Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-10-09
From the n. Y. Globe.
from the n. !. GIObe.
MIR CALHOITN'S MEMPHIS REPORT.

This document is destined to be standing
difficult parts of the Constitution. The pow
er TO regulate commerce with foreign nations,
AMI among the States, has received a greater
diversity of construction than any other. The
Republican party has been more bewlldered
on this subject, and more inconsistent in its
action than perhaps on all others. Jefferson
and Madison approved appropriations for the
Cumberland road-which nearly all Democrats
now condemn. But after Mr.. Madison half
sanctioned that work, and recommended to
Congress the construction of other roads and
canals, he turned suddenly round and vetoed
q bill for surveys merely, and made sweeping
declaration against the improvement OF rivers,
as well as the construction of roads and ca
nails. The great authority OF Mr.. Madison
settled the question with many of his party.
Int az in al cases where men permit them
selves to be controlled BY authority rather
than principle or reason, tfcr Mr.. Madison
did not argue the question in his veto message0
the evil itself was not avoided, the name only
was changed-for in few years the harhor
Improvement system commenced Mr. Madi-
son having said nothing about harbors, nor
established any principle by which the harbor
system could be tried The moment appro-
priations were made for harbors, all men saw
the absurdity of Withholding them from rivers,
and hence the two were united and went on
together. This policy commenced with the
administration of the second Adams, but it con-
tinued throughout that OF Gen. jackson, who,
although he vetoed the Maysvile road bill,
and acknowledged the evil and danger of the
system, it did arrest The Limitation he at
"a Nv nl- h.
tween works of local and those of national
satisfactory. For almost any work, particu-
larly roads-the most obectionable--Illay be
made national by being made long. Mean
while, amid these doubtful and conflicting O.
pinions, appropriations were going on without
limit as to their amount or as to their principle
the only rule that governed them being that
by which the requisite number of votes could
be combined in Congress to carry them. OF
course the ropulous out voted the sparsely set
tied districts-and the commercial and manu-
featuring sections appropriated the lions share
At last, however, the West came into Congress
by the census of 1910, and being like the
South chiefly agricultural, and connected with
it by the most wonderful facilities of natural
navigation on the Globe, the idea at once oc-
the Southern and Western waters their share
of federal aid, and to determine the great prin
Ciples on which a system should be founded
Tor interests had grown too vast and varied tC
tolerate longer uncertainty. The Memphis
Convention was called, and was attended BY
the most prominent men of the West ant
South. Distinguished above all others came
Mr.. Calhoun, whose long and brilliant carcc
-, =, IS
ally indicated him as the President of the bo
dy-and the man whose counsel WAS to b,
first called for He delivered speech on Ia
king the chair which satisfied and delighted
the Convention, and was received with gener
al appreciation throughout the Union. 1t was
however, not so well approved in some part
OF South Carolina and Virginia, and Mr.. Cal
houn was threatened with the loss of some O
his friends.
The proceedings of the Memphis Conven
ton were however sent to Congress with
memorial, and the whole subject was commit
ted to select Committee, of which Mr. Cal
houn was made Chairman. He thus had al
opportunity of presenting his views in til
most elaborate and comprehensive manner, an,
has done so in his report. This document i
perhaps one of the most able and characters
tic of the many profound and original achieve
ments OF Mr. Calboun's mind. 1t is master
piece, combining many qualities of the highes
order, and such as, from their dissimilarity
are seldom united in the productions of til
same mind 1t is at once acute and comprc
hensive, deep and clear, plain and new.
He ascribes the power for improving on
great navigable rivers to that conferred Oh
Congress for the regulation OF commerce d
mong the States-one of the great objects 0
which the Convention that passed the Constr
tuition was called. The regulation of com
merce among the States, he CONSTITUTES to mea
the regulation of commerce between the States
us there was no difficulty felt by the State
before the union on regular commerce with
their several borders The word commerce h
CONSTITUTES to mean transit, as we'll as eXchang
of commodities, and shows it was unifOrmI
so understood before the Constitution, as we
in the mother country as in the colonies. An
the wOr1 regulate comprchcnds provisions fc
the safety and convenience of transit as we
as rules for the mere convenience of exchange
He limits also the power of the federal govern
ment to such rivers rs belong to more than tw
States, since two States, but not more, ma,
under the Constitution, make compacts wit
the consent of Congress, and may therefor
unite Tor the Improvement of their rivers. b.
the States cannot, under the Constitution
make treaties and therefore as arrangement
between more than two must be by treat,
they are absolutely disqualified from sue
works
That the trainers of the Constitution then
selves believed that power had been given
Congress TO provide for the safety and COZ
venIenCe OF commerce is inferred from the a,
tual exercise of such power by the first Cor
gTess that met after the union, which CONNER
cei the lighthouse system along the Atlant
coast And if Government be authorized
incur expense to point out danger to the nav
gator, it is surely competent to remove IL
danger, particularly if less expensive
But Mr. Calhoun re jects the improvement
harbors as well on the general ground TIL
they are within the limits of States and not b,
tween them, as are rivers, as because the Coz
stitution contemplates their improvement b
the States to whom it gives evidently for tn;
purpose the power OF levying tonnage dutit
with the consent of Congress. Besides Il
Improvement of harbors, Except those of n
fugc, which Mr.. Calhoun excepts,) is alwa,
matter of more local than general interes
and therefore, if necessary, never neglected.
aud hence could not have been an object
the formation of such an Union as ours.
Finally, MIR. Calhoun suggests that to prt
vent all dispute or abuse, it would be prop
for Congress to levy a separate tonnage dut
on vessels engaged in the several distinct char
nclS of Observation-Disclosures lakes and Soo-ar