The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-06-15
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
TUESDAY NIGHT. JUNE 10. Is47.
The Proposed Convention at Chicago.

provements in the rivers and harbors OF the country
Apart from the grave constitutional objections to such
scheme of internal improvements as the convention is
expected to propose the time for the agitation OF such
plan seems to be i'll chosen We at this moment con-
Quoting an expensive foreign war; by the aid OF large
loan to the treasury The federal party-whose party
policy in this matter the convention though called with
out distinction of party is designed to carry out-has
always predicted and even now eXuts IN predicting 'ha'
the last loan will be insufficient and that further loan
must be resorted to- to meet the expenses oil Inc wal
Why then urge, this time, neW dram upon the treas
ury for objects not sanctioned by any fair reading OF the
constitution Surely il would be wiser to hnish the
war in which we engaged, and for which large
means may yet needed, before undertaking tins new
and expensive work The fedealss tell us that the ex
penses of the war alone will probably require higher
tariff than that which exists Can the trends OF
the present tariff them with consistency and safety take
part in proceeding the very object OF which is to add
to the burdens upon the that for purpose
not sanctioned by the constitution What pressing need
is there at all events for such movement in the present
uncture Of our national affairs
This project of convention is presented under aus
pieces otkely to commend TO the favor OF the country
The federaliss of Boston alyng in force to take
leading part in it. The active efforts of these men TO en-
courage Mexico to proac the war, and to embarrass the
administration in the prosecution of it, are well known
The scheme of internal improvement, which this con-
venton is surge" upon the government is in admra-
BILE harmony with all their policy 1t tends at once to
divert means from the war; burden the treasury to &C
cumulate new debt upon us, and at the time TO
override State rights by false and lattudinaran con-
struction of the constitution No wonder, then, that
federalism is active in the plan.
But these federal capitalists have another motive for
their movement, which they do not conceal from AT
their public meeting in Boston, held for the purpose OF Sc
lectng large delegation" to the convention from Mas
sachusetts Josiah Quincy, jr the mayor OF that city,
who ofciaed as the chairman of the meeting, did not
hesitate to commend to the West, and to the whole
Union, the policy involved in the convention, avowedy
the ground that the chosen policy of the Eastern
federal Metropolis He said, with more bluntness than
modesty or truth
''The West peculiar right look this metropo-
lis. Boston emphaticay the american city Its popu-
laon had foreign adinxture ;oher cities may be
larger, but they composed Of men of all lands. But
Boston has always been Americana and will always
tnue for the sagacity Of its inhabitants lets but
Yankee grow rich the Yankee soil And there is another
claim the sympathy of New England there time
when under original charters extending from ocean to
ocean, Roche and Buffalo, and CINCINNATI and Detroit,
and Chicago much parts of the colonies Of Plymouth
and the Bay State the peninsula of Shawmut.
Railways and the magnetic telegraph then in
vented and IL duty to bring them back again, and
identify them in sympathy and interest tc the land of the
Pilgrims"
The adoption, in its full extent, Of this proposed plan
of internal improvements by the general government,
would indeed go far oprove that upon this point at least
" the American" policy is the policy most In vogue
n ! =.
" TO bring back the west, sand identity ii in political
interest and sympathy with the federalism of that city
Are the democrats of the west prepared TO welcome or to
forward such a result?
Mr.. Quincy has in fact hesitation in calling upon
the country, in terms to follow the Boston Lights" in
this matter-hose same lights, by the way which once
burned blue" and have not yet forgotten their old
blush tint. He says:
Sand it is equally remarkable, that while power travelled
west, have in all ages turned owards the east for the
daysprng OF moral intellectual and religious, well
for natural lights and that millions OF eowcreature
like the prophet of old, on this day bow with their faces
towards jerusalem And toW be said that this to
be the rule in America? Think not"
The country, we opine, has not yet forgotten that
these easterHfedera lights are not safe Men mis-
read the constitution by them They msled too many OF
our citizens in the war of 1872 as they are misleading
too many of them in the present war.
But this Boston meeting has favored us with state
ment of the clause in the constitution which, in their
Judgment, authorizes the gigantic and unlimited scheme
Of internal Improvements by the general government
which the convention meets to urge upon Congress
The clause is cited follows, in one of their resolu-
ions
Resolved That, by the constitution of the United States
he power to regulate with foreign nations and
long the several States is granted Congress that the
einoval OF distinctions Within and the making of ncces-
ary improvements upon, numerous great lakes and
ivers essential the development of our immense
natural resources and the internal resulting
heretrom and that the duty making provements
~ the general government is clear and imperative as
hat OF building lighthouses piers, and breawaters upon
,ur sea-coast.
The wisest and abest of our statesmen have given
more limited construction to this power "of regulating
commerce" Mr. Madison put that true construction on
record in his last official messageveoing on constitu-
onal grounds alone. bill for internal improvements
Mr.. Madisons language is as follows
"The power regulate commerce among the several
States 1.-THE very clause relied by the late
ngI cannot include power roads and canals,
and 10 Improve the navigation of order
citate, PROMOTE and such commerce, without
latitude of construction departing from the ordinary inn
port of the terms, strengthened by the known nconve
nicnces which, doubtless, led the grant of this remedial
pow 10 Congress-"
This quotation is fully strengthened by the fact, that
the power these internal improvements
asked for and refused by the federal convention which
formed the constitution In fact if this power "to regu
hn11 and