Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-12-29
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.


At the last session of Congress bill was passed
ito provide for continuing certain works in the
Territory OF Wisconsin and for other purposes."-
This bull the President di not sign and as it wa,
passed near the close of The session, when there
was not sufficient time 10 prepare staemen, of bs
objections, the bill was retained. The MESSAGE
submitted to the House ON the 18th inst. contains
the Presidents objections at full length
The bill appropriated half million Of dollars u
more Tor the improvement of numerous harbors and
rivers lying within the limits and jurisdiction Of
several of the States of the Union
The Presidents objections rest upon constitutions
al grounds. In the grant Of power to Congress sto
regulate commerce with foreign nations and among
the several States" the existence Of commerce. ~
pre- supposed AND, of course, the means also by
which and the channels through which it is carried
on In the Presidents view no creative power il
given, but the power of control is conferred oy.f
that which may have been brought into existence
by other agencies. This control has been exercise
over foreign commerce by the establishment Of trea.
ties defining the rights of citizens and Subjects and
also by acts ofCongress imposing duties and restrio-
tons, embracing vessels, seamen, cargoes and pas
regulated by acts of Congress relating to the coast.
ing trade and the vessels employed therein, and for
the better security Of passengers in vessels propelled
by steam, and by the removal Of restrictions up
on internal trade.
Beyond enacments such as these the President
considers that the constitutional power of the Gov
eminent over commerce does not extend Never
theless it would be difficult, under such an inter.
probation, to hnd authority for the construction Of
light houses 1t would be equally difficult to show
how 1t would be unconstitutional TO remove DANGER
Gus distractions from the Mississippi river while
the power is conceded to construct breakwater al
the mouth of Delaware Bay
Practically, however, the greatest difficulty i'm
The whole matter is probably found in the indefinite
lengths to which appropriations might be carried for
local improvements, by combinations of sectional in.
eresis II once the policy should be fully recogniz-
ed. The member of Congress who could procure
the largest appropriations to be expended in his dis
trIct would claim favor accordingly There is no.
doubt that much embarrassment would arise from
this source, with great danger of profuse and often
of useless expenditures.
nut then are we TO assume that Congress has no
discretion, no Judgment, no power to discriminate
between objects of national importance and those Of
a merely local character? .sIf the mower 70 inn
prove a harbor be admitted,'' says the President,
ut Is not easy to perceive how the power to deepen.
every Inlet on the ocean or the lakes, and make
haroors where there are none, can be denied. If
the power to clear out or deepen the channels Of
rivers near their mouths be admitted ii is not easy
perceive how the power to improve them to their
fountain head, and make them navioable to their
sources, can be denied. Where shall the exercise
Oh The power, If 1t be assumed. stop? Has Con-
sress the power, when an inlet is deep enough to
admit schooner, to deepen it still more so that is
VIII admit ships of heavy burden and has it not
the power, when an inlet will admit a boat. to
make 1t deep enough to admit schooner? Mayit
improve rivers deep enough already TO float ships
and steamboats,, and has it no power TO improve
those which are navigable only for f1at-boats and
barges?''
Inc whole argument, it is clear, rests upon tho
assumption that the Government, saving and .ex-
coping the Executive, will not possess sufficient.
knowledge OF judgment TO direct i. to a wise. use OF
the power here referred to; or that if Congress-
should possess sufficient knowledge and Judgment
In the premises, it will not have the irmness to re
sis sectional pretensions and combined interests
! The child must not be allowed to play with fire.
for fear it may burn ITSELF Baltimore 1,ne,ican
/ EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTH AMERICA.
| An earthquake in Chill and Peru on the Sih of
october--the same day in which the town of Ocat-
Ian, In Mexico, was destroyed-ruined several,
towns. The direction of the earthquake was evil,
IDENTIFY from the North Coquimbo suffered e1s.
trernely; its best public buildings were reduced to-
mass of ruins The oscillations of the earth were
dreadful The whole population slept in an open
field even the stones in the rivers were raised
from their beds and thrown to distance. A whole
region of 10000 square miles quvered for about a
minute like a leaf--the sun shining brightly At
Valparaiso the buildings were shaken, the bells set
to ringing, the chronomeers stopped, and the yes
sells in the harbor agitated.
TORNADO IN ALABAMA.
destructive tornado passed over the Counties
| of Perry, Tuscaloosa, and Greene, in Alabama. ON
the 10Th instant, destroying large amount of pro-