Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-02-11
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pliment. 1t was well deserved; ii was ;uS,i :,
earned by one of the ablest and clearest arqn.
ments which had ever been communicated 1e
this House. 1t took the broad constitutions
| ground, one on which the victory would be e
ventually won Here the sound sense of til,
people would perceive the truth. 1t swept a
way all the distinctions which so troubled gen
tlemen with salt water and fresh water i'm
provements, such as were national, and sucl
as were local. 1t removed these and all 9th
ers, by denying to Congress entirely. the pow
er 10 make internal Improvements
A grateful people Will honor and posterity
reverence the man who, in the hour of peril
has achieved so much 10 restore what has
been lost, and to bring back the simplicity OF
our republican faith. The friends of State
rights may well prize the ability of the Exec.
utlve IN thus trumpbantly defending republi.
can truth, and feel sacred pleasure in aiding
hlm to restore the breaches made in those bull
warks erected by patriotic hands around The
citadel OF our Liberties The warning given
us VIII not be unheeded; and although the
prague may not be entirely stayed, sound Iea-
son must prevail, and the elements ci triumph
VIII De found IN this unanswcrabie argument
! nave said thus much, because it would be
useless repetition IN me TO recite the positions
or Inc arguments of the message would
only weaken them by the effort, and am not
VAN enough to suppose that | could make
them more striking. | seek only to apply the
conclusions, and, with the armor of pioof fur.
nlshed by the message, assail those who have
taken the he ! against it.
would now turn to the honorable gentle
man from Tennessee, Mr. Stanton] who yes
terday gave his views to this House, differing
from the doctrines of the message The gen.
tIeman told them, as we had been told by 9TH
er gentlemen, that bright and great names had
sustained opinions in conflict with those of
the President. That Madison. Monroe, Jack
son, and others, had approved bills appropria-
ting money for internal improvements have
high authority that "great names will hallow
song;' but not that they would sanctify er-
ror. Ii precedent was worth anything in set
ting the construction of the Constitution, all
the early Presidents are in our favor The
President has so fully illustrated this, in the
historical parts of his message, that it would
be useless to consume time in repeating them
But there is one important event in the early
history of this subject to which will present
ly call the attention of the House. For Gene.
raj Jackson, who had been so strongly refer
red TO by the gentleman from Tennessee,
have as great respect and yeneration as any
one can feel. His fame needs no effort of mine
to heighten or perpetuate it. His memory is
embalmed not only in the hearts Of his friends,
but in the hearts of whole people, who de-
light to do him honor His brow is entwined
with chaplet of never fading laurels, and his
name was written with ray of light in his
country's history and palsied be the tongue
that would darken that name, and withered
the hand that would rob him of his laurels-
Yet feel no more respect for General Jack.
sons errors than for those of other men, They
would do more harm, and were, therefore, the
more TO be feared. 1t was in these latter days
left for Mr. Polk to clear away all the difficult
ties from the question, and take the ground
that our Government has no constitutional
power to make internal improvements If the
door was opened, we opened Pandora's box,
from which numberless evils would fly out
This was the opinion of the fathers and fra
mers of the Constitution. The power TO cut
canals was expressly denied by the Conven-
ton. have before me the first volume OF the
Madison Papers, which gentlemen could read
at pleasure, which showed that, when the en-
press authority to cut canals was sought 10 be
migrated by DIR. Franklin upon The clause TO
establish post roads, it was rejected by the
Convention which made the Constitution. If
anything could exclude an inference, surely
this would. Can any person, honestly inqui-
ring for the true meaning of the instrument,
perceive any difference between cutting a ca
nal on the top of the earth, and thus making
an artificial channel, and cutting one under the
water, thus deepening shoal, or making a
harbor? If the power was clear and indis-
| hi i
the Convention that the amendment was I'M
necessary because the power already existed
| If the power be so clear and undoubtcd, why
have It's advocates sought 10 derive it from so
many clauses in the Constitution A distn-
gushed Senator from South Carolina, now in
the other end of the Capitol, whose powerful
intellect subjects to a most severe analysis ev-
erything which is brought before il for con
sideraton; Of whose mind it may be said that
it possesses the combined characteristics of a
| solar microscope and powerful telescope
bringing distant objects nearer, and develop
ing their most minute properties; even he, in
1919, whilst Secretary of War, made his re-
port on roads and canals, and although not
expressing decided opinion as TO the conStl-
tutional question, left the fair inference that
the right of the Federal Government TO con-
struct roads and canals was an appendage OF
the war-making power The same eminent
| individual, IN a recent report, claims that the
power to regulate commerce has given all ne
'cessary authority. 1t is both amusing and in
structive to see the varons shifts which have
been resorted TO TO find the warrant for TIL:
great national system Of enterprises. We fin;
| Mr. Clay committed to both sides Of this grea
question, and, perhaps, he never ma lie great
eT and more un1nswerable argument on an
occasions than those in which he conclusivel,
demonstrates the unconstutionality OF inter
nal improvements and the United States Bank
If |, wi h others, have not been able to Civ
up the convictions to which his great reason
ing powers assisted lis, or to appreciate tn
force of his effort 10 answer his own argument
the fault is not ours
The friends of this power sought for tn
warrant under the clause establishing pos
roads, which, they say, means to make pos
roads. rail roads, turnpikes, and canals. Driv
en- from this shift, they took refuge under tn
grant to regulate commerce; again, under tn
, right 10 pass all laws necessary to carry tn
, above powers into execution and finally. i
despair, under the general welfare" claus
"a clause under which anything could b
done, and all the powers OF the Government
be concentrated in one single Individual:
We were told in 1880 40, that tn
/ United States Bank was an Obsolete 'oea' 'nd
!. the people had passed judgment upon H. am
that sentence If death was executed; and wb.
noaI,a mi issue, The compromise ha
sa.tIad The tariff. and party lines ought TO b
> ahoi;shed. The Democratic party was divi