The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-18

took reiugs behind The noise and Confusion and with
held my opinions ircm the public and therefore az ain
am | enemy 10 all river and hafbof improvements.
This Is ano,he not OF The small things alone but OF the
snail fasehoots, to which importance was attached
during The presidential campaign, and which is revived
and reassered whenever il Is thong there party OBJ
iec to gained BY IT, falsehoods travel on rapid
wings, and he who expects 10 over,ake them must be
feet indeed Mr. Jefferson g. il better to live them
down than 10 write them down. This story has been
received with all the certainty Of historical fact and il
is destined 10 survive all reiulaton aud even able
democratic member OF the House o. Representatives.
MIR MoRsE,l IN recent discussion OF this subject IN
ina. body seems have taken il for granted that this
cuaTgc OF The conceamen oi my views and OF resort 10
unworthy suberfuge avoid their exposition. is not
the mere Renaissance OF excited political contest bnl
~ sscerlaned Tact moi admitting any reasonable d9up
Had he not thought so--and il was very natural ne
should alter the stereoyed reports he mad seehe 70
too honorable to have introduced upon mat occasion
am sure he will rejoice at this substitution OF run IL
falsehood II ia we'll we have been told here by high
authority, to vindicate the ruth OF history anu =, ~.
performance OF this duty now stale, mere N NY pW1oe,
that there is not one word OF truth IN be Story very
ently Governor Wood OF Ono, man VINO aao,ns 'he
high station he fills, in letter. published IN me onion
put the seal Of IePaoao" q0 sory runs ba gave as
4 reason for not answering the questions OF Governor
Wood then chairman OF committee, respecting rlvef
and harbor improvements that there was too much noise
and confusion to do il. never gave such reason,
anything like it In my letter 10 Mr. Stevenson accept
ng the nomination of the Baltimore Convention, said
my opinions be sought in speeches, and votes, and
acliOns--a resolution almost indispensable under the cir
cumslances, ii did not intend 10 make professions OF
political faith TO every nquistye friend or foe through
Well. sir on my return, at than place in New
York. various questions Of this nature were put to me, 10
which gave the uniform reply that could mol answer
them consistently with the course had marked out Tor
myself AT Cleveland was asked my sentiments on the
saGse, 81 e with Slavery which then agaed
the public mind To these inquiries returned similar
answer and thus you have the history OF the noise and
confusion which much disturbed the equannity OF our
political opponents who sought nothing but the truth in all
their investigations, and now having found il, utterly
ject it, II is due to my friend Governor Wood to say,
that when he put these questions to me- he had not seen
my letter ayowing the course | meant to pursue.
Now. sir. If there are any public men who above al
most apthers could neither deny conceal their opn
ions upon this whole subject may claim 10 be Of
them. During the administration of General Jackson,
was at the head of the War Department between five
and six years. and am responsible for all the estimates
Congress, and upon which the several acts OF
appropriation for river aud barber Improvements were
based and for the two sessions OF the Senate
have been member during which bills have passed for
these Objects have advocated and voted for hem and
stated fully and repeatedly, as do now. the principles
OF my action. Who but the verest tool al party. and
for the purpose could represent me- under these
cumstances, endeavorng to conceal my views to
deceive the country, TO their extent Limitation
The bird OF the desert that hides its head in the sand
and strives thus to eude observation would be the very
emblem OF wisdom when compared with the efforts thus
charitably attributed TO
Q Now sir, what are my views And to this plain
question shall give an answer equally plain They are
to be found in the paper hold in my hand, being
tract from the annual message OF General Jackson of
1884 was at that Tune member OF his cabinet, and
consulted by him in relation to this exposition OF his
opinions, and | concurred in them then, and have pre-
served my tealty till tins day:
There is another class of appropriations for what may
be called, without impropfiey Internal improvements,
which have always been regarded standing upon differ.
grounds from those which have referred alude
to such have for their object the improvement of har
h0YH The Dt nd nIrn
lavigabe rivers for the facility and security OF for
appropriations of this character from others have
ted Congress. will only add thar, the first
2, e ali % WIS
aer the 18th day OF August 1882 in the necessary support
.ns or
passage Of the act Within bay Inlet harbor, OF
aud .afe should be betrayed ueasury OF The Uni
ted States and further that be the duty oil the Secretary
ton of the President rebuilding when necessary and
keeping In good repair the lighthouses beacons buoys
and public pers IN the several States and Tor furnishing
them with supplies Appropriations similar objects
have been continued from that time 10 the present
increase and OF foreign commerce. ports OF
entry and delivery have been multiplied and established.
not only upon board, but interior OF our
country. upon lakes and navgable rivers The
niencs and safety Of this have led the gradual
OF these expenditures the erection OF light
houses tho placing, planting. and sinking OF buoys
and piers and to the removal OF partial and porary
nsvigable rivers and the harbors upon
great lakes, as well as on the sea board"
repeat, SIR, this succnct exposition contains the prin-
cples OF my opinions and action. do not pretend nor
did General Jackson, that doubt arise in their
practical application That would he a condition not
compatible with the imperfeciion OF human language
Uncertainty enters less into all the departments
OF legislation, and perhaps into none more inevitably
thaa the great branches OF public expenditure Consli.
tutions cannot establish regulations rigid as math
matca problem; is there solid wall of masonry to
which the legislator can go in all and find himself
warned by coming In contact with IL, that he the
boundary OF his authority, and proceed further
liability TO abuse power nseparable from the gram,
oil II, and all the cautious statesman do is pre-
vent this far possible, by fencing round the de-
posaries OF authority with such checks and limitations
a., without destroying the object may tend render
its attainment the safer General Jackson endeavored
to do this by adopting as rule Tor himself not TO
highest ports OF entry. He thus states. IN the same
message, his views upon this branch OF the subject:
although have expressed Congress my apprchcn.
that these expenditures have sometimes been
giant and d,propoonate 20 the advantages be derived
from them have felt IL to be my duty refuse my
follow In this respect In the footsteps OF all my pTedeces
sors sensible, however from experiences and observa
uon OF ths great abuse to which the unrestricted exercise
OF nn authority by Congress exposed, have pre-
scribed limitation Tor the own conduct
by which expenditures OF this character confined
places below tho ports OF entry delivery established by
factory could be desired and that much
May be caused TO the executive department execu
ton by appropriations for and weunderstood
objects. But neither my reflections nor the ghs
with better, shall continue apply my best exerons
70 faithful application of the rules upon which IL
founded
IL will be that the li1ation he lays down is
not constitutional one, but adopted for his own
personal guidance TO guard the more certainly the public