Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-06-18
TO BE CONTINUED.
From the Piitsbug Gazette.
Review Of the TWenty.ninth Congress
No. LII.
THE ONE MAN POWER.

THE ONE NAN POWER.
I, is hard to realize, from reading tho Consli.
iuliou Of the country, how one man, though oc-
cupyng the high office of President Of the Uni.
ted States, can assume, TO the extent practsed,
powers not warranted by the Constitution, or sue
cessfully abuse powers, TO the same extent, when
conferred by the Constitution. But in this as in
other things, where there is will there is way.
The Executive, over aud over again. refuses TO
approve Of laws sanctioned by nearly all his pre-
decssSors. A bill for the Improvement of the in
land navigation Of the country, for removing ob.
sructions from rivers aud harbors, whereby the
fruits Of agriculture and trade may be moro Sc
eurely transmitted from the interior States TO the
ocean, and the lives Of passengers made secure
from dangers worse than those of the great Deep
is wantonly vetoed at one session of Congress-
and al the next with appropriations much redu.
ced, and the BILL if possible, framed to avoid ev-
cry objection Of the Executive, is quietly put into
the Presidents breeches pocket. 1t is legal, in
the Presidents estimation to remove distractions
from the Rio Grande, and to make roads in Mex
leo. without an act Of Congress; but all this is
monstrous when the Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi,
and tho great Lakes, are the places Of these i'm.
provemenIs. Ii is legal to cxpend ono hundred
millions Of dollars in prosecuting a war of con-
quest and which threatens disunion in the end,
aud yet il is unconstitutional to give dollar for
renewing a rock from the Lakes, or n snag from
River. This veto war upon the life and inter.
ssts Of the western people, and against the judg-
ment of Congress twice expressed, is an act so
bold and so reckless Of life, properly, public SEN
timsnt, and the common good, that it ought to a.
rouse the indignation Of the whole country. We
propose not to argue the question with the Presi-
denG We say however, that the veto Of private
claim, like that for the payment Of spojlations
commiitsd upon American commerce by tho
French, or of bill for clearing out dangerous
distractions from great public highways leading
10 the ocean, or 10 foreign porls, or from one
State to another, is monslTOus usurpalion of
power. A wise discretion unquesli0naby there
should be in making appropriations, and the re-
prescntatiyos Of the people are to be l~lstcd upon
such a subject as this II the power is not with
Congress, it is no where. The States would not
improve rivers and harbor5 if they could, and
could not II they w0ud. The Constitution itself
iorbids compact agreement, or alliance between
two more States, ,wthoutthe conscnto OF Congress,
and such an alliance would be necessary for the
completion Of any public work. The assent ol
Congress may be given, has been given, was given
At the last session Of Congress, to q State compa
ny who have power 10 improve tho navigation Of
the James river, and 10 impose a tax upon vessels
passing on the river. The Government itself is
stockhoder and a great beneficiary from the
profits derived from stock held in tho Portland
and Louisville canal; and all this Government
authority and association proves the power OF
Congress over the subject. But il is morally and
physically impossible for the State 10 make har.
bors, construct breakwalers, and clear out chan.
nes. 1t is not their business. Congress" mot
the SlaIes,) says the Constitution, "shall have
power 10 regulate commerce with foreign nations
and among the several StaieS, and with the Indian
tribes" Here is the power, and the distinction
between foreign commerce is as cruel to The in.
terror States as it is unjust to the whole Union.
Rivers and harbors, indeed, are for the benefit of
tho whole Union, and tho commerce Of the Uni
on, in one way or another shares in every great
public commercial improvement. The President
approves bill establishing lighthouses, showing
the way TO a harbor on tho lake, but an cbstruc.
uon which prevents the safe entrance to har-
Dor, according to his theory, cannot be removed!
Gen. Jackson, The mentor Of Mr.. Polk, could ap-
prove of such measures as these, aud did approve
lhem, including lhrly-lhrco Of the lorty.nine OBJ.
lects embraced in the vetoed bills of the last Con.
gress, and The remainder was for harbors con.
nec,ed with the external trade Of tho country:
but our "Young Hickory" can find no authority
in the Constitution for this, though ample powers
for bringing on foreign war by his simple word
OF command, Mr.. Van Buren, too could ,o
this, but not the head Of this conscientious Ad.
snnistralion He could go so far as to "inyite
the attention Of Congress to the suggestions and
recommendation Of the Secretary Of War in re-
laton 10 these promnen, objects Of national in
tcrest," but when Congress needed these recon-
mendaicns and suggestions, and passed bill to
establish harbors where there are none, then the
veto power is inIerposed between the act done
and his own suggeslons Look to the first an.
nual message of Mr.. Polk, aud you will find the
express attention Of Congress recommended 10
ihS following from the Secretary of War:
''rhe lakes arc almost entirely destitute of nat.
ural harbors. Navigation upon them was expos.
ed TO imminent perils, apd not unfrcquently at,en.
ded with frghtlul loss Of life aud property.-
With ihc settlement and growth Of tho western
country. the commerce upon these inland seas
has rapidly increased, and its estimated annual
amouni now exceeds in value the entire export,
Of the products and Manufactures Of the United
States TO all foreign countries. An interest o
this magnitude. daily augmenling, in which S,
many States, and so large portion Of our citi
zens participated, naturally commanded The alIen
ion Of Congress, aud properly received us fo'