Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-22


leced partial distribution. partial and unjust because
is private advantage, and is proposed that those who
receive shall not be those who pay but that the whole
community shall be taxed in order that local appropriations
may be made for the benefit Of portion Of the community
whether be in theincease Of their by the
expenditure of money itself This is with an objection
which goes to the principle of this and all similar bills
Bot urher this proposition which authorizes the Fede-
raj Government TO invade the State authority II makes
restriction, suggested by Mr. Monroe in reference
obtaining the Of the State II is TO go into State
and make what the General Government choose to call i'm
provement whether it be desirable to that State not.
Worse STILL possible il is to disregard your treaty OBJ
hgaons with Mcxco for makes appropriation to i'm
prove the Ro Grande, river this country and to
Mexico and the boundary between them, and the improve
ment oil which only be the both Go
vernmens An obligation the more worthy of consideration
because Of the different modes Of using the by the
people, and because that which may be done under the belief
tnat would De an Improvement might be the destruction of
the and subvesve Of the interests and rights Of
Mexico Have you made surveys Of that river Have you
examined the formation of banks Have YOU sounded the
stream, to tell what will be the result Of removing natural
dams Have you measured the velocity of the stream and
aceaned what will be the consequence Of changes to suit
mode Of navigation We asked to 70 blindly into
this appropriation for the Improvement of river have no
right interfere with, with the of Mexico the
joint of that navigation You have made calculation
the of the States but may be that the States
will not consent that Of them will regard an INVASION
But be otherwise, their enlarge pow
er and we are the called on to maintain the consu-
presidents established and dangerous violations Of the
constitution frequently arise. There be greater
power e part of this Government river which lies
within the limits Of State to remove andbar take
away natural DAM than there be within the limits Of
the State to dig canal build road It may be that
the most vital interests Of that State connected with the
obstruction which you propose to for it may be
nected with fishery peculiar navigation which is the
Of their wealth or may be essential for the support
of extensive manufacturing communities. Il 10 of the
most difficult problems in engineering foresee all the
sequences OF making change 10 the bed of stream
may be that in endeavong to impeachment which
operates as natural DAM you will drain the pool and de-
stroy the whole Of the navigation upon the river above
These local interests which may safely be left the
people who live upon these These local works.
which be most economically achieved by those directly
connected with them.
do wish to be understood as opposing the improve
ment OF rivers and habo the making Of canals and
roads, opposed to such works by the Federal Govern
ment where required for the of the army the
navy, and authorized by the grant for military purposes You
have right upon the seaboard upon the lakes construct
harbors necessary for your navy and the national defence
You have right for military object, to make the
say roads and improvements rivers This grant
rowy limited and douby restcted the right terminates with
the necessity of exercising upon the part Of the Federal
Government The moment sufficient population has as
sembled there to take upon themselves the responsibilities and
duties Of State, the necessity for military defence passes
away except SO far it may form part Of national from
tier only in its wilderness condition that the necessity
exists and has been properly extended in the Territories
limit beyond that recognised allowable within the States
am in favor, then, Mr.. President with such limitation
have stated of resong to tonnage duties for the improve
ment Of rivers and harborinsead of taxation Of the whole
people Of the United States allow the States where the i'm
provement be made lay tonnage duties upon the
of that river harbor and from the money col
leced to make the Improvements desired am in favor Of
this for several reasonsfs the money will be collected
from those who receive the benefit Of secondly,
will be laid only for improvements which desirable and
the money will be expended with rigid economy For this
opinion, however, that the proper mode Of raising money for
such expenditures by tonnage duties upon the vessels
nected with the which is to be improved have
the high authority Of the last Democratic Administration,
which has been said have neglected its duties in relation
the improvement of rivers and harbors Mr. Polk in his
sage, when he vetoed bill very similar to this, said
The constitution provides that State SHALL without
the consent OF Congress- lay duty With the
consent Of Congress such duties may be levied collected
and expended by the States We left in the dark
objects his reservation power the States The
subject fully considered by the that framed the
eeednss q thar that one object Of The was
that the States should be restrained from laying duties Of
or e 9. e.
Mr. Madison, treating this subject in the Fede
ras declares that tho restraint the Of the States
imports and EXPORTS is enforced by all the arguments
which prove the necessity of submitting the regulation of
trade the federal councils 1t is needless therefore
mark further this head than that the in which the
restraint is qualified well calculated
the States reasonable discretion in providing for the
yenency q their ana exports to the states
States lay duties for clearing harbors improving
rivers other purposes but restrained from abusing
the power because before such duties take effect the con
sent of Congress must be Obtained 1f54 t
"Under this wise system, the improvement of harbors and
rivers commenced rather continued from the orgam
cation Of the Government under the present constitution
Many passed by the several States evyng duties Of
tonnage and many passed by Congress giving their
those Such have been passed by
se Rhode Island Pennsylvania, Maryland Virginia, North
Carolina South Carolina and Georgia. and have been sane
toned by the Of Congress- Without enumeratng
them ALL be instructive to refer to of them as lie
Illustrative of the mode of improving harbors and rivers in the
early periods Of Government to the constutional
OF which there be no doubt. "
Such the authority Of Mr. and ne rested not on
his authority merely, but he quoted from the same high
authority which has been cited by the Senator from Michi-
gan In speaking Of the great abuses into which we were
about to run by this system of appopapg money for inter-
nal improvements the rapid progress that was making the
accelerated pace with which was moving when checked by
Gen. Jackson, be says
refusal to sign the Act making appropriations for building
lighthouses lghtboas, beacons and monuments, placing
buoys improving harbors and directing surveys
thorzng subscriptions for stock in the Louisville and Portland
Canal Company for the improvement of certain har
bors the navigation of certain and finally
to improve the navigation of the Wabash river"
In his objections to the last named, he says
The desire embark the Federal Government in works
of internal improvement prevailed in the highest degree
during the first session Of the first Congress that had the hon
meet in my present situation Whenthe bill authorizing
subscription the part the United States for stock in the
Maysve and Lexington turnpike company passed the two
Houses there had been reported by the Committee on Internal
exclusive ofhoe for the Cumberland road and for hbors and
lighthouses to the amount OF about hundred and six mile
lions Of dollars In this included authority to the
Secretary ofthe Treasury subscribe for stock Of