Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-12-06
TON FREE PRESS, FRIDAY MORNING DECEMBER 6 1880

= taxes and rivers, wherever they are large
no"sh 10 pear on their waters an extensive tra
c tie. Tho magnificent Mississippi aud It's lribu
r taries, aud the vast lakes of the north aud ia,
< horthwcs', appear TO me to fall within the OK
efcise of tho power, rs Justly aud as clearly a
The Ocean and tho Gulf OF Mexico. Il is mi.
take to regard expenditures iudiciuusly mnd
Tor these objects as expenditures tor l. cal pur
poses. Tnc position, or site Of tho work, /
necessarily local bat lis utility is general -
ship canal around the falls OF st. NJ ,ry %
less than mile III length, though local in it
construction, would yet b. national ia its pur
poses, and It's benefits, rs it would remove ia,
only obstruction tn a navigation of more than :,
thousand miles, rlftcting several states, as wei
as our connarciil relations with Canada.
So, too, the Breakwater ut tho mouth of III,
Delaware is erected not for the exclusive benz.
ut ol the y ates bordering on the bay and river
VI Thai name, bat for thar of the whole coas T.
wise navigation Of the United States, and. to Il
consider Bile extent also, oil foreign commerce
IL a ship be lost on the bar at the entrance of a
southern port for want Of II sufficient depth OF
wafer, lit Is very likely to be northern ship
ana II steamboat be sunk in any pat of the
| NJ sslssipl, on account of It's channel not having
! ocuh properly cleared OF instructions Il may be
boat belonging to either of eight or ten States.
may aud "a somewhat remarkable, that a.
! monI all the thrty-Oue States, there is none
tnat Is not, IL greater or less extent bounded
on the ocean, or the Gulf of Mexico, or one of
the great lakes, or some navigable river.
! In fulfilling our constitutional duties, fellow
citizens, on this subject, as in carrying into eff
fect all other powers conferred bv the constitu-
ton, whe should consider ourselves as deliber-
atIng and acting for one and the same co lntry,
aud bear constantly in mind, that our regard
IiIty a
only, but to the whole.
l therefore recommend that appropriations
be made for completing such works as havo
been already begun, and for commencing such
others as a'sy seem 10 the wisdom of Congress
10 be oi public and general Importance.
The difficulties and delays incident TO the settle
nieht oi private claims by Congress amount ia many
cases TO DENIAL O justice. There reason 10 ap-
pPfehtnd mat many unfortunate creditors Of the
government nave thereby been unavo dably ruined
Congrass has SO much business Of public characte
lnat II is impossible 1t should give much attention to
mere private claims, and their accum uation s now
80 great ihat many claimants ninst despair OF ever
oe'hg able to obtain hearing. 1t may well be
whether Congress, from the nature of its organize.
ten IS property constituted 10 decide upon such cas-
es II is Impossible that each member should exam
me the merits OF every claim on which he is colnpell-
r' to vote and 1t Is prcpostcrous to ask Judge 10
decide Case which he has never heard
such decisions may, and frequently must DO in
ana perceve no better remedy tor the growing
tVit thah tie establishment ot some tribunal 10 adj.
Iudicate upon such claims. | beg leave therefore
mos respectfully to recommend that provision be
made by law for the ppIintnent o a commission 10
settle al private claims against the United States:
anu as an CT pdrte hearing must in all contested
cases De very Unsatisfactory also recommend the
appointment oi solicitor whose duty it shall he to
represent the government before such commission
ana protect It against all illegal, fraudulent or uniu 4,
u aims winch may be presented for their adudica ton
Jllt lIrI,
your de ibcratios, looks to you for protection and
aid. aud commend all its wants to your favorable
consideration, with fail confidence that you will not
only meet them with justice but with liberay IL
should BE- borne in mind that in this city laid out by
washington, aud consecrated by his name, is loca-
ted the Capitol OF our Nation the emblem of our I'm.
ION ana me Synboi OF our greatness Here also,
situated all the pu 'lic buildings necessary Tor the uss
oi Inc government, ind all these are exempt from
luAa'loii' 1t shonld Tx the PRIDE Of Americans to
Shdtr This place Attractive to tine people OF the whole
hrpuD.ic, aud convenient and safe Tor the transnc-
"n OF The public bus aud the preservation OF the
public records. The government should therefore !
ocar liberal proportion OF the burdens ot all neces-
sary and useful improvements. Aud as nothing could |
CONT ibute more to the hea h comfort and safety of
the CITY. AMI the security OF the public buildings and
records than an abundant supply OF pure water re.
specially recommend that you make such provision
ior obtaining the same, Is, III your wisdom you may
deem proper.
The act passed at your last session, making Ger.
tim propositions to Texas tor settling the disputed
boundary between that State and the Territory of
New Mexico, was Immediately on its passupe
transmitted by express 10 the Governor of Texas to
be lud by him before the General Assembly tor its
agreement thereto. Its receipt duly acknowl-
edged. but no official information has yet been re.
cclved o The action OF the General Assembly there.
ON 1t may he. however. very soon expected, as, by
ac terms OF the propositions submitted, they 10
have been acted upon on or before the present
M oath.
1t was hardly TO have been expected that the Sc
NOS oil measures passed ut your last session, with the
view OF healing the sectional differences which had
sprung from the slavery aud territorial questions
should al once have realized their bcuecen purpos-
es. All mutual concession in the nature Of u COM
promise must necessarily he unwecome to men of
extreme oHinions And thuagh without such con-
cesSio'is Cur constitution never would have been
formed, and cannot he permanently sustained, vet
We have seen them made the subject OF bitter conro-
versy IN both sections OF the Republic 1t required
many months OF discussion and dcilOcIatUu To
cure the concurrence OF majority o. Congress in
their favor, and ii woudbe Strange il they had been
received with immediate APPRECIATION 10y people and
states prr dccd aud heated by the Cxciting Cuntru-
vcIsrs OF their Representatives.. | believe those
measures to have been required by tie circumstances
and condition OF the country. ] believe they were
necessary 10 aiiay ahlnosliles aud asperltes that
were alternating one section ot The country from an
other, aud DESTROYING those maternal sentiments
which are The strongest support OF the Constitution.
They were Adopted III me spirit and tor the purpose
ri cunGIilaliOn believe that great majority OF our
fellow cItZ"nj syinpaZr IN that spirit aud that pur-
pose, aud IN the man. uyproye ain. are prepared IN
ali respects, to sustain those cuactmrns. | Cnnnot !
doubt tnRt tie American people, bound together by
kindred blood and coninou traditions still cherish a
paramount regard ior ,le Union Q! their fathers and
that they are ia To l-buAc any attempt to violate
lis integrity, or iisiarh the cop'umisos on which il
is based ar 10 resist the laws which nave been enact
ed under its authority.
The series OF measures to which have alluded nre
regarded hy a sctIlrnrut, principle aud sub
sance,-a hnal settlement OF the dangerous AMI sx-
citing sui ecS whci. ,hey embraced. Most OF these
subjects beyond your reach, as the legislation |