Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-02-02

or conferred upon the Legislative depart
ment: and am sure therels nothing to be
Justly called latitudinarian or dangerous
in the opinion, as applied TO THIS or any
kindred subject
Sir. have no wish. strongly as | favor
this system of internal improvements. II
see appropriations made for any but "aat
| deemed 10 be works Of really national
importance and interest. Neither 10
desire to see the interests OF the East and
the West or the South separated, or treat
ed as if antaconistic to each other. On
the contrary, depreciate any such feel
inos.
+ What have said Of rivers and harbors.
applies equally to roads and canais-h
only they be shown 10 be works proper for
national consideration and undertaking.
/ | am not one of those modern construc-
tionists who believe that the constitution Is
not ambitions. II has life and energy to
promote the prosperity of the country on
land as we'll as on water-On the great
table lands of the interior, as well as
along the seacoast. the shores OF lakes, or
the channals Of rivers.
Iwould cantract no debt for these works
NV colleague Mr.. Nnton) has. with his
usual ability. triimphantiy answered that
portion of the message IN which the Pfes-
ident charges that if the system OF I'M
provcments had been pursued. as conduc-
ted under former Administrations. the
country would now have been involved III
a debt of two hundred millions. 1t was
most clearly proved that there has never
been a party favoring internal improve
mcnts who were willing to borrow money
for conducting them. Nor is the position
shaken BY the reply Of the gentleman from
Virginia, Mr.. Bayiy.) He instances the
course of the several States. and says that
They borrowed money, expended 1t IN I'M
provements, and became overwhelmed IN
debt. and in some cases were brought to
reputation. Let me. in passing, here re-
mark. as do most proudly that that charge
can never attach to my own State. Al
though Ohio has been among the foremost
in great works of internal improvement.
and has contracted debt for that purpose.
she has paid The interest always on her
bonds with entire punctualtv and unfair
nshed honor. and provides also sinking
fund to DISCHARGE as Il shall become due,
the principals; and her people are ready TO
submit to any burden Of taxation which
may be necessary keep up her fair fame.
But the gentleman from Virginia says that
because the States so involved themselves.
the General Government must have done
the same: and by that proposition he would
sustain the Presidents assertion. Tina,
is, If the United States had borrowed mo-
ney and gone in debt, why Acn they ould
f have been in debt!
But the gentleman from South Caroline
Mr.. RhctO is alarmed at the suggestion
that a committee ofthis IIouse-or Il home
department. if one should be established
mig ht engage in the collection of statls-
tics with view to these internal improve
ncn,s. And wha, if that should be done!
1t is but collecting information upon which
to icgislatc understandingly. There is no
cause 70 fear that inqui>ition which he APP
,,rehcnls There needs ~ domicilary Wis
its 10 learn the resources of a country. its
productions. its wants, the elements of Its
trade and prosperity lfthe power to reg
ulatc commerce among the States Is IN
Congressional it cannot be denied, for
there it stands recorded and granted in
terms in III ,n,ttuton-thcn all the pow
er 10 collect the necessary information for
acting wisely in the exercise Of such pow
cr follows as a necessary incident. Il is
so in Other things. vt this very time. and
for two or three years past. the President
has under appointment, and in the employ
of Government, at least two parties-one
under the direction. | remember. of DIR.
Dale DISCRIMINATING typographical sur
vey of the lands in the far Wcst-in that
new proposed territory Of Minnesota. and
the great Wilderness south Of Lake Super
Tor. Why are they there. and How enga-
ged! They are ascertaintng the heights
Of mountains. the qualities of soil. seek
ing for beds of ore. and studying the geo
logical formation. as well as the external
features of that wild aad distant part of
the public domain. We have had throug
the Executive. and are still to have. reports
of their proceedings make no ohlec-
ton to it. But whence came such power
in the Executive. or in any department OF
this Government. as wonld authorize expe-
ditions of this kind. 1t is an implied
power. detieed clearly from that which is
expressed. We have power to legislate,
and the President has power to act. in ref
erence 10 the proper management and
disposition of the public lands. In order
to legislate wisely and judiciously. and to
manage these lands properly. 1t is required
TO have information III regard to them
their situation, character and quality. The
procuring BY such means this information
is incident to action on the main subject.
But these are statistics OF which the
gentleman from South Carolina has such
dread. Why, sir. il would seem as If that
gentlemen could see in each one of these
innocent surveyors and scientific gentle
men, as he trudges through the swamps
out there, OR climbs the hill sides, with his
barometer swung at his back: an armed
enemy of our country: and when one of
them. in his geological researches, goes
pecking with his little hammer among the
rocks and stones to see whether he finds
gneiss. or sandstone. or lime. he frighiens
a strict constructionist as if he were bat
terins away at the foundations af our con-
sti,utional liberty!