Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-01-06

trade which might enter into the kennebunk river
for the Improvement Of the same by rendering the
passage in and out of said river less difficult and dan
gerous."
On the LIST of April, 1905, the State of Pennsylva-
MIA passed law levying tonnage duty vessels,
Ito remove the distractions to the navigation OF the
river Delaware, below the city OF Philadelph
On the 23 of January, 1904 the State of Virginia
passed law ltvying tonnage duty on vessels,
"ior improving the navigation OF James river"
On the 22d Of February 1926, the State of Virgin
ia passed law levying tonnage duty ON csses,
-for improving the navigation of James river, from
Warwick to Rockets landing"
On the 9Th CT December, 1894, the State of Virgin
ia passed law levying Tonnage duty on vessels,
''for improving the navigation Of Appomatox river,
from Pocahontas bridge to Broadway"
In November, 1921, the State of North Carolina
passed a law eyyng tonnage duty on vessels, "fOr
the purpose Of opening an inlet the lower end of
Albemarle Sound, near place called Nays Head. and
| improving the navigation OF said sound, with Its
branches" and in November, 1923, amendatory
| law was passed
On the 2Ist of December. 1904 the State of South
Carolina passed law levylng tonnage duty, for the
purpose of "buiding marine hospital in the vicinity
of Charleston :" and the 18th of December, 1876.
another law was passed by the Legislature Of that
State, for the maintenance of marine hospital"
On the 10th of February, 1877, the State of Geor-
| gla passed a law evyng tonnage duty on all YES
sells entering into the port Of Savannah for the pur
other distractions to the navigation.
On the 18th of December, 1904 the State of Geor-
gia passed law levying tonnage duty vessels,
to he applied to the payment Of the fees of tie har-
bor-master and health officer of the ports of Savan-
nah and St. Mary's.
In April. 1888, the State of Maryland passed law
laying tonnage duty on vessels, for the improve
ment of tie ''basn and .'harbor' of Baltimore and
the ''river Patapsco"
On the 26th of December, 1871, the State of Mary
land passed law levying a tonnage duty vessels,
for the improvement of the 'harbor and port of Bal
timore.'
On the 18th of December, 1793 the State of Mary
land passed law authorizing the appointment of a
health officer for the port Of Baltimore and laying
tonnage duty vessels 10 defray the expenses.
Congress have passed many acts giving its ''con-
sent to these and other State laws the first of which
is dated In 1890, and the last in 1913 BY the latter
act the consent of Congress given to the law
of the Legislature of the State of Maryland, laying a
tonnage duty vessels for the Improvement of the
barbor of Baltimore, and continuing it in force until
the lst day of June, 1850. / transmit herewith CO.
pies of such of the of the legislatures Of the
States the subject and also the acts of Congress
giving IFS consent thereto, have been colated.
That the power was constitutionally aud rightful
y exercised IN these does not admit of doubt
The injustice and inequality resulting from conced
ing the power 10 both governments is illustrated by
several of the acts enumerated. Take that for the
provement is paid for exclusively by a tax on the
commerce of that city but if appropriation b
made from the national treasury for the improvement
of the harbor of Boston, it must be paid in part out
the taxes levied on the commerce of Baltimore. Thu
result is that the commerce of Baltimore pays the full
cost of the harhor improvement designed for Its owl
benefit, and, addition contributes to the cost of al
other harbor and river Improvements In the Union
The facts need but be stated prove the inequality
and injustice which cannot but flow from the practic
4 L III
left as 1t during the first third of century, o
the practice of levying tonnage duties by the State
should be abandoned altogether, and all harbor an
river improvements made under the authority of tn
United States and by means of direct appropriations
In view not only OF the constitutional difficulty, bu
as question of policy. am clearly of opinion tina
the whole subject should be left to the States, aided
such tonnage duties vessels navigating their wa
tiers their respective legislatures may think prope
to propose and Congress see fit to sanction. Thi
consent of Congress would never be refused in an
case where the duty proposed to be levied by the Stat
reasonable, and where the object of improvement
was one of importance. The funds required for tn
improvement of harbors and rivers may be raised i
this mode, done in the earlier periods Of tn
government, and thus avoid resort to a strained Cor
structon of the constitution, not warranted by its le
ter. If direct appropriations be made of the none
In the federal treasury for such purposes the exper
, ditures will be unequal and unjust. The money
, the federal treasury is paid by tax on the who
people of the United States; and if applied to tn
purposes Of improving barbors and rivers, it will
partially distributed, and be expended for the advaI
age of particular States, sections, localities at tn
expense of others.
By returning to the early and approved constructo
Of the constitution and to the practice under it, tn
inequality and injustice will be avoided, and at tn
same time all the really important Improvements
made and, experience has proved, be bette
made, and at less cost than they would be by I'll
agency of officers of the United States. The interes
benefited by these improvements, too would bear t
t cost of making them upon the same principle ths
the expenses of the postofce establishment have
ways been defraye by those who derive benefits fro
I it. The power Of appropriating money from I'll
: treasury for such improvements was not claimed
exercised for than thirty years after the organ
cation of the government in 1889, when more lati
udinous construction indicated, though it N
brordy asserted and exercised uptil 1920. Small al
preparations first made ins 1870 and 1921 f
surveys. An act made on the I'd of March, lS2
/, authorizing the President 10 cause "examlnatio
and survey to be made of the distractions between ii
harbor of Gloucester and tie harbor of Squam, in Il
8 State of Massachusetts, and of 'he entrance of Il
: harbor, of the port of Presqusle in Pennsy vana
with view to their removal and small appropriate
was made to pay the necessary expenses. This al
pears to have been the commencement of harbor In
provements by Congress- thirty-four years after Il
q government went into operation under the prese
: constitution. On the Both April, 1924, the act WI
. passed making appropriation of thirty thousar
\ dollars, and directing "surveys and estimates to
. made of the routes of such roads and canals Il
: President "may deem Of national importance in
. commercial military point of view, necessa
. for the transportation of the nails" This act ev
IDENTIFY looked To the adoption of q general system