Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1850-12-19
ly made for these objects as expenditures for

local puIpose$.
The position or site Of the work il necessari.
ly local, but ito utility 10 general. A ship ca
nal around the FALLS Of ST. Mary, Of less than q
mile in LENGTH though local in i:s benefits, % IL
would remove the only obstruction to the navi.
cation Of more than thousand miles, and affect.
ing several States, as we'll as our commercial
relations with Canada. So, too, the breskwater
At the mouth ofthe Delaware, 10 erected, not for
the exclusive benefit Of the States bordering OH
the bay or the river Of that name, but Of The
whole coastwise navigation Of the United States,
and, to q considerable extsnt, also Of foreign
commerce. II o ship be lost on bar a, the en-.
trance Of q Southern port, for want ofsufficient
depth Of water, ii 10 very likely - be North
ern ship; and il a steamboat be sunk in any part
o: the Mississippi, on account Of its channel
tot having been properly cleared Of obstruc-
tons, il may be q boat belonging 10 either Of
eight or ten States I may add, as some what
remarkable, that among all the thirty .one State,
there is none that Is not, to q greater or less ex
tent, bound ON the ocean VI Gulf Of Mexico. or
one Of the great lakes or some navgable stream.
In fulfilling our constitutions! duties, fcllnw
citizens. on this subject, as in carrying into eff
feet all powers conferred by the Constitute on,
we should consider ourselves a. celebrating and
acting for one and the sams country, and bear
constant, in mind that our regard and our duty
are due, not to particular par, only, bu. to the
whole.
l, therefore, recommend that appropriations
be made for completing such work, as have
been alreay begun, and for commencing such
others as may seem to the wisdom Of Congress
to be Of public aud general importance.
The dificultes and delays incident to The eel
Element Of private claims by Congress, amount.
in many cases. to injustice. There 10 reason
IN nd shut cpeu a al; oC
the Government have thereby been unavoidably |
ruined. Congress has SO much business Of
public character, that il is impossible il should
give much attention to mere private claims,
end their accumulation il now 90 great that many
claimants despair Of every being able TO obtain
a hearing, 1t may well be doubted whether
Congress, from the nature Of its organization, 10
properly constituted TO decide upon such cases.
Il 10 impossible that each member ehUnld exam
inc the merits Of every claim upon which he 10
compelled to vote, and Il 10 prepos,erou' to ask
Judge to decide o case which he has never
heard. Such decisions may, and frequently
must do injustice, either TO the claimant or to
the Government; and perceive no better rene.
dy for this growing evil than the bli.hmen,
oil some tribunal 10 adjudicate on such claims.
recommend, that provision b made by law for
the appointment Of Commission to settle all
private claims against the United States; and as
All er parte hearing must, in all contested cases.
be very unsatisfactory, | also recommend the
appointment Of Solicitor, whose duty it shall
be TO represent the Government before such
Commission, and protect it against all illegal,
fraudulent or unjust claims, which may be pre-
.ented for their adjudication.
This District, which ha. neither voice nor
vote in your deliberations, looks to you for pro.
lection and aid. commend oil its wants to
your favorable confederation, with full conf
dence that you will meet them, not only with
justice but with liberality. II should be borne
in mind, that, in this city, laid out by WASH
INoroN. aud consecratedb by his name. 10 located
Union, and The symbol of our greatness. Here,
also, are situated all the public buildings nee
essnry for the use Of the Government, and all
these are exempt from taxation. 1t should be
the pride Of Americans to render this place at
tractive 10 the people of the whols Republic,
and convenient and safe for the transaction of
the public business. The Government should,
therefore, bear liberal portion Of the burthens
Of all necessary and useful improvements, and
a. nothing can contribute moro TO the health,
comfort and safety of the city, and the security
Of the public buildings and records, than an
abundant supply of pure water, ! respectfully
recommend that you make such provisions for
obtaining the same as in your wisdom, you NAV
J deem proper.
The act passed al your last session, making
certain proportions to Texas for settling the
disputed boundary between that State and New
Mexico, was Immediately on its passage, trans
mitted BY express to the Governor Of Texas,
} to be laid by him before tho General Assembly,
for its agreement thereto. Ito receipt was duly
acknowledged bu. no official information has
yet been received Of the action Of the General
} Assembly thereon. II may, how ever, be very
soon expected, as, by the terms Of the PROPOSE.
T tions submitted, they were to have been aoted
upon on or before the first day Of the present
month.
Aud now, fellow citizens. cannot bring this
communication TO q close without inviting you
to join me in humble and devoted thanks to the
Great Ruler Of nations for the multiplied bless
ings which He has graoiously bestowed upon
Us. His hand, SO often visible in our preser.
walton, has stayed the pestilsncs, saved US from
foreign wars and domestic disturbances, and
scattered plenty through the land.
Our liberties, religious and civil, have been
maintained. The fountains Of knowledge have
all been kept open. and mean. of happiness.
widely spread and generally enjoyed. greater
than have fallen to the lot of any other nation;
and while deeply penetrated with gratitude for
the past let us hope that This All-w;se Provi-
dence will 90 guard our councils as that they
shall result in giving satisfaction to our con,ti-
Misunderstanding peace to the country, and ad-
ding new strength to the united Government in
which we live.