Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-12-14

were five millions two hundred and twelve
thousand niue hundred and iifty.three
dollars and forty.tl,fpe cenis--leatlilg q
balance, OF revenue over expenditures oil
three hundred and forty thousand eigh-
teen dollars and five cetits.
an i,urpy tl,at the fiscal condition q
the department liz such as to justify the
Postmaster General in Recommending
the reduction OF our inland lcttel
postage TO three cents the single let.
ter When prepaid aud Ave cents when
not prepaid He Mao recommends
that the prepaid rate shall be re.
dutcd to two cents whenever the keve
MUGS Of the Department, after the rednc-
ton sl,ail exceed its expenditures by more
than dvc pee cent. for more than tive
eonaecntire years that the postage upon
California aud other letters sent by or
ocean steamers shall be much reduced
and that tie rates Of postage un newHpa-
pera, pamphlets, periodicals, and Other
printed matter, shall he modified, and soulu
reduction thereon made.
At ttiltilbt bB uJHINhb AithtEa ttN ItSI@NFtH
reductions will. for the present, diminish
the revenues Of the department.. 1t h
believed that the deficiency, after the eur.
plus already accumulated shall be exllaus-
ted, may he almost wholly met either by
aboIlshing the existing privileges Of send
ing free matter through the mails, or by
paying out OF the Treasury to the Postoflice
Department a sum equivalent to The post
aye of which 1t is deprived by such pfivi-
Ieges, The last is supposed to be the
preferable mode, and will, il not entirely,
go nearly supply that deficiency as to
make any appropriation that may be found
necessary SO uncomfortable AS to form no
obstacle to the proposed reductions.
entertain no doubt of the authority OF
Congress TO make appropriations for lead
ing objects in that class Of public works
comprising what are usually termed works
of internal improvement, This authority
| suppose to be derived chiefly from the
power of regulating commerce with for
eign nations, and among the States, and
the power Of laying aud collecting imposts.
Where Ia to be carried on, and
imposts collected, there must be ports and
harbors, ns we'll as wharves aud custom,
houses. II ships, laden with valuable
cargoes, approach the shore, or sail along
the coast lighthouses are necessary ut
suitable points for the protection of life
and property. Other facilities and sccuri-
ties for commerce and navigation are hard.
ly less important aud those clauses of
the Constitution therefore, to which | have
referred, have received from the origin of
the Government Il liberal and beneficial
construction.
Not ouly have light. houses, huoys, aud
lights maintained, hut harbors have been
cleared aud improved, piers constructed,
and even break.waters for the safety of
shipping, aud sea walls to protect hatbors
being tillea mp, and rendered useless
by the action of the ocean, have been
erected at very great expense. And this
construction of the constitution appears
the more reasonable FROM 1.-The considera.
ton, that If these works, OF such evident
Importance and utility, are not to be ac.
complished by Congress, they cannot be
aceomplishsd at all. BY the adoption
Of the constitution the several States vol
unfairly parted with the power Of collect
duties of impost in their owl ports
aud it is not to be expected that they
raise money, by internal taxation,
hrect or indirect, for the benefit OF that
the revenues derived from
which do not, either in whole or IN part,
70 into their own treasures. Nor do |
any difference between the pow.
" of CONGRESS- to make appropriations for
OF this kind on the ocean and the |
,ower to make appropriations for similar
on lakes aud rivers, wherever they
ire large enough to bear OH their waters AN
Extensive traffic.
The magnificent Mississippi aud its
tributaries, and the vast lakes OF the North
md the northwest, appear TO me to fall
within the exercise OF the power. as just
Y and a. clearly as the Ocean aud the Cuff
# Mexico, 1t ~ a mistake to regard eS-
'enditures judiciously made for these OBJ.
ects as expenditures for local purposes,
The position or site of the work is necesa-
lily local but its utility is general. A
canal around the falls OF st. Mary Of
,ss than a mile in length, though local
Il its construction. would yet be national
4 its purpose aud its benefits, it would
emove the only obstruction to a naviya.
ion of more than a thousand miles, aifec.
ng several States, as well as our con-
nercial relations with Canada.
So, too, the breakwater at the mouth Of
be Delaware is erected, not for the ex.
Iusive benefit of the States borderingpn
le bay aud river of that name, but Tor
iat Of the whole coastwise navigation
f the United States, and to a considerable
Steat, also, OF foreign mme
If a ship be lost on the bar, at the
ntrance OF a southern port for want Of
sufficient depth of water, it is very likely
be a northern ship and If a steamboat
> sunk in any part OF the Mississippi, on
,count of its channel not having been
cleared of distractions, it may
: a boat belonging to either of eight or
N States. may add. as somewhat re-
that among all the %thirty-one
tates, there is none that is not, to a great
less extent, bounded on the ocean or
! the Gulf of Mexico. or one OF the
lakes or some navigable river.
In fulfilling our constitutional duties,
llow-citizens, on this subject, as in carry
g into effect all other powers conferred
the constitution, we should consider
a~fselves as celebrating and acting. for
he and the same country, aud bear con-
anay in mind, that Il regard and our
lty are due, not to a particular part only,
1t to the whole.
| therefore recommend that ~appropria-
be made for stannlrlsfinr sr,el, works