The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-15
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. DEC. Is. 1s47.
Passing Events,

houn submitted two resolutions which are reported
in regular proceedings In the House OF Representa-
tves, the great question OF internal improvements has been
presented in very imposing character. We have no
for any elaborate remarks upon either of these points,
if the time had arrived for discussing them But there
reasons for posponing consideration of both Mr..
Calhoun made no explanation of his resolutions when he
presented them did he indicate the which be
intended to pursue. We shall wait for his expose.
We presume he goes against the acquisition of the oe
of Mexco but after the he took during the last
session in favor of defensive line take for granted
he does not oppose all territorial acquisition and all in
demnity On the contrary, presume, after the mpor-
ant changes which have taken place since the last
sion, and the great conquests which have made in
Mexico. Mr. Calhoun will be rather disposed to extend
our acquisitions than dsclam any territorial indemn
ty. We shall wait his developments however, with
the greatest cheeTfulness
The proceedings of the House have been very interest
ing. While they engaged in discussion of the
question of creating new committee for the commerce
among the States ito whom, was avowel the subject
OF internal improvements might be commtted) and whilst
the House were in the OF discussing the constitutional
power over the subject, long message was received
from the President of the United States upon the same
question. We seize the opportunity at once of saying
that the insinuation of the member from Ohio (Mr
Scbenck) is utterly unfounded He called it the speech
from the throne-an argument thrown in upon the
House, to act upon its decision The member from Ohio
mighthave recoeced that paper of this great length
extensive research and remarkable labor could not have
been got up in moment to meet unexpected exgen-
cy Who could have anticipated that Mr. vnton should
have made his motion for appointing distinct commit
tee? Who could have supposed that the whole question
OF internal improvements would have come so early upon
the tapis! Mr. Schenck might have known that this
message must have been very long upon the anvil In
fact il must have been considered for some time II must
have taken some time collect the materials for its CON-
position We understand that the President had begun if
when he taken sick and since his recovery the ar
uous current duties of his Office and the preparation for
his annual message have prevented his finishing it before
the meeting of Congress He has been very much engaged
upon it during the last week He anxious to send it
on thisday, to avoid the possibility of mourning con-
stitutona doubt about the lapse Of the ten dayscount
ing the day when the harOr bill sent to him at the
last session These the reasons, presume, why
was not sent in at earlier day. and why it sent in
to-day and why the subject of internal Improvements
was not introduced into the annual message This too,
was another subject of complaint by Mr. Schenck
1t is not in our power lay this message before our
readers this evening We shall make every effort to pub
lsh it in our next paper But undertake say that
this bold and mastery message is the ablest document
which has emanated from Mr. Folks pen, and the very
strongest argument which have yet against
the federal government exercising this power under the
constitution The reader WILL of course, Judge for him
self when he comes to read it,
If the wing members who rose to criticise it had
been content to use the caution they would have
saved themselves from egregious blunders 1t is
still more strange that politician OF Mr. Vintons circum
specon and sagacity should have proposed to withhold
from the press until it had been referred to select
mee, whose report might have gone to the public with
the ITSELF and yet that he himself should have gone
on to crcise the message and send his argument ahead
of t--and especially, too, when he did CATCH and
could not have caught accurately, the propositions in
which he attacked.
For example: he did not do justice to the statement
about the two hundred millions which were once pro-
posed to be appropriated to internal improvements Mr.
vnton should have noticed that this passage was quo
taon from Gen. Jackson's message of December, Is
In showing "the fearful rapidly" with which this
dangerous doctrine spreading Notwithstanding
these grave objections to it," the then President says
The desire to embark the federal government in
internal improvement prevailed in the highest degree
during the first session Of the first Congress that had III,
honor in my present situation When the bill an
thorzng subscription the part the United States To-
stock in the Maysville and Lexington Turnpike Conpanv
the two houses there had been reported by the Com
tees Internal improvements bills conta ming ammo
paions for such objects, exclu Of those for the (a
berland road, and for harbors and lighthouses 10 the
of about hundred and millions of dollars In
this included authority the Secretary or be
Treasury subscribe for the stock derent com
to great extent and the residue principally for the
direct construction Of roads by this government In add.
ton to these projects which have been presented to the
two houses under the sanction and of their
then still pending before the committees and in me-
MORALS Congress- presented but referred deren,
projects for works of similar character the expense OF
which be estimated with certainty but must In
exceede d one hundred millions of dollars"
The member from Ohio (NIr Vinton) also conte nded
that there any design in former times to run
in debt for internal Improvements; but simply to use
whatever balance might remain in the treasury at any
time. MIR. Bayly of Virginia, answered this position
to-day in very satisfactory manner But independently
Of his argument, refer to the following extract from
what the fact was in 1890
s'By the statement from the Treasury Department and
those from the clerks Of the Senate and House of Repre-
sen,atves, herewith submitted it appears the bills
which have passed into laws and those which, prob
ability will pass before the adjournment Congress-
ticpste appropriations which, with the ordinary cxpendi-
for the support Of government viii exceed consider
ably the amount in the treasury for the year 1890 Thus
whilst diminishing the by a reduction oil