Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-12-18


addition Ooo 900 that sci apart as sinking fund,
the law providing for the payment of the public debt also pro-
yed that all balances should go towards extngushng the
public debt IL then, the money was taken rom the irea
sury which by law apart for the extinction OF the
public debt, the if they had passed loan
bill TO have met those appropriations
II was very clear to him (Nlr. that in ebect such a
course if pursued would have been aagonsuca to that
which gentleman from Ohio represented 10 have been IN
tended And far from The statement OF the President OF
the United States being the mark IN this parcuar as
the gentleman said the President had set down the amount o
the debt that would have been contracted at IN
his r b 81 opinion the President had greatly undeuated
H. What had been the experience OF the country Look
the condition Of the States Many OF them were involved
in bankruptcy, and driven almost TO Inc alternative OF
reputation. This too occurred, notwithstanding the more
direct responsibility of the representative 10 the constituency
he represented growing out of the snaness o the consu-
ency And the second place there better local inor-
q hi MnfReXr fRee was scarcely member with even
little geographical information, who not able to judge Of
the necessity and the proPrey of the appropriation But
how would be If power granted to the General Gov
10 make appropriations for internal improvements TO
the extent claimed What member would possess the me-
cessary Information How they to get the necessary
information They must rely upon the representations of
the districts and they would be interested in deceving hem
rely the reports Of engineers, and they were too often
deceptive Thus then, they would not have in their egsa
any better information than that which was no safeguard
against extravaganza in the States.
But than all, there restraint upon the State
Legislatures which did exist in the General Government
direct taxation In the States the representative who voted
for expenditures had raise the money! and how could
it be done but by direct taxation And they all knew with
what terror representative of the States would return
constituency whom he had voted to lay taxation in
that FORM However they might be deuded by arguments to
believe that taxation blessing, when led direct taxa
ton the argument would fail carry conviction home, for
then the appeal made TO the purse. Here, however,
there other interests Here the great tariff interest
which to be benefited by taxaon and which would vote
expenditures without respect TO the application OF the money
There also local interests combined with the tariff nte
rest and all representatives from the portions OF the country
that be benefited by the application OF the money
would for appropriations without those powerful restraints
existing the States But they went on here 10 the verge o
bankruptcy, what would be the condition of the country
He said when he that he did not intend into an
elaborate discussion but simply to reply to the remarks OF the
gentleman from Ohio MIR VINToS) point; and on
that point suppose such purpose the gentleman indicated
had existed in Congress that time suppose there
disposition expend more money than the available balance
in the Treasury did the gentleman believe that alter they had
commenced the SYSTEM there wond have been power
resist it Mo- they would have contracted debt, but they
would have avoided the liquidation OF that debt What had
been the experience of the country since During the last
session of Congress- in time of war, when the Government
compelled 10 heavy loans to sustain the war al
time which predicted in all quarters that could
not raise the money except great sacrifice, with the tariff
of 1916 in existencc-unde such circumstances, by large
majority, appropriations made for internal improvements
to the Of million and half OF dollars He repeat
ed this during time OF to sustain the national ho
when all its necessary and IT at such
time bills of this could be passed. he would ask what
when the pressure passed. would be the end Of
the extravaganza that would follow Figures would
y tell the amount, The ability of this nation would be
stretched to its utmost tension, and it would be scarcely su
fcent
Mr.. STEWART of Pennsylvania, said it was not likely
that the House would dispose Of this subject to-day. He
therefore moved that the House adjourn
The motion not agreed TO. .s
Mr.. STEWART suggested to the gentleman from Illinois
to withdraw his proposition to refer to the Committee Com
merce, and substitute motion for special committee. He
thought the subject of sufficient importance 10 justify
the creation of special committee and to cnie il 10 such
reference. He should like referred a commit.
of from each of this Union He had listened
with attention this message and iswa nothing
less than denial by the Executive Of the right OF this Gov
ernment internal improvements not only the lakes,
but the seaboard 1t denied the power Of this Govern
ment that subject in all its parts This was new view
of this subject had been reserved the present President
to make the grand discovery that every President who ha:
preceded him has violated the constitution Why the pre-
Executive himself violated the constitution if Ia,
views expressed in this message well founded for he ha
himself sanctioned appropriations which he denonnces
unconstitutional This attempt on the part Of the
President TO break down and destroy of the import
and valuable powers conferred y the constitution on Con
gressthe power of improvement the power 70 improve the
internal condition Of county. This most vaua
BE and beneficial power be stricken down by the
Executive this great and sautay power was 10 be de-
soyed And what then would be the condition Of the great
interior of the country He asked gentlemen who represent
the interior of the country and the great West the country
!
the public money, which taken from all alike TO be made
to the districts from which comes this power 10 he de-
soyed The great West might pour It's money like its
the Atlantic, but destroy this power and they would
destroy the which alone could it back again and
duse IT, like the fertlzng showers the whole country
Our navy with its shpyard the seaboard our fort.
and forcaons and lighthouses all on the seahoard and
all other of expenditure 10y this Government were
in Mexico and other foreign lands and according ia
this message the interior Of the country severed
from the benefits Of all national disbursements now and for
He wished gentlemen from the West to tell him how
part Of the money collected by this Government can be
expended the interior the power internal Improvement
is not possessed by this Government.
Had this power heen exercised from the foundation
the Government TO the present hour and where the debt
the danger Gentlemen might well tell him that there
was danger in making appropriations build foifcaion.
because this power might be abused. The same objection
might he made appropriations for the and the navy
for 'hy might be abused and debts might contracted
There power possessed by this Government that might
not be abused by bad the remedy for this is in the hand
4 the people. Debt the objection raised by the President
to create alarm and deter from making internal improve
meas bu there difficulty about contracting debts fo
obe' objects Was the President now involving the coun.
Try IA dt Ivy the prosecution oi his upon Mexico And
bow much valuable and important would he the shurse-
tnt OF the millions and tens Of million which this war will
require N the improvement Of internal condition FoI
ms own part he would rather this money thus expended
tah '2ruiel 10 the prosecution Of which the Presi-
DEM had hmsof ide without consulting Congress- the war
making power The President only assumes al powers
o. peace and but the message just read he oogaes
the nsht 10 pcchc y hns' thus for shalt thou
al1 no further But where the danger of debts con-
daton and dlsnHog referred to often in this messoge