Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-02-08

act. It was inexpedien,; because it was
designed to take immediate effect, which
would have caused several of the States
toincur the expense and trouble of hold
ing extra sessions of their legislatures to
give the mandate effect. II was wrong;
because its motive and its object was to
constitute a mi cradle, paltry, party tri.
cmph, And for that and other reasons,
Ii was expunged from the statutebook;
and thus the. way was opened to the great
and brilliant political reformations which
have followed under Mr.. Folks admins.
trationo
The first Of these, Mr.. Chairman, to
which shall give my attention, is that
which recent and present circumstances
seem to demand should be first noticed
| refer to the bold and patriotic stand ia
ken by the President upon the subject of
internal improvements by this government
under existing circumstances. | shall
speak first to this subject, because Justice
to truth and the President demand that
the attacks made upon both should be
Immediately repealed. Well, sir, what
then has been the course of the President
upon this perplexing question? Upon
succeeding to the presidency, like President
jackson, he found himself much embar-
raised by its inherent difficulties; which
difficulties have been greatly aggravated
by the conflicting Legislation Of Congress
upon the subject 1t is fact, that for
more than thirty years after the organi.
zatioE Of the present government, no act
was passed by Congress appropriating
public money forriver & harbor improve.
ments. 1t appears that our predecessors
accorded this power to belong to the
States peculiarly. Warned by the ex.
perience of other nations, they held that
an absolute money power was absolute
despotism: and, therefore, such Of them as
assisted in framing the federal constitu
ton, through jealous fear, were unwill!
ing to unite such power with hat Of the
sword, which was given TO this govern.
ment. Such a conjunction-the purse
and the sword--;hey thought would prove
as disastrous to liberty here as It had else
where. Hence in 1917 and 1918. Con
gress, in pursuance Of this example of
abstinence from the exercises of doubtful
powers, passed the following declara,ory
resolutions in the negative = and that. too,
after protracted and elaborate debate,
ia which such statesmen as Barbour, of
Virginia, Bloun:, of Tennessee, Cobb, of
Georgia, Desha, Of Kentucky, Holmes, Of
Mass. andRinggold. of Maryla I'd, took an
actiyo n nd oous0ir;ous mort -, 1ha. raCo
tive. The resolutions are as follows:
1st. ReSolUed, That Congress has pow.
er, under the constitution. 10 construct
post. roads and military roads: Provided,
That private properly be not taken for
public use without just compensation.
Yeas So, nays "a.
I'd Resolved, That Congress-has power,
under the constitution. to construct roads
and canals necessary for commerce be.
tween the States: Provided That private
property be not taken for public purposes
without just compensation.
Yeas II, nays 90.
Sd. Resolved, That Congress has pow
er, under the constitution, to construct
canals for military purposes: Provided
That no private property be taken for any
such purpose without just compensation
thereof. r .... ... ... ..
Yeas 81, nays SO. ......-... ..
Such, sir, was the course Of Congress
upon this subject down to 1917 and 1918
and such the ground upon which it was
rested. Yes, sir, according to the history
of organized power everywhere, we fine
that in 1929, when General jackson had
succeeded to the presidency, that this
early and long continued practice anc
construction of the constitution had been
overthrown. and most loose and latitu
dnous one adopted in its stead, WiIc
and extravagant schemes of internal i'm
provement had become the order of the
day. During the Immediately previou;
administration Of Mr.. Adams, it had founo
the greatest favor and had been pushed tc
excess; so much so, that in less than ter
years after its introduction more thar
5000, 0OO,O 900 had been asked for variou.
objects of internal Improvement. Presi
dent Jackson saw that the alarming evi
demanded asspeedy remedy, and he Their
boldly and nobly stepped forth to save hi:
country from a career Of corruption, hank
ruptcy, and ruin as he had before saved
her from the arms Of a foreign Zoe upor
the ever.memorahle. plains of New Or
leans. He vetoed Or refused TO sign the
following acts: saais Sc gseg.er. .-t
"AB act making appropriations fo
building lighthouses. light boats, beacon:
and monuments. placing buoys, improving
harbors, and directing surveys" An &C
authorizing substitution for sfock in The
Louisville and Portland Canal Company.
IAN actor the improvement of certain
harbors, and the navigation of certain
rivers" And finally. san act to improve
the navi CATION of the Wabash Ffver.,'ss
oaIn his ,objections to-, the Iast.mentione,