The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-11

,sson to the Improvement of rivers and harbors."
The report comprehends,-
]. constitutional argument in support Of sppro-
psistions TO rivers aud harbors
Statis tics of the Of the lakes and west
srn rivers, and the general internal commerce Of the
country.
4 review Of the obstruc<ions to navigation along
the sesboard along the lakes, and along the rivers,
particularly of the snsgs and sand bars of the great
rivers Of the West.
s. An argument in support of general system of
improvements including review Of the vetoes Of Pre-
sident Polk
g. A review of the appropriations under preceding
adminstra tons embracing those Of Monroe, Adams,
Jackson Van Buren, and Tyler in behalf of rivers and
harbors.
T. An exposition Of the necessity and advantages of
a general system, including deliberate overhauling
of the Presidents veto messages
The report concludes with series of resolu-
tons, the FIRST OF which has been adopted In the
House by majority exceeding two-thirds, to
witt
Resolved-That the constitution of the United
States vests in Congress the power to appropriate
money to open and improve harbors and remove OBJ
s.ructions from navgable rivers in all where
such impoveme to the protection aud
merce among the States.
The second resolution declares that the power
should be Judlciously exercised the third that the
vetoes of President Polk are not sustained the
fourth against declaring the assent of Congress to
the imposition of tonnage duties by the States !;
the fifth recommends the printing of the various
provements
The rel ort is able paper, indicative of stu
dIous and careful consideration of the subjects IN
volved IN It, In statistics, in presidents Of appro
priatlons, and IN the advantages derived from
them, the general argument of Mr. Hunt is unan-
swerabe. The question of the extent of the con-
sttuhonal power remains an open question. The
power is admitted to exist The opinion as to the
proprety Of the exercise Of the power has been
gaining ground: and we believe that if either of
the bills vetoed by President Polk were now tried
IN Congress, that they would pass both houses by
the required two-thirds. Furthermore, we hold
that while Gen. Cass adopts the Baltimore
platform, he does not declare he would veto
the bills vetoed by President Polk. One of
the harbor and river appropriations was the re-
QUESTIONS Of the war. The war has ceased-that
argument is removed. Besides, General Cass sus-
tanned these bills in his speeches and in his votes
pending the war. Upon this ground, therefore,
General Taylor and Gene raj Cass stand upon near
ly equal ground, with this difference wing
Congress m aht extend the log-rolllng system to a
wider latitude than General Cass could approve.
At this late stage of the session, we doubt whe-
Their the harbor and river bill will be tried The
more important and pressing question OF the pro-
vlso, and the action required upon the treaty with
Mexico, and IN max ing governments for the new
territories, will OF then selves absorb the time of
Congress as long as they can have the conscience
to remain IN session.
On the great constitutional question: our own
opinion is that Congress has "power to regulate
commences" that regulation of rivers and harbors
that contribute directly anything to the national
treasury, embraced within this grant of power;
and that commercial rivers and lakes lying be-
tween two or more States, or bordering on one or
more States, all within the supervision of the
Federal government. We believe that the power
OF improving such rivers and harbors exists, and
might be exercised but we hold, also, that the
veto is judlcous reservation against any extrava-
giant exercise of the power, or it might be extend
ed to an absorI ton of the entire revenues of the
government, the creation of large national debt.
and the imposition of direct taxes upon the people,
for removal of distinctions In such rivers as the
O-weeachc, the Musklngum, the Shenandoah,
and the Peedee.
The report is full of interesting matter, and we
commend it to the public. THE DoCToR.