Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-12-18

eminent when the states themselves have the power Of doing
IL Or do they suppose, when they want ihey can aua
power this General Government and that will be the END
oft Encroachment sops one encroachment leads
to another and there 10 but In which you can resist
these encoachmen one by one
If any supposes he for his own interest nepo
late encroachment into the constitution and that there
will be the end of it. he is acting with gross ignorance oil
human All experience proves the contrary
Mr. Speaker, ask gentlemen who represent sovereign and
independent States here if they willing to come and hum
BILE themselves to suppicate from Congress favor what
they themselves accomplish as right do not know
they feel for my part have very seldom come to ask Tor
South Carolina any favor confess always ielt humiated
at the thought. Whether | esteem my native State more
highly than other gentlemen, whatever may be the fact
the idea of accepting favor from the General Government is
most humiatng. ask the representatives, OF the proud
State of New York comprising within itself millions Of
inhabitants when you have the ability OF taxing the COM
merce which enters your habos not your own commerce
exclusively but the commerce OF other States W you con-
sent here mendcants and beggars Although my
State is small she has much pride for that and other
States viii thus humble themselves she will demonstrate that
she has too much of the spirit of manly independence stoop
SO low. -
Mr.. C. BFSMITH did not understand that it pro-
posed any power conferred the constitutions
the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. RHETr) seemed
to appehend This proposal to extend the power OF
this Government Did that gentleman deny the power to
appropriate money for internal Improvements Why the
power had been exercised from the very organization of this
Government to this day. There had been Congress
convened under the constitution which had not made appro
priaons for that purpose The gentleman from South Caro-
lima (M RHETT) alarmed by the introduction of this
resolution; but he (Mr SMTH) for avowed himself to
be friend to this he wished to committee
appointed specially for the promotion and fostering of the great
interests to which the resolution referred, which this Govern
ment bound protect by internal Improvements
He knew there modern distinction drawn between the
Atlantic and the internal waters but where, he would ask
was the authority found for such distinction Before they
made appropriations they to enter into chemical analy
sis of the waters to find the amount of salt with which they
impregnated Were they establish the position that
Government
unless they the seaboard and the waters i'm
pregnated with saf Such distinction futile absurd,
and ridiculous 1t that contemplated by
the trainers of the constitutions and it which he
trusted this Congress would dispose of emphatic
Mr.. RHETT understood to ask if the gentleman from
Indiana intended represent that he drew distinction be-
tween fresh and salt water.
Mr.. c. b. SMITH had understood the gentleman from
South Carolina (r. r. 60 beyond his associaeshe had
understood that gentleman go against all appropriations for
internal Improvements Now he would ask that gentleman
lighthouses not under the power of the Government
Were not millions spent for buoys, beakwate and other
protection and facilities for foreign commerce Though the
gentleman from South Carolina might fit to deny that
power he would fnd he (Mr SMITH) presumed, but very
few this floor that would sanction and accede to that opn
ion. That power settled clearly and concusivey-so
concusivey that it could be regarded subject doubt
and controversy and the question if they had not
the right to make appropriations for internal improvements in
inland waters They knew that the those
waters extensive and valuable they know that the well
fare of the country intimately identified with this in
interests be neglected Must they of the Mississippi valley
see the destruction of their property the great lakes Must
they the lives of their eowcizens sacrificed for of
appropriations for the improvement Of their waters Must
they, amidst all these sacrifices and losses when they asked
Congress to make appropriations distractions be
told that their waters fresh waters, and therefore
appropriations could be made 1t be within the know
ledge Of every gentleman that appropriations have been made
Tor internal improvements ever since the organization of this
Government.
was however, equally well known that during the last
oxEhc hnh hal
Congress had made liberal appropriations for such i'm
provemen but that they had been withheld by the technical
veto OF the President Such appropriations made by the
votes Of both Wings and Democrats in Congress which
the Democrats had majority but such votes and the ine
rests and The petitions of the people treated with
and contempt He could bear testimony the immense sac
rces Of property which the West had been compelled
and the immense loss of valuable lives in consequence
of the queamhness Of President because he regards
the distinction drawn between salt wafer and fresh inn
provements. He (Mr undertook that the power
OF this Government improvements only find mta-
ton in the discretion of Congress Gentlemen might seek to
find elsewhere but elsewhere merely imaginary 1t
position which he held could controverted that
the power TO make improvements power to improve
any rivers whether their waters washed the shores Of
State dozen it power TO improve any harbors,
whether they the seaboard the lakes ii was
power which within the sound discretion Of Congress
Congress alone could determine what appropriations make
protect facilitate commerce, whether that
with foreign nations "between the States
Congress has acted upon this view Of its powers II did
last year. did during preceding years 1t made liberal
appropriations for the lakes and rivers of the West and for
Western harbors Did any gentleman deny the power Of
Congress improve the Mississippi river He thought that
would hardly be called in question Did any gentleman
deny the power make appropriations for the improvement
of the Ohio river He thought that would be generally
conceded If then, that power conceded--if have
exercised he took for granted that power would be again
exercised by this Congress but whether their would be-
law he knew not. And if they egisate
this subjec, there not evident propety in having
committee 10 examine the various proposed improvements
that they might be guided to enlightened decision Should
they leave subject like this, which likely involve
millions Of dolars-a subject affecting half two-thrds of
the population of this Unon-a subject affecting the business
OF every internal State of this Unionshoud hey he asked
allow these vast interests TO find their way through this House
without committee to consider hem to examine them,
judge Of the claims presented, and to ascertain which the
most entitled to the support and protection Of this Govern
fnen Why appoint committee the subject of public
lands Why appoint committee the subec Of commerce
generally Why appoint committees such subjects and
not appoint committee subject like this involving such
immense interests Why should this great subject be e
without the protection Of committee whose province should
be to examine its claims -Four years ago report made
from Special Committee Rules the head Of which he
believed was the venerable gentleman from Massachusetts,
(Mr ADAms) which proposed division of the Committee
on Commerce such as proposed That report how
ever never brought To the of this House, IN
quence OF Its involving the question Of slavery The appro
pirate moment then had arrived for establishing such
divisions and creating committee with special reference TO
internal improvements He desired to place that ground
lie had no desire to dodge the question He desired to place