The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-12-29

have TO rise and fall with the tide.
"Mr Speaker, repeat this is rare and
new test or discovery as to constitutional APP
preparations and perhaps there may be in
this, if in nothing else, an argument for send
ing the message to select committee. Per-
haps further examination will lead to other
discoveries of views equally novel and import
ant.
"In truth, we have now at last ascertained
what system of "protection our President,
and those of his party who think with him,
are willing to favor. Not protection by pro-
viding for the safety of the Hves and the prop
eTy of the people, exposed to the perils of in
land or seaboard navigation, any more than
protection of their labor by discriminating leg.
islation on another subject; but the snags and
rocks, and sandbars in your rivers, the bars
which obstruct the entrance to your harbors,
all these are to have extended over them, ac-
cording to this modern creed of democratic
construction, the protecting @gis of the con-
stitution
&c might say something here, Mr.. Speaker.
on what some may consider slight inconsist-
ency in the views of the Executive, who finds
such formidable, such insuperable objections
to expending single dollar for works of i'm
provement at home, and for the development
of the great resources of our country. and
nevertheless instructs his commissioner in
Mexico to negotiate with the Government of
that Republic Gf he can find any there,) to
secure the right of way across the isthmus of
Tehuan.epec. (Mr. S. said he hoped he pro-
nounced the name of the place correctly
We should all learn better, he supposed, when
we get some Mexican representatives here
not such "Mexicans" as gentlemen over the
way have sometimes been pleased to hint at
but real Mexicans, direct from the "Halls If
the Montezumas," coming here to take their,
seats in Congress of the United States
They would perhaps teach us thick tongued
Anglo Saxons to give due utterance to what
seem now, to some of us, very strange and
hard words. AS he was more particularly an.
xious about it, as he enjoyed the distinguished
honor of being chairman of the Commit, u
Roads and Canals, and, for aught he knew,
that part of the message might yet be referred
to that committee.) From that other execu-
tive light, the second officer in the Govern
ment, the public has learned that this right of
way over the isthmus is wanted for the pur-
pose of digging canal. And now here is a
President who cannot let our little coasting
vessels go along the shores of our States with
out risk of their stranding on the constitu-
ton, but who is able to overleap quarter of
the continent and find authority to dig a canal
to connect the waters Of the Atlantic and Pa
cifc oceans!
81 understand, Mr.. Speaker, too, that this
President, so squeamish about constitutional
power, has sent party of naval officers to
survey, explore, and bring home report of
the character and peculiarities of the shores
and waters of the Dead Sea Well, it may be
all right but where gets he power for that?
He cannot find warrant, it seems, for survey
ing one of our most magnificent lakes. If it
be not altogether Quixotic it would seem that
he must have some other object than the pur-
poses of commerce or navigation in view OF
such an expedition perhaps he has heard OF
the hunts for these Dead Sea fruits which We
are told look fair to the eye but turn to ashes
on the lip, like many of the fruits of the mod
ern Democracy which he processes. ..#s
GAIL the powers needed for works of inn 70
provement, say the President, are with the
States, and by them only should be exercised.
if at all, however national the object. And,
as understand the argument, he seeks to