The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-16
LoCOFOCo HOSTILITY TO INTERNAL
IMPROVEMENTS.

the opposition Journals put forth with more
than ordinary emphasis their fears of an
expenditure of public money for those
great objects of Internal Improvement
which have been so long called for by the
American people. When our western and
southern friends come to Congress and
obtain from their representatives the pas
sage of laws contemplating the improve
ment of their harbors and rivers, it is
not enough that they should be deprived
by Executive interposition of the benefit
of those laws, but they must be denounced
by the organs of locofocoism as "hungry
and voracious pack DC down upon the
Administration like flock of furnishing
wolves clamoring for spoils and plumber ;"
The doctrine of common sense and of
the Constitution on this subject is well ex-
pressed in the resolution that was passed
by Wing House of Representatives on
the 2lst day of December, 1S47. This
resolution is in the following words:
g Resolued, That the General Government has
the power to construct such harbors and improve
such rivers as may be necessary for facilitating
commerce, and also for affording additional means
for the defence of the country"
The sentiment of this resolution we hold
to be sound WIG policy. 1t was adopted
by vote Of 1873 in the affirmative, to "a
in the negative-a majority Of "a votes in
a House fresh from the people, and the
constitutional opponents Of their opinions.
This majority, in the language of the
Union, represented /" a flock of furnishing
wolves clamoring for spoils and plumber"
The power of the General Government
over this description of internal improve
ments has been exercised by every adj
ministr,tion, and was for the first time
absolutely denied by Mr.. Polk. The doc
trines Of Mr.. POLK on this subject became
the doctrines of the Locofoco party, and
are adopted as part of the political creed
Of the present opposition. General TAY-
LoR and his Administration are denounced
in advance, on the ground that they will
at some future time acquiesce in the pro-
priety Of devoting some portion of the
public revenue to that great object, the
abandonment of which by Mr.. PoLK's adj
ministration has already cost the country
hundreds of valuable lives and untold
amounts of property. If there were ever
law called for by the general voice of
the American people, it was that River
and Harbor bill which was twice annihi-
lated by the exercise of the Executive
veto. And if there were ever a rebuke
administered to a chief magistrate defying
the will of the people, it was the passage
of the resolution to which we have refer
red, by majority so overwhelming.
The Locofoco leaders are altogether be-
hind the age on this great question, and
this no doubt is one cause of the unpopu-
larity into which they have fallen. On
this subject, as on many others, their mar
row and restricted notions are held in
general derision and contempt Harbor
and river Improvements, and all others
within the constitutional competency of
the General Government, the people are
determined to exact They do not con-
slider the powers Of administration limited
TO the declaration and conduct of wars.
They deem these powers adequate TO the
cultivation of the benefcent and Eenno-
bling arts of peace" The feeling in favor
of internal improvements and manufac-
lures now manifesting itself even in Ala
bama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, would
astonish any one whose attention has not
been particularly directed TO measures i'm
progress IN those States. No party iden-
tihed with hostility to these Improvements
can re-establish itself in the General Gov
eminent, OF maintain its local ascendency.
When the American people come down
upon the present Administration like the
"hungry and voracious pack'-s'the flock
of furnishing wolves" "camoring" for re-
lief, il would seem to be the part of rea-
son and humanity TO listen to their cries,
and to endeavor TO appease their hunger.
We believe that on this subject the views
Of General TAYLOR and of has Administra-
ton are those of the WIG party-and we
have no doubt that with a Wing House of
Representatives the Harbor and River bill
which Mr.. Polk vetoed would become the
law of the land.
FRos HAyAsA.-By the arrival Of the steamship
Falcon, Captain Thompson, from Havana, the ith