Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-07-24


and sea walls, removing distractions in rivers,
and providing other facilities for the commerce
carried on from the ports on the Atlantic coast;
and the same obligations have been fulfilled to
much less extent in providing similar facilities
Tor commerce among the States" and that the
principle has been most emphatically acknowl.
edged TO embrace the western lake and rivers, by
appropriations for numerous light houses upon
them, which appropriations have never been
questioned in Congress as wanting constitutional
Authority.
5. That thus by a series OF acts which have
received the sanction Of the people Of the United
States and Of every department Of the Federal
Government, under all Administrations, the com.
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 the understanding has become as
much part OF that instrument as any one OF its
most explicit provisions
| g. That the power ''to regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the States and with
the Indian tribes" is on its face so pal pably
| applicable in its whole extent 10 each or tie
subjects enumerated equally and in the same
manner as 10 render any attempts TO make it
more explicit, idle and futile; and that those who
admit the rightful application Of the power TO
foreign commerce, by facilitating and protecting
its operations by improving harbors and clearing
out navigabIe rivers, cannot consistently deny
that it equally authorizes similar facilities to
commerce among the States"
| Z. THAT "(oreign commerce" is dependent
upon internal trade for the distribution OF its
heights, and for the means Of paying for them,
so that whatever improves the one, advances the
other; and they are so inseparable tina, they should
be regarded as one. That an export from the
American shore 10 British port in Canada is as
much foreign commerce as if it had been carried
directly to Liverpool; and that an expectation to
Liverpool! neither gains nor loses any OF the
characteristics Of foreign commerce by the direct.
ness or circuty 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 along the artificial communications and
natural streams Of any Of the States to the At
| lantic.
| 8. That the general government by extending
| its jurisdiction over lakes and navgable rivers,
subjugang them 10 the same laws which prevail
on the ocean, and on its bays and ports, not only
for purposes Of revenue, but 10 give security TO
life and property, by the regulation Of steam boats
has precIuded itself from denying that jurisdiction
for any other legitimate regulation Of commerce.
| Ii it has power 10 control and restrain, it must
have the same power 10 protect, assist and iacili
tate, and il it denies the jurisdiction in the ono
mode Of action, it should renounce it in the other.
9. 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 parts Of the United States more en-
phalicaly demanding the prompt and continued
care OF the Government to diminish those dam
gers and 10 protect the property and life expos
ed TO them; and that any one who can regard
provisions for those purposes as sectional, local
and not national, must be wanting Information
Of the extent OF the commerce carried on upon
those lakes and rivers, and OF the amount OF
teemng population occupied or interested in that
navigation.
i TO- That having regard 10 relative population
or 10 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 10
those made for the benefit Of the Atlantic coast:
and that the time has arrived when this injustice
should be corrected in the only mode in which il
can be done by the united, determined and per.
severing efforts OF those whose rights have been
overlooked.
H. That independent of this right to protection
of commerce among the States" the right Of
common defence" guaranteed by the constitution,
entities those citizens nhabting the country bor-
derng upon the interior lakes and rivers, to such
slfe and convenient harbors may afford shelter
to navy whenever it shall be rendered necessary
by hostilities with our neighbors; and that the
construction Of such harbors cannot safely be de-
layed to the time whch will demand their inme-
date use.
II. That the argument most commonly urged
against appropriations to protect ''commercc