Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-11-19
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT BY CON.
GRESS

GRESS.
1t Is really amusing to mark the affected horror
with which certain Democratic journals in Vir.
slnia and the South generally, view the poss.
oilIty OF Congress passing, and Gen. TAYLOR sign
ing,a bill for the improvement of Rivers and lar
oorS. W hat ptcous wailings are uttered over the
prospective revlvifcation of a system. which Il
was boosted, Mr.. Polk had, by his veto and inau.
ence' forever killed The assumption, indeed,
OF hostility to Internal Improvements as a cardi.
nal doctrine OF Democracy, in the face of the fact
that about twelve millions-out of the seventeen
millions thus appropriated, from the beginning of
the Government to the end OF Mr.. TyleIs admin
lStIaton-were voted by Democratic Congresses
and the bills signed by Gen. jackson and Mr..
Van Buren-is piece of the coolest effrontery
imaginable. The whole course of the Democrat
c party, in regard to this subject, is redolen of
hunbug and deception. 1t was long boosted that
Gen. Jackson, by his famous Maysville Veto had
crushed the whole system of Internal Improve
menls Yet he signed bills appropriating SIO,-
$50 1888, to this object, while all his predecessors
together, from jefferson to Adams signed bills for
the same oh ect to the amount only of So SO7 1896.
MIR. Van Buren, used TO diale very largely, in his
annual and special messages upon the danger
and inexpediency of Congress exercising the
power to open rivers, improve harbors or, in any
manner facilitate internal navigation and vet
this consistent Democrat once the idol of his
party-affxed his signature TO bills approprating,
during his administration, no less sum than So
222 ,544 to these very objects.
Mr.. Folks theory and his acts we're in harmo-
ny. He was, in this respect, whether from po-
stlon change of circumstances, or moral nature,
moro honest and consistent than his predecessors.
He vetoed, on two occasions, bills which had
passed, appropriating large sums to the improve
ment of Rivers and Harbors. But by whom were
he he frs NV II d.,
resentatives in which the Democrats had a ma
jority of some seventy, and by Senate in which
the majority was proportionaly large. There
can be no doubt that but for executive influence
openly exercised, the bill would have become
law by a twothirds vote New we ask which
must be regarded as the exponent of the Demo-
cratic sentiment OF the country upon this subject,
Mr.. Polk or the majority in the House and SEN
ate No one can help admitting that, in all fair
ness, the latter must be presumed best to reflect
the popular will. The Northwestern States, we
take il for granted, will be admitted to be thor
oughy Democratic-and yet is there member
OF Congress- or of the Senate, from Iowa, Wis
conSln, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio, who
would immediate himself at home for the sake of
carrying out the Democratic doctiine on the sub
ject by voting against an Internal improvement
blll' We need say nothing of the Democracy
OF the North. We admit Southern Democrats
nave btcn IOuHu III opposition to the
system-though they did support a candidate for
the Presidency, last year,who voted for the dcn-
tica mammoth Improvement bill, which they
lauded Mr.. Polk to the skies for vetoing and who
will again vote for similar bill.
An Internal Improvement bill will be introduced
into Congress the approaching session. The
amount appropriated will be larger than usual
not only in consequence of the enlargement of
our territory, and consequent multiplication of OBJ
Jec's demanding attention. but from the very fact
that certain Improvements have been postponed
by the successive vetoes of Mr. Polk until lar
ger sum is now required than would have at first
sufliced. Such bill will pass both Houses, by
commanding majorties, and, we scarcely need
say, will not be vetoed.
Men of all parties in favor of Railroad
from the Mississippi to ournew possessions on the
Pacific. That the work. if accomplished at all,
must be done by Congress, no one doubts Is OPP
position TO this road to be test of Democracy
If SO, the sooner the fact is announced the better