchy" To guard against the
assumption ofall powers which encroach
upon the reserved sovereignty ofthe States
and which equentiyten to consolida-
ton, is the duty Of all the true friends of
our political system. That the power in
question is not properly an incident to any
OF the granted powers, am fully satisfied;
but if there were doubts OIL this subject,
experience has demonstrated the wisdom
ofthe rule that all the functionar:es of the
Federal Government should abstain from
the exercise of all questionable or doubtful
powers. fan enlargement ofthe powers
of the Federal Government should be
deemed proper, ii is safer and wiser TO APP
peal to the States and the people in the
mode prescribed by the Constitution for
the grant desired, than to assume lis ex-
ercise without an amendment of the Con-
stitution. If Congress does not possess
the general power to construct works of
internal Improvement within the States,
or 10 appropriate money from the Treasu-
ury for that purpose, what is there 10 ex-
empt some, at least, of the objects OF ap.
preparation included in this bill from the
operation of the general rulei This bill
assumes the existence of the power, and
in some ofits provisions asserts the prin-
ciple, that Congress may exercise it as
fully as though the appropriations which
ii proposes were applicable TO the con-
struction of roads and canals. If there
lea di tinction in principle, il is moi per-
ceiyed, and should be clearly Defined
Some Of the objects of appropriation con-
tanned in this bill are local in their char
acier, and lie within the limits of a single
State; and though in the language of the
bill, they are called harbors they are not
connected with foreign commerce, nor
are they places of refuge or shelter for
our navy, or commercial marine on the
ocean or lake shores. To callthe mouth
ola creek, or shallow inlet on our coast,
a barber, cannot confer the authority
toexpend the public money in its improve
ment. Congress have exercised the pow
er coeval with the constitution of estab-
fishing light. houses, beacons, buoys and
pears on our ocean and lake shores, for
the purpose of rendering navigation safe
and easy, and Of affording protection and
shelter for our navy and other shipping.
These are safe guards placed in existing
channels of navigation. After the long
,acquiescence ofthe Government through
preceding administrations, / am not dispos-
ed to qaestion or disturb the authority
to make appropriations for such purposes.
When we advance step beyond this
point, in addition to the establishment and
support, by appropriations from the treas
ury, of light. houses. beacons, buoys, piers
and other Improvements within the bays,
inlets and harbors on our ocean and lake
coasts Immediately connected with our
foreign commerce, and attempts to make
Improvements in the interior at points
unconnected with foreign commerce,
and where they are not needed for the pro-
lection and security of our naval and com.
niercial marine, the difficulty arises in
drawing line, beyond which appropria-
atoms cannot be made by the Federal
Government.
One of my predecessors, who saw the
evil consequences ofthe system propos--
ed to be revived by this bill, attempts to
define this line by declaring that .expen.
ditures ofthis character" should be s.con.
fined below the ports of entry or delivery
established by lawp Acting on this re-
striction, he has withheld his sanction
from bill which had passed Congress
::.to improve the navigation efthe Wabash
river" He was at the same time ..sen-
sible that this restriction was not as salts
factory as could be desired, and that much
embarrassment may be caused to the Ex-
ecutive Department in its execution, by
appropriations for remote and not well
understood objects" This restriction, it
was soon found, was subject to be evaded,
and rendered comparatively useless in.
checking the system of Improvement
which it was designed to arrest, in conse-
quence ofthe facility with which ports of
entry aud delivery may be established by
law upon the upper waters, aud in some
instances, almost at the head of springs
ofsome ofthe most unimportant ofour riv-
ers, and at points on our coast possessing
no commercial importance, and not used
as places Of refuge and safety by our Ma
Wy or other shipping. Many of the ports
of entry and delivery now authorized by
law, so far as foreign commerce is con-
cerned, exist only in the statute books
No entry of foreign goods is ever made.
and no duties are collected at them. No
exports of American products, bound for
foreign countries, ever clear from them.
To assume their existence Sin the statute
book as ports ofeatry or delivery, warrant
expenditures onthe water leading 60 them.
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