Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-04-08

Mr.. Monroe 706,62I
:. Mr.. ]. @. Adams 2,3l0,475
g Gen. Jackson lO,5S2,SS2
Mr.. Van Buren, 2,222,544
q Mr.. Tyler l,076,500
As this period extends through about forty years,
il will make the average expenditure on these &C
counts rather less than s43O000 the year.
The range of these expenditures-sha is, the
kind of improvement authorized-can be ascertain
ed by referring to the document, as all are named
IN it.
The cession of Louisiana was not obtained until
1903, nor was the use of steam introduced into our
waters until after that time. The war of 1912 gave
10 US knowledge which we did not before possess
of the value and importance of the Lakes. Florida
was ceded in 1919. 1t was of necessity, therefore,
after these events, that the General Government had
the information required, and felt the necessity of
improving its Western rivers and Lake harbors, as
well as the harbors its extended line of sea
coast 1t would have been worse than useless to
attempt it before, and singularly unmndful of the
great and increasing interests of the country to have
neglected it after. We accordingly ind after the
events stated and as the Lake and Western river
country became known and inhabited, that the sys-
TEN of harbor and river improvements expanded il
SELF In word, as the country expanded, as its
western regions became inhabited as its great rivers
and lakes and its Atlantic harbors became better
known, as its internal and external commerce in
creased, means Of rendering navigation easy and
safe'-a principle adopted by the first law on these
subjects of the FIRST Congress of the United States
had TO be commensuraiely extended.
Ico,,, 40 ,,,;l oxar,;ro carafulIxy
on these subjects he will find it to have followed
the development of our wants and resources, and to
have kept behind them rather than 10 have been
equal TO their necessities. The vast and rapid
growth of the country has not received the aid il
required but the aid that has been granted by a
stinted hand has been more the result of what tina,
growth made necessary than of fostering aid to thai
growth And it is now TO be seen whether the
wants Of about ten millions Of people, and OF an an
nual trade of about three hundred millions Of dol
lars, can be neglected with mpunity by any party
or any Executive.
The Senate document TO which we have referred
gives synopsis of the legislation by Congress on
these subjects from 1906 TO s45. Curiosity and some
leisure have induced to look into the legislation
OF previous period. The result of which we shall
endeavor TO lay briefly before our readers.
The first session Of the first Congress was held
in 1859. We had then no interior commerce OF
any account, nor much foreign commerce, all our
commercial facilities being confined TO a few imper.
fectly known harlors of the Atlantic. These re-
quired lighthouses buoys, piers, &C.; objects which
under the confederation and before the present con-
stitutional government was adopted, were in many
cases under the care of the several States respec
lively. But the constitution, under the grant o
power to regulate commerce, made these objects o
the care OF the National Government According
w, we find all expenses in reference TO them as
sumed by the National Government in this yer,
first Congress under The Constitution. The law
dated August 7, 1880. tits in the following words
THAT all expenses which shall accrue from an
after the 9Th August, $780, in the necessary sup
port, maintenance, and repairs of all lighthouses
beacons, buoys. and public piers, placed OF SUM
before the passage OF this act at the entrance
or within any bay, inlet, haroor, or port OF III
United States, for rendering the navigation thereo
easy and safe, shall be betrayed out Of the Urea
sury of The United States" II will not, we pre-
sumo, be doubted that the members OF this Con
gress, consisting chiefly Of those who formed In,
constitution, understood the full intent and meanin
OF ii; and we have from this Congress, the firs
after the adoption Of the constitution, declarator
act adopting as objects of the care and expense 3
the General Government all the artificial faritie
10 our commerce then known to us, and then i
use with us, in any inlet, bay, harbor on til
broad principle Of their having been erected 70
purposes Of rendering the navigation thereof cas-
and safe" We have therefore, from the very fra
mers Of the constitution, the principle laid dow
for Government action in such cases, namely, ths
these works shall be for the purposes Of renderin
navigation easy and safe. The kinds Of work
enumerated were the kinds known to that time, an
were the only kinds that our infant commerce the
requised. But the principle under which thos
kinds OF works was classed was adapted 10 con
merce as 1t should expand itself, and is anoth,
proof Of the prophetic vision offbe ssgacious me
Of that day.
This Congress, however, required the cession
the JpyIsdiction Of the sites Of The improvement
named; but this wsplound by experience 10 be
ina9plisG = "a rsomgsc condition. We a
g.! ! :', ;;;;i;aI j: sss;ssi'
shall not seded3o the United States, al
the same VI sussequen, sessions, until,
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