The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-07-14

PARLIAMENTARY that he merely intended to represent
that particular branch Of the democrssc party IN rev
far themselvss alone without regard to the views OF the
people During his speech, number OF questions were
uSk.i him by Delegates which he answered. portrayinB
hr.e yiw wh tners less clear and less srgumenative
lie closed appeal to the observance OF the vested
rights of the several States and the necessity OF strict
construction of their powers by the growing west, ~
order to and perpetuate the advancement anu
glory Of this happy Union wnicn secret cir
cular he wished might extend from Arctic 10 Antaruc
This speech concluding the convention ADJOURNED
| AFrERSoS SESSION.
| Previous to the assembling Of the convention the
Cleveland Light Artillery performed number OF militia
~ evoutions square, highly creditable to their
skill and activity and evidencng in practical sense
the power that conquered our enemies In Mexico 49,
The meeting being called to order, and the committee
Resolutions not being prepared to report Mr. Marsh
illinois, presented resolution, to the effect that the
convention were panied to hear the expression Of III
feeling evidenced during the remarks OF David d. Fied
ESQ., OF New York and that In future such expressions
John Wentworth, democrat, moved to amend, by add
ing exclusion of all argument connected or apperain
b. D. Field, democrat objected to the amendment,
which was lost, and the original resolution was then
Mr. Treat of the St. Louis Union democratic, then
presented resolution, combining all argument and
utions strictly to the Improvement Of rivers and har
The Hon A. Lincoln, Of illinois, whig was loud
y called for and proceeded to address the convention
expressive Of his views to the powers and duties of
Congress the subject Of harbor and river improve
desirable and could not be constructed
by individuals or States that Congress was the only
such Improvement for the general good, although
local points received the immediate advantage.
the chairman Of the Committee on
the following which, he remarked, had received the
unanimous voice Of the committee
The convention submit to their felow-ctzens and to
the federal government the following propositions, as
expressing their sentiments, and those Of their
constituents.
hiatt tutio 0f tbQ nit
framed by practical for practical purposes de-
clared in the preamble To provide for the common
the blessings of berty;' and mainly designed to
create a government whose functions should be
adequate to the protection Of the common interests
of ali the States Of them, which could
not be by the action Of the separated States
That, in strict accordance with this object the
nuss derived from commerce surrendered to the
general government, with the express understanding
that they should be applied to the promotion Of those
Q That among these common interests and objects
were st Foreign commerce, to the regulation OF which
the powers Of the States severay confessedy in
adequate and 3D. internal trade and navigation where
the of two or more States was neces
should be equitaby borne by two or more
States and where OF those states must neces
sariy have voice in its regulation and hence resulted
the constitutional grant Of power to Congress-
gulate commerce with foreign nations and among the
States"
That being thus possessed both of the and of
the power which denied to the States respectively
Congress became obligated by every consideration Of
good faith and justice to cherish and ;creas
both the kinds of thus committed to its care
by expanding and extending the Of conducting
them and Of afording them all those facilities and all
that protection which the States individually would
afforded had the revenue and authority been left to
them.
That tins obligation has ever been recognised from
the foundation Of the and has been fulfilled
partially, by erecting light houses building piers for
harbors, breakwaters and wallis removing obstruc
lions in rivers and providing other facilities for the COM
carried from the ports on the Atlantic coast
and the same obligations have been fulfilled to much
less extent in providing similar facilities for commerce
among the States;" and that the principle has been
most emphaticaly acknowledged to embrace the west
lakes and rivers by appropriations for numerous
been questioned in Congress wanting In ccnstitu
tonal authority.
o. That thus By 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 common understanding of the In
tent 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 peo
pie and this understanding has become much part
Of that as any one OF its most explicit provi
sions.
g. That the power to regulate commerce with foreign
nations and among the States and with the Indian
tribes Is its face palpaby applicable in its whole
extent to each of the subjects enumerated equally and
in the to render any attempt to m Ike
more explicit idle and futile and that those who admit
the rghtful application Of the to foreign
by facilitating and protecting its operations by mprov
ing harbors and clearing out navigabe rivers cannot
consistently deny that it equally authorses similar FACT
lties to commerce among the States"
T. That foreign commerce. itself is dependent upon
internal trade for the distribution of its reghts and for
the advances the other and they nseparabe
that they should be regarded as That export
from the American shore to British port in Canada Is
much foreign If it had been carried d.
recy to Liverpool and that expectation to Liverpool
neither gains loses Of the of for
egn commerce. by the drectness circuty of the route
whether passes through custom-house the British
side of the st Lawrence descends through that river
and its connecting canals to the ocean, or whether 1t
passes along the artificial communications and natural
streams of any Of the States to the Atlantic.
That the general government by extending its ju-
rSdtCtlOn
them to the same laws which prevail on the ocean, and
but to give security to life and property the regula
ton Of steamboats, has precuded itself from denying
that Jurisdiction for any other legitimate regulation Of
commerce. II 1t has power to control and restrain it
must have the power to protect assist and fac
tate and If it denies the jurisdiction in the mode Of
action, 1t must renounce 1t In the other.
o. That in consequence of the peculiar dangers of the
navigation of the lakes arising from the want har-
bors for shelter and of the western rivers from
and other distractions there parts of the United
States more emphaticaly demanding the prompt and
and sD
Them and that any who regard provisions for
those purposes sectional local and not national must
be wanting in information to the extent Of the
carried upon those lakes and rivers and Of the
amount Of teemng population occupied interested in
10 That having regard to relative population and to
the extent of commerce. the appropriations heretofore
connecting them with the ocean, have been in just
and fair proportion to those made for the benefit Of the
ports harbors and navigabe rivers of the Atlantic
coast and that the time has arrived when this injus
tice should be corrected in the only mode In which 1t
can be done, by the united determined and perseverng
efforts of those whose rights have been overlooked
H. That independent Of this right to protection of
Commerce among the states,n the right of common
by the constitution entities those
citizens inhabng the country bordering upon the in
terror lakes and rivers to such safe and convenient
harbors as may afford shelter to navy whenever 1t
shall be rendered necessary by hostes with neigh
bors and that the construction Of such harbors cannot
safely be delayed to the time which will demand their
immediate use.
II. That the argument most commonly urged against
appropriations to protect commerce among the States
aud to defend the inhabitants Of the frontiers that they
invite sectional combinations to insure many
unworthy objects s founded practical distrust ofhe
republican principles Of our government and of the
capacity of the people to select competent and honest
Representatives That may be urged with equal force
against legislation upon any other subject involving
various and extensive interests That just appreca
ton rights of all our fellow citizens