Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-06-18
Rivers and Harbors.


10 heresier and very soon, become prominent topic
discussion and that il 10 he msdcs leading in the
Presidential and Congressional elections. The and
increasing commerce. which finds the Western waters
highway market, the vnlue OF which already exceeds
that between The United States and all foreign nations has
given th. subject daily increasing interest and impor
while the increasing potcs power of the State.
eostey interested in it, and the alliance with those
Of Others connected with them by OF intimate COM
mercisl intercourse. will speedily give the advocates Of
the irresistible influence In the public councils. To
this numerical strength its opponents will IN oppose
the obsolee metaphysical logic Of dcGunct school of po
hncsns (which, by the way while 1t existed always vio-
lated their ,heores) The Western and Northern
people, without regard TO existing party distinctions will
laugh such fmsy objections have been urged
or the fret time, we beove TO the removal OF obsroc
the navigation OF great finland seas" and to
the improvement Of harbOs convenient points upon their
bank. and the shores OF the Lakes by Mr. Tyler and
Mr. Polk. We cay for the first time-for we do not re-
member single instance in which bills making appio
paons for this purpose have failed the
OF the Executive, until Mr.. Tyler commenced the work
Of innovation upon the established usage of the Govern
which has been since repeated by his usriouS sue
The whole history of internal by the
General Government indeed furnishes striking evidence Of
remarkable insnceriy and dupety part OF the sever
AlLocofoco Administrations which, with all their
OF hostility the system, backed occasionally by veto of
isolated work. like the Maysvie road have uniform
ly expended more money upon such schemes than
their opponents OF whose federalism" nevertheless the
imputed advocacy Of this policy often cited demon
suave evidence Reports heretofore laid before Con.
Rress, by the Executive Department. places this assertion
beyond the reach OF contradiction. Daring the ledera
Administration OF John u Adams, for example, the entire
appropriated for internal improvements SI9
l65, making an average annually Of Si62 292-whle
during the ani-internal improvement Administrations OF
Gen. Jackson and Mr. Van Buren,, the former of whom
ascbed the merit OF having efeciusy destroyed the
.ysem by his celebrated Maysvle veto-whch in our
Judgment dictated less by repugnance to the principle
involved ia the BILL than by hostility the friends of that
particular improYemen-no less than STA $50 4O5
was appropriated, with their approval works Of internal
improveme nt-making annual average the twelve
years in which they welded tine power OF 81
or than twice much annually expended for
this object by John Q Adams! And yet Mr. A. and his
friends sproaehed with Jeders!ism for their avowed
support OF policy, which Jackson and Van Buren, who
expended twice much he in UNFOLDING, claimed the
merit OF having Destroyed and Oyerhrown..
The approaching Convention at Chicago is beginning
10 attract unusual interest. Tnis Convention will be al
tended by able delegates from OF the Union remote
y distant from each other and what perhaps more s;g-
nheant not less widely separated by political posion-
From Boston, for example, there will be Abbott Lawrence,
prominent Wing, side by side with Senator Cass from
Michigan and Gov. Wright OF New York, who differing
upon all questions OF public policy, lind IN this bond
oi And, ii Senator Benton be there aso il wi 4
be, HE speech Jefferson City proves be-
he does entirely approve Of the object
bage intended promoe-or ia that speech he only
Tells that she has long been advocate the improve
ment Of western veIs and hSrbos"and that the
suspensipn" by Mr. Folks veto. OF what he truly SAYS
has been the estab shed policy Of all branches the gov
ernmen" TO be construed by any means into con-
demusion OF the policy, bat q combination in the same
bill he pleased call local objects with nation
al measues-a distinction which has ever vet been
able define with any approach certainty and which,
leaving every Thing the discretion, aher the ca
price G the President IT, in opinion, infinitely more mis-
chevous and dangerous than the recognition Of the power
itself is broadcast aspect The President for example
to-day appropriation for the improvement OF
James River because 1t local 10 It's character and to-
morrow, he approves Of appropriation for the OF
obSnucons navigation in the Hudson and ia the COM
besnd because Of they national But
it would puzzle the modern dscoverer OF nlsnd
seas the author OF the ingenious principle Of consru-
tonal Interpretation which that discovery has suggested
detect any essential difference them in substanc or
principle and tell us l0ky the local the others
national!
What, indeed is the spectacle presented us by
party which tells has an niallbls rule OF son>
tutona that u.s. always to adhere rgdly
its letter Polk, Of the recognized leaders, veoes
measure, the consutuuonaly OF which Benton another
OF them, vindieates Calhoun lays down rule Of eonst
iutons interpretation which Benton ndicules-whie the
Richmond Enquirer declares that naiher Of these two
great champions Of democracy" one Of them OF the
head Of the Southern wing and tho other If the Northern
up 10 what It 'bas been accustomed to regard o.
the standard Of the Virginia school OF construction
Here is Benton against PolkCa!houn against Benton
and the Enquirer against both the South Carolina sophst
hnd the Missouri Stentor Then again, We see other
leading Democrats" going TO Chicago, for the ayOwed
purpose, by union Of counsel and action Of nouralizns
abe action Of "Domocauc" President, by ensunng here
after the Of applications Tor appropriations on the
part Of the General Government the Improvement Of
our finland sess," whether they wash the borders three
States Of only WHILE the other hand the Wash
ingon Union, the organ Of the whole "Dcmoefacy alarm
ed these signs Of detection from the true faith not only
pronounoos the proposed Convention Kp-dieni
and peculiarly l-umed but adyerts, in advance, hc
grave constitutional objections such a scheme Of inter
nal improvements the Convention IL expected 60 pro-
pose" Where, in this "conusion Of tongues" the like
whereof has been witnessed since the dispersion Of
the builders Of tho Of Babel whore is plain Re-
Pvbean 10 look for guide whom he may safely follow
Whist has become Of the old Of g. that the leaders Of
the Democracy thus In open end apparent conf upon
question supposed have been definitely settled
We mus leave Others 90 ihs question. In ih,
meantime We may say 70 tho large party n Virginia
herng nearly her whole poruiauon, which opposed 10
oil appropriations for internal improvement by tho General
Government except such necessary regulate com
merce with foreign nations and among The ssrsGi States
that 5 Gar faer 10 trust those who 20 avowcdy Tor th,
lstof branch Of h0 syscm but WHO hoyo heretofore e1-
pended only SAO000O per annum n be- prosecution Than
70 oonhde m htr opponents, WIN boast that they have
overlhtown the whole policy, and branch but VIII,
ne''rhecf' eSpcnd million Of dollars per n car
TyinR on tbs dead and buried system 3,
The Crops.
We are grau6ed 20 learn, from OIL qusrten. tia, h.
prospect n iu crop of whoat end OF fao quality In If,
unm nl " -rrlnIa. rnniIuurL In be mn 81 nann,-nr