The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-12-06
THE pREsrpENT,s MESSAGE.

read before Congress on Monday, and deliv-
cred by special messengers to various Offices
East and West, directly the telegraph an
nounced lis having been read. The tele-
graph beat the messengers to Louisville, and
the Offices there had it telegraphed from
Pittsburgh. the messengers not having ar
rived at Wheeling. DESTROYS Of losing no
time in presenting the Message to our read
ers, we went to the expense OF having large
number of Extras struck off at Louisville,
and forwarded first boat. They arrived
Wednesday night, and were distributed TO
our readers over the city little after daylight
yesterday morning, and mailed promptly to
our country subsc ibers yesterday afternoon,
all free of expense to the patrons Of the
Journal.
We have glanced over the message, and
regard 1t, as must every citizen without ref
erence to party, as an able. common sense, and
high toned document. We ask comparison
OF il, with the last Message oil Mr.. Polk
The one comes from a man who feels that he
is President OF a great peop!e-the other from
the President of party, giving TO the world
a party document, and almost censuring in
advance his successor Gen. Taylor. There
is not a sentence in Fillmore's Message that
is not high and dgnifed in tone. We hope
every citizen will read it, and ponder over its
Suggestions. It's brevity and wisdom. should
secure for it as a reader, every American citi
zens who can read 1t fully realizes the high
expectations OF the people, both as TO Fill
more's abilities as a man. and his duties as a
President. We shall occasionally make ex
tracts from. this document, 10 illustrate his
position on certain measures, which NEST
deeply interest the people.
With this view, we make tie following ex-
tract first, most deeply concerning the
West. By this those who may before have
doubted, will now k1Olc that we have a Pres
ident who favors appropriations by the Gen
eral Government for Internal improvements
The paragraph we have italicized, gives his
opinion. We believe this opinion is backed
by every prominent Western man, without
West should contend, night and day, till our
wants are gratfied. Upon this great subject
we should demand an expression of views
from every candidate, who, if elected may be
placed in position TO work some influence
for or against appropriation s-ior the improve
ment of our rivers and harbors. Now, let
those be encouraged who have labored long
and zealously for justice TO the West. They
have as leader the President Of the United
States. Years back, the Wing party alone
were heard contending for the principle
Now, the Democratic party has joined Us, and
unitedly we are pulling long and a strong
pull for Western Improvements. The evils
are in themselves great for the remedying
of which, appropriations are asked, and the
West in which these evils exist, has become
so vast in wealth and population, that our
voice is no longer 10 be despised or condemned
And now that we have n President uniting
with us in addressing Congress on the sub
ject, we feel still greater confidence that our
demands will ere great while be satisfied,
especially Us those demands only amount TO
prayer for justice TO the Hest. Here is
the extract:
entertain no doubt of the authority Of
Congress TO make appropriations Tor leading
objects in that class of pubic works compri-
sing what are usually called works OF Inter
nal Improvement This authority suppose
to be derived chiefly from the power of regu-
laung commerce with foreign nations and
among the States. and the power of laying
and collecting imports. When commerce is
TO be carried on and imports collected there
must be ports and harbors, as well as wharves
and custom-houses. II ships, ladenCd with
valuable cargoes. approach the shore or SAL
along the coast, lighthouses arc necessary at
suitable points, for the protection OF life and
property Other facilities and securities for
commerce and navigation are less important;
and those clauses of the Constitution, there
fore, TO which have referred, have received
from the origin of the Government liberal
and beneficial construction. Not only have
lighthouses, buoys aud beacons, been estab-
lished and floating lights maintained, but bar
bors have been cleared and improved. piers
constructed. and even breakwaiers for the
safety OF shipping, and sea walls to protec,
harbors from being filled up. 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 warrantable from the consideration that
l. these works of such evident importance and
utility, are not 10 be accomplished by Con-
gress. they cannot be accomplished at all
BY the adoption of the constitution the seve-
raj States voluntarily parted with the power
Of collecting duties of imports within their
own ports, and it is not to be expected that
they should raise money by internal taxation,
direct or indirect, for the benefit of tha, CON
merce the revenues from which do not, either