The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-01-16
River and HarBor improvements.

River and FFarbor improvements.
We confess to little establishment, in COM
mon with our fellow-citizens, at seeing the edi-
tor oftheAdvertiser, in the second number ofhis
paper, assume a decided stand against the
Improvement of our Western Rivers and
Harbors. Stinson is really so ignorant of the
position of his own party and party papers
on certain subjects, or else is so ambitious OF
shining as an eccentric and peculiarly brilliant
political light, that he has already taken two
positions occupied by not one-fourth of the
Democratic presses of the country. On Mon
day he exhibited himself in the extraordinary
position Of defending the cause of VIM. J.
Brown, the notorious political scamp, who
has received less quarter from the Democrat
ic press than from the Whigs-and for whom
a few of his political friends have even plead
insanity, as an excuse for his disgraceful ac-.
ton in attempting to get elected Speaker of
the House; and yesterday, he came out as
the venerable Greenhouse would remark,
"square toed" against any river and barber
improvements by our General Government.
The constitutionaIity Of appropriations for
these Improvements by the Government, has
been debated a thousand times in Congress,
and in the newspapers Of the country. Some
of our wisest statesmen have assumed the
position, that such appropriations are consti-
tutional; and Congress has shown in innu-
merable instances by granting such appropri-
atoms, that they can be made constitutional
ly. Therefore, he who now opposes the
constitutionality Of these appropriations, OPP
poses not only the opinions of the best states
men in the land, and the past action of Con-
gress with the implied declaration of opinion
but if he be a Democrat, he opposes the posi-
ton assumed by the strongest papers Of his
party, and as no one will doubt the true
interests of the West. To debate the consti-
nationality of appropriations for this purpose
at this day, is at the best but to lumber up
the columns of a paper, with that which is
now ''stale, fiat and Improbable" and which
is utterly useless, as the opinions of the peo-
pie. especially Of the West, have been en-
phatically expressed in favor of these appro-
priations, at elections.
The object of the resolutions offered in the
Legislature, and defeated byDemocratic votes,
was mainly to secure appropriations by Con-
gress for the improvement OF the Ohio river
and the ports and ~harbors of the lake that
washes the northern boundaries of the State
and not for any of the wild and visionary OBJ
jects which enlightened Democracy would
strive to coniure up to brighten the good peo-
pie. The following is the joint resolution:
"Whereas, the Constitution of the United
States grants to Congress the power to pro-
vide for the common defence and general
welfare, and whereas the rivers and lakes of
the West, which have been are now, and
may hereafter be navigated by shipping or
steamboats,, are national in character, and as
such are entitled to the protection and foster
ing care of the General Government, and |
whereas the rapidly increasing population and
commerce of the States bordering on the Ohio |
and Mississippi rivers and Northern lakes |
absolutely require improvements to secure the /
safe and speedy transpor alton of the surplus
products of the country; and whereas the inn
provements of said rivers and lakes are of vi
tai importance not only to the citizens of said
States. but, ina national point of view, and
especially do the citizens of Indiana feel /
deep interest in the improvement of the Ohio
river ana Tie udFDOTS Oh TIC HIKES Oh UerI
northern border; therefore
"Be 1t resoIred by the General assembly
of the State Of Indiana, That our Senators
in Congress be instructed and our Represen-
tatives requested to use all their exertions
and influence to procure the passage of a bill
making appropriations for our Western rivers
and harbors.
@Be 1t further rcSolred, That His Excel
lency the Governor of the State of Indiana,
be requested 10 forward to each one of our
Senators and Representatives a copy Of this
resolution"
After the West has been fighting fer years
for certain appropriations, owing to the want
Of which, our mercantile interests and the in
terests OF our farmers, and almost of every
class OF Our citizens, are suffering-we now
have the spectacle presented of newspaper
Evansville, city which would be more
benefited by appropriationsfor river improve
ments than almost any other in the West, ia
king strong position against these improve
ments. It would appear that the Editor off
the Advertiser, knowing himself now opposed
in politics to the mass of the citizens of this
place, is determined to war upon the vital
interests of the city ITSELF He knows that