The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-12-10

nal commenting on the Presidents message,
we make the following extract, and ask our
readers to peruse it. Prentice undoubtedly
takes the right view of the question. aud one
which the Louisville Democrat, while it ridI'
cules dare not attempt TO answer. In ridcu-
ling those views, it is making fun of many Of
its own party leaders, whose Democracy that
paper would be the last to gainsay:
That portion OF the message which refers 10
internal Improvements will be read through
out the Western and Northwestern States
with great pleasure. 1t announces sound
Wing doctrine, although not exclusively
Wing. as many of the opponents OF the
Wings are jealous in favor Of the prosecu-
ton OF works of internal improvement by the
general government Mr.. Fillmore's argu-
ment on the constirutiona!iiy and expediency
Of appropriations of the public money for the
improvement of the navigation of the lakes
and rivers is unanswerable. The power Of
Congress TO erect lighthouses and to improve
harbors on the Atlantic coast is very general
ly conceded. No good reason has ever yet
been advanced why such works should be
carried on the seaboard and denied 10 the
people who reside on the borders OF the lakes
and rivers. The products of the West and
Southwest, although originally shipped on
steamboats,. are to considerable extent de-
signed 10 enter into the commerce Ofthe ocean.
We cannot see why, if the government has
the power to protect the cotton raised in Ten
nessee against the perls of navigation after
it has reached New Orleans, 1t has not the
power TO protect that cotton after il is ship
ped at Memphis en- its way to Liverpool, al
though it must be transhIpped at New Or
leans. The government it is admitted can
protect Tennessee cotton after it is placed on
shipboard, but cannot protect il so long as 1t
is board of steamboat above New Orleans .
That such logic is utterly absurd must be p
parent TO all men of common sense. The
Constitution was framed to promote the gen
eral welfare, and confers on Congress CERTAIN
powers, that the general welfare may lie ad-
vanced. 1t was the work OF great and sa-
gacious patriots, who meant what they said.
and never designed to imply that, while Con-
I gress could promote the general welfare by
! building lighthouse on Cape Henlopen
il could not promote the general welfare by
removing an obstruction from the bed OF the
Mississippi which endangers commerce Of
greater value Than all that Cape Henlopen
ever saw.
The Constitution makes no absurd dstnc-
tons between the welfare of the people of
different sections. 1t trainers meant that all its
powers should be exercised for the general
good of the whole and not for the good Of
ony one portion Of the people. They never
authorized the strange doctrine which teach
es that, while the productions Of Western
agriculture shall be protected against the per-
lis Of navigation whenever they are placed
on shipboard for a foreign or domestic mar
ket, they shall have no protection afforded
them against such perils before they are placed
on sea vessels Such ridiculous distinctions
were first discovered and insisted Ell by men
of heated partisanship anxious TO an,agonize
n popular doctrine proclaimed by their politi-
cal antagonists. These remarkably shrewd
metaphysical political philosophers were the
first to discover that, while Congress has the
power to protect barrel Of Ohio -four or a
bale Of Kentucky hemp or its way from New
Orleans to Boston, that body has no power to
protect it while OIL its way from the Ohio river
TO New Orleans.
We earnestly hope that Congress will at a
|, very early day in the present session arpro-
pirate a sum of mOneJ in accordance with the
: Recommendation OF the President on this sub
jcct The agitation which prevailed during
the last session swallowed up all minor con
siderations. Now, however, since that agita-
ton has been settled, it is the duty of Con
gress to turn its attention exclusively TO such
subjects as the will of the people is in favor
e of. The members signazed themselves by
t passing series Of measures which have re-
stored tranquility everywhere but in the fer
meniing brains OF a few traitors and fanatics
(, Let them make the last session OF this Con
gress memorable by carrying out in good fIitl
the Presidents accommodations in favor o.
D internal improvements, the amending OF the
thrift, and the reduction of the rates of post
age. A vast majority of the people desire
just such legislation us Mr.. Fillmore recon-
mends, and we earnestly hope that Congress;
: may have the wisdom and patriotism required
, at this JunciLre.