Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-07-30

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by appropriations for numerous lighthouses up
on them, which appropriations have never been
questioned in Congress as wanting constitutional
authority.
5. That thus by a series Of facts which have
received the sanction Of the people oflhe United
States and of every department Of the Federal
Government, under all administrations, the CON-
mon understanding Of the intent and objects Of
the trainers Of the Constitution in granting to
Congress the power to regulate commerce has
been manifested and has been confirmed by the
people, and this understanding has become as
much a part ofthat instrument as any one Of its
most explicit provisions.
6. That the power $40 regulate commerce
with foreign nations, and among the States, and
with the Indian tribes" is on its face so palpably
applicable in It's whole extent TO each Of the sub
erls enumerated equally and in the same man.
ner, as 10 render any attempts to make it more
explicit idle and futile, and that those who admit
the rightiul application of the power to foreign
commerce. by facilitating and protecting its oper
ations. by improving harbors and clearing out
navigable rivers, cannot consistently deny thai il
equally authorizes similar facilities to "com.
merce among the States"
7. That "loreign commerce" is dependent
upon internal trade for the distribution of its
freighls, and for the means Of paying for them,
so that Whatever improves the one, advances the
other; and they are so inseparable that they
should be regarded as one. That an export from
the American shore to a British port in Canada
is as much foreign commerce as if II had been
carried directly to Liverpool, and that an expor-
tation 10 Liverpool neither gains nor loses any of
] the characteristics of foreign commerce, by the
directness or circuily of the route, whether it
passes through custom house on the British side
Of the ST. Lawrence, or descends through that
river and its connecting canals, TO the ocean, or
whether it passes plong the artificial communica-
tions and natural streams Of any of the States 10
| the Atlantic.
! 8. Thatthe general government by extending
its Jurisdiction over lakes and nawgable rivers,
subecting them TO the same laws which prevail
on the ocean, and on its bays and ports not only
for purposes of revenue, but to give security TO
life and property by the regulation Of steamboats,
has precluded itself from denying thai jurisdic.
ton for any other Legitimate regulation of com.
merce. If it has power to control or restrain
it must have the same power TO protect, assist
/. and facilitate, and if it denies the jurisdiction
in the one mode ofacton, it should renounce il
in the other.
8. That in consequence of the peculiar dan.
gers of the navigation Of the lakes, arising from
the want of harbors for shelter, and of the ives,
tern rivers from snags and other distractions
there are no paris of The United States more EN-.
phatically demanding the prompt and continued
care Of the government to diminish those dam
gers and TO protect the properly and life exposed
to them; and that any one who can regard pro-
visions for these purposes as sectional, local, and
not national, must be wanting in information as
to the extent of the commerce carried on upon
those lakes and rivers, and of the amount OF
teeming population or occupied or interested in
that navigation.
10. That having regard to relative population
or to the extent of commerce, the appropriations
heretofore made for the interior rivers and lakes
and the streams connecting them with the ocean,
have not been in just and fair proportion &c
those made for the benefit Of the Atlantic coast
and that the time has arrived when this injustice
should be corrected in the only node in whicl
it can be done, by the unitcd determined ant
pcrsevcrng efforts of those whose rights have
been overlooked.
II. That independent Of this right to protec
tion Of commerce among the States" the righ
of common defence" guaranteed by the Consli
tuition, entities those cilizcns inhabiting thu
country bordering upon the interior lakes and ri
vcrs, to such safe and convenient harbors as may
afford shelter to navy whenever it shall be rem
dcred necessary by hoslilitios with our neighbors
and that the construction of such harbors canno
safely be delayed to the time which will demanC
their immediate uses.
70. That the argument most commonly urgeC
against appropriations to protect commerce a
mong the States" and 10 defend the inhabitants
orhe frontiers, that they invite sectional combi
nations to insure success 10 many unworthy OBJ
ecls, is founded on a practical dislruSt Of the
Republican principles of our government, and o
the capacity Of the people to select competen
aud honest representatives. That it may be urg
ed with equal force against legislation upon any
other subject, involving various and extensive in
tercsts. That a just appreciation Of the right,
and interests of all our fellow citizens, in every
quarter of the Union, diSclaiming selfish and To-
cal purposes, will lead intelligent representative;
to such distribution of the means in the Treasu
ry upon a system of moderate and ultimate eQua
! lily, as will in time meet the most urgent want;
of all, and prevent those jealouses and susP
cions which threaten the most serious danger tC
our coniederacy.
l3. That we are utterly incapable of perceiv'
! ing the difference between a harbOr for shelter
and harbor for commerce, and suppose that q
mole or pier which will afford safe anchorage &
protection to Il vessel against the storm, must me-
cessarily improve such harbor, and adapt it tc
commercial purposes.
IA. That The revenue derived fromimposts on
foreign goods belong TO the whole people and the
public lands being the common heritage of all
our citizens, so long as these resources continue
the imposition of any special burden on any por
ton of the people, to obtain the means of accom-
plishing objects equally within the duty and the