New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-19
- "a. both aide. Of the .spfng LIE. as come to

Tor works Of Internal improvement sucn IS Gear
in, On, Rivers, deepening or Protecting Harbors
Sc 81 One sort vote for them because they be
lieve i the duty Of the Government 70 make sleh
improvements and regard this as one Of the very
b.st uses % which Public Money is pat TIE Other
because there 10 strong local interest in favor Of
the particular work or par, Of the works which the
bill IN question provides for, and il they oppose It
the People will forget Party and pat them out
Need we write under this portrait which hsnre -
the mar ard which the horse which party IA
vors internal improvements for the sake OF the
Country. aud which susisins those only which
benefit particus locality
bill making appropriations for certain West
ern Rivers, Lake Hsrbors &c was reported -
Congress during the Session Of 1916 2. Il passed
both Houses by large maiort.es Mr PolS vetoed
IT, There ~ as sill decided majority 10 iis favor
bat not enough 30 pass II over Veto Tor ~hich
two.thir8s vote Is required. Gen. Cass vas among
those Senators who voted for the bill. It's defeat
caused very profound sensation Throughout '"'
North. West A Contention Of the irleDas Oh 'D0
works struck down by TIE Veto and DINERS nae
them was soon called Invitations 70 attend ]"
were widely dissemin atcd. The Convention met
A. Chicago on the 4th Of JAY 1917. Gen. Css'
va. among those invited and. as the leading Sen
stor from the State most deeply Interested DIS ~
tendance was confidently expected II uusO'e ]"
.,,snd anne hearty expression Of sympathy wiz
d.. objects Of the Convention, some commentator
- $50 ohiects 10 the undertakings and hearts
~ ,bs whole People. was very reasonably expect
al Gen. Cas- saw fit 70 stay away, though ale
giog no necessity for 50 doing. He sa" ut 70 an
.wer the letter inviting him as follows
DErnorr, = May %, lsi7.
Dian SIN / am much obliged Tor your hn1 a,nu.
hon In transmitting me Invitation 10 ttttLu ~,
Convention on Internal improvement "hen VIZ
-, - Chicago in July Circumstances, however,
vii out il out Of my power to be present al tna Tune
am, dear cir respectfully your c,ss
This is a short letter. 1t does not say much
bat 1t means considerable. 1t says 70 the South
ern enemies Of all such Improvements, You see
where / stand have no sympathy with tins
business Of Improving Rivers and Harbos !
only 60 along with it so far ss must to keep on
nv legs / had to vote for that bill, for ny
constituents were deeply interested IN IT but
you see will not endorse the general principle
i will not even attend Convention held IN my
own neighborbood 20 sifirm it and ! decline
more than a month beforehand, 50 as TO show that
1t Is no matter Of private duty or urgent necessity
that keeps me away Such was the real
bearing Of that little letter. 1t was bid for
Anti.Im,rovement support III the then prospec-
tive Presidential contest, and It succeeded. The
decided enemies OF such works supported Gen.
Csss T. man-at least, we know Of no excep-
ton. And yet, Gen. Csss is not President
How any shrewd man could ask what evidence
that letter affords of hostility 10 the objects Of the
Convention puzzles US. We assure the General
that if he had been at Chicago a. We were, and
heard the involuntary, unanimous shout OF indig-
nant derision that went up from the vast assem-.
biage when that letter was read, he could never
more have doubted its being Just as well under
.tood in Chicago as in South Carolina. There is a
snaky feel about it which every friend Of Internal
improvement perceives instantly on reading or
hearing il. Open, unmessured enmity would not
have excited indignation half So deep or general
as did that letter.
That no advantage has yet accrued from that
Chica Conv eniion to Gen. Cass is quite certain.
w are yet 70 see what good will accrue from It
to the Country. Thus far, the Veto Power has
stood in the way Of all effective action on the sub
sct. That obstacle is now removed.
All the party character which could have been
given to the doings OF that Convention was after
this fashion The iticnds Of Internal Improve
mcnt Nationally attended that Convention. They
went there to meet certain class already de-
ecribed who are for Improvements whenever com
PEELED TO be 10y local interest, and not otherwise.
We went there u say, Gentemcn, lay down
your principles Let US see where YOU stand
or whether You arc all a1oat Our ground aiiirms
the rghtiulness OF Improvements wherever the
General Good plainly requires them-whst is
your position Where are your limitations
We were all at home there, aud every earnest,
consistent advocate Of River and HGrbor Improve
neuts was with us Those who were Tor such
works only on compulsion were made 10 show
| their hands Some went there and did 1t, and
others did il while stay Jag away. Gen Csss Is IA
the latter category.
| We regret to see late candidate for the Presi-
deucy still declare himself in favor Of improving
" same Of the great lIarbors, Rivers &c. "parfic.
ular appropriations especial legislation, SC.
&c. The genius Of Equality, the spirit of the Age
reyolts al this. General policy snl general laws
are now almost everywhere recognized as prefer
able. First settle your principles then perfect
your details, and have as liue special legislation
as possible There Is never a bit Of danger tina,
Congress will appropriate too much money to OBJ
| lects OF benehcence and permanent utility for il
Gep. Csss and his friends can Only get into power
once in each quarter OF a century, they safe tC
contract debt enough 10 keep the Government
poor for the next twenty years. Wars aud An
nexstions sweep of treasure end pile up debt by
the Fifty Millions Internal Improvement mus
come sneaAing aud cringing behind, and only p.cl
up the crumbs that fall from the prodigals table
1t never yet had halt enough, and is not Likely t,
have lfhalf we have uselessly spent on the Army
and Navy had been gwen 10 Internal Improve
meut, the country would have been immensel,
wiser, stronger. aud richer than II now is Let u
not perpetusto the blindness whereof the effect
are 50 baeiul.
l. Gen. Csss misstates entirely the points OF
which tCo Webbs sverments being deemed au
.heulicl We could not reconcile his course W th
stern integrity. Tho attentive reader W III detec
his error without requiring to spin out this ion