Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-12-12

fore, to which | have referred, have received
from tie origin Of the Government liberal and
beneficial construction. Not only have light
houses, buoys and beacons been established, and
floating lights maintained, but harbors have been
cleared and improved piers constructed, land even
breakwate for the safety of shipping and sea-
walls to protect 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 reasonable from the consideration, that if
these works, of such evident importance and u
Utility, arc not 10 be accomplished by Congress-
they cannot be accomplished at all. BY the a.
doption Of the Constitution the several States
voluntarily parted with the power OF collecting
duties Of imposts in their own ports; and 1t Is
not to be expected that they should raise money,
by internal taxation, direct or Indirect, Tor the
benefit of that commerce, the revenues derived
from which do not. either in whole or In part, 90
into their own ire lsuries. Nor do perceive any
difference between the power Of Congress 10
make appropriations for subjects Of this kind on
the ocean and the power to make appropriations
for similar objects on lakes and rivers, wherever
they are large enough to bear on their waters an
extensive traffic. The magnificent Mississippi
and northwest, appear to me to fall within the
exercise Of the power as justly and as clearly
as the Ocean the and Gulf of Mexico, 1t is a
mistake to regard expenditures judcously made
for these objects as expenditures for local pur-
poses The position or site Of the work is nee
essarlly local; but its utility is general A ship
canal around the falls of st. Mary, OF less than
mile in length, though local in its cuDatIucuon
would yet be national in its purpose and lis
benefits, as it would remove the only obstruction
tN "a navigation Of more than thousand miles
all citing several States, as well az our CONNER
clal relations with Canadn,
So, too, the Breakwater at the mouth Of the
Dcawar is erected, not for the exclusive bent
OF the States bordering on the bay and river Of
that name, but tor that OF the whole coaswlse
navigation of the United States, and to a Con
siderable extent also, of foreign commerce. lf
IA ship he lost on the bar ut the entranne of a
southern port for want of sufficient depth Of
water, it is very likely to be northern ship
and if steamboat he sunk in any part of the
, Mississippi, 90 account Of It's channel not hsv
ing been properly cleared Of distinctions, it may
be a boat belonging to either of eight or
ten States. may add, as somewhat remark
able, that among oil the thlrty-one States, there
10 lloH NiiuG 10 llul' W VI lCHh SAtGtil,
bounded on the Ocean, or the Gulf Of Mexico,
or one of the Great Lakes, or some navigablc
River.
In fulfilling our constitutional duties, fellow.
citizens, on this subject, as in carrying into ef
'ect all other powers conferred by the Constitu'
ton, we should consider ourse es as celebrating
and acting for one and the same country, and
bear constantly in mind, that our regard and our
duty are due, not to particular part only, but
TO the whole.
therefore recommend, that appropriations be
made for completing such works as have been
already begun, and for commencing such others
rs may seem to the wisdom OF Congress to be oil
public and general importance.
The difficulties and delays, incident to Che set.
,lement Of private claims by ongress, umcunt
in many cases o denial Of Justice. There is
reason to apprehend that many unfortunate cred
itors OF the Government have thereby been una
voidnbIy ruined. Congress has so much business
of prbc character that it is impossible il
should give much attention to mere private claims
and their accumulation is now so great that ma
ny claimants must despair of ever being able tc
obtain hearing 1t may be doubted whether
Congress, iron ~ nature of its or .anizatlon, i,
properly cons Nespe to decide upon such cases
It is impossible that each member should exam
inc the merits of every claim on which he Is
compelled to vote; and it Is preposterous to ask
a Judge to decide case which he has neve
heard. Such decisions may, and frequently
must, do injustice to either the claimant or the
Government; and perceive no better remedy
for this proving evil than the establishment o
some tribunal to adjUdcate upon such claims
beg leave, therefore, most resp 2ctiully to rec
ommend that provision be made by law for TIKI
appointment OF commission to settle all private
claims against the United States; and as an e.
purte hearing must in all contested cases be very
unsatisfactory, also recon- lend the appoint
ment of a Solicitor, whose duty 1t shall be to rep
resent the Government before such commission
and protect it against all illegal, fraudulent o
unjust claims which may be presented for thei
adjudication.
This District, which has neither voice nor votC
in your deliberations looks to you for protection
and aid, and | commend all its wants to you
favorable consideration, with full contidenc,
that you will meet them, not only with justice
but with liberality. 1t should be borne in mint
that in this city, laid ont by Washington, ant
cOnsecrated by his name, is located the aplto
Of our nation, the emblem Of our Union, and tht
symbol of our greatness Here also are situated
all the public buildings necessary for the uses o
the Government. and all these are exempt from
taxation 1t should be the pride Of American
to render this place attractive to the people ofth
whole Republic. and convenient and safe for thu
transaction of the public business and the prescr
walton of the public records The Government
should, therefore, bear liberal proportion of tn,
burd Is of all necessary and useful improve
Al nCnll pnptrihuto
10 the health, comfort and safety OF the city, am
the security of the public buildings and records
than an abundant supply of pure water, re
specially recommend that You make such pro
visions for obtaining the same as IN your wisdom
you may deem proper.
The act passed at your last session, making
certain propositions to Texas for settling the dis
puted boundary between that State and III Terri
tory of New Mexico, was, mmedatelyon It's pas
sage, Transmitted by express TO the Governor o
Texas, to be laid BY him before the General As
sembly, for its agreement thereto. iCs recelp
was duly acknowledged, but no official mioma
ton has vet been received of the action Of the
General Assembly thereon; it may, however, bt
very soon expected, as, by the terms Of Tho pro
positions submitted they were to have been actet
upon on or before the first day OF the presen
month.
1t was hardly to have been expected that thu
series of measures passed at your last session
with the view of healing the sectional dliterenc
es, which had sprung from the slavery and terri
torial questions should at once have realized thel
benefcent purpose. All mutual concession Il
the nature of compromise must necessarily b.
unwecome to men of extreme opinions. And
though without such concessions our Constitu
ton could not have ben formed, and cannot b.
permanently sustained, yet we have seen then
made the subject of bitter controversy in bot
sections of the Republic. 1t required man
months of discussion and delberatlon to secur
the concurrence of majority OF Congress Il
their favor 1t would be strange if they ha
been received with immediate APPRECIATION b
people and States, prejudced and heated by tn
exciting controversies of their representatives,
| believe those measures to have been requi
red by the circumstances and condition of tn