Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-08-26

Il
national highways. The removal of the obstruc
tons to the navigation of the great waters of th
J West is work in which the whole Union is in
teresed; and, as for the West ITSELF iii is hardly
!, saying too much,) it asks almost nothing elst
of Congress.
u The opponents of the power which we now
claim for Congress deny it, without meeting the ar
gument. Under the power to regulate commerce
with foreign nations, they will allow Congress to
do any thing and every thing under the power to
regulate commerce among the several States, they
will allow Congress to do nothing. Under the one
bars may be removed, islands created, dams built
&c.; under the other, you shall not puts spade into
the ground, or take snag out of river Under
the one, you MAY remove distractions from an At
lanc harbor or river, but take care how you NEEDLE
with the snags in the Mississippi or the RATS on
Red River II the power to regulate commerce
among the several States does not include the power
to improve water-courses, and to make artificial
links to connect the principal Of them what is there
that il does authorize? Does it mean nothing ?
Congress are precluded the power Of taxing COM
merce among the several States; and the word
regulate = must, in this case, mean facilitate, or it
means absolutely nothing. We cannot admit that
any part Of the donative clauses of the constitution
are without meaning. We should as soon think
that the power /" to declare war means the power
to do nothing, that the power to regulate COM
merce among the several States /" means nothing
! at all.
| We have said that this doctrine of the General
Government having none but exterior objects, was
not the doctrine of the trainers of the constitutions
nor of its first expositors. Look at their acts.
Some of the leading members Of the National Con-
yention, who had been also members of their own
State Conventions, were members of the first Con.
gress. Look at their speeches. Internal improve
ment was not then debated about The Fathers of
the land were too busily and anxously engaged in
organizing the different departments of public
affairs The Government of the United States did
not spring into existence full formed 1t rather
gradually emerged, as earth did from chaos,
when the waters of the deluge subsidized, until at
last the whole surface of the land became dry, and
beautiful, and productive. The power of internal
improvement was not Visible until after time !;
when, all dangers passed and all difficulties over
come, there came, with increasing population, the
duty of cultivation and improvement. But, though
roads and canals not spoken OF, and railroads
and steam navigation were not dreamed of, in the
first or the second Congress under the Constitution,
analogous topics were alluded to in such manner
as to show what opinions were entertained of the
powers and objects of the General Government
Ii was as early as on the twentieth day of the
first session Of the first Congress, that Mr.. MADI-
SON. speaking in the House of Representatives upon
memorial by Mr.. John Churchman, asking OF
Congress to afford him aid in proposed voyage to
Baflns Bay for the purpose Of ascertaining the
longitude expressed himself as follows !" Ii there
is any considerable probability that the projected
voyage would be successful, or throw ally ralta-
Die light on the discovery Of longitude, il GER
tainiy COMFORTS Nth the honor and dignity Of
The Government 10 giUe IL their cotoltenance and
support" This shows what Mr.. MADISON thought
the duty Of the Government, even at that early
day. He thought it was the duty of, the Govern
ment to encourage science. How awfully affective
must such an idea be 10 that class of politicians Of
the present day which is opposed TO internal i'm
provement may be imagined from the rout which
they raised when the amented ADAMS proposed TO
Congress the erection of an Astronomical OBJ
servaiory
In his opening speech upon the first revenue
bill, few days earlier in the session, Mr..
MADISON Others speaking to the same effect
recognised the right of Congress denying the
expediency) to make sumptuay prohibitions.
The protection OF public morals and of public
health was frequently urged, in debate upon the
same BILL the Revenue Bill as an argument for
higher duties upon the importation of distilled
spirits, &C. So that protection of public morals
and public health was an object not deemed I'M
worthy of the attention of Congress in those pr.
mitiye days. We love to ascend to these sources
to the wisdom and patriotism of the statesmen Of
those days-and draw instruction from them, as
from a well pure and unde6led;" and the nearer
the politicians of the present day approach TO them
the better we like them. 1t is for that reason we
have always approved Of the political course of
Mr.. CLAY. The themes and tone of his eloquence
have ever been of this lofty and inspiring nature
Ii is for that we Joyfully hail the coming of
Gen. TAYLOR to the Presidency in preference to
his competitor, Gen. CAss for we know that he is
right upon this and every other cardinal Wing
principle.