The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-09

.sasa llaI1 4ai agaaa4o4g
yers In the reserved powers OF the States and in the aid
lhsy ma derive from duties OF lolags
spt ssOensfsss It's sai.g Sta
l asIurss aud Congress 10 ia the a.. Of ,as.
ing Cue anasi that tney are in every instance 10 eed
lhe proposed improvements thauuo Of conh citing
powet of Jas,sduiioa Ia involved; chat the expendaie
be Immediately beoe hted, " III be carefully
ana moe productive Of good hap II the qnd, wee dswn
the geafa governments that such system VII casly wb
Y no lgenen ofiedeta power and paona.s. and ssye
niest win ony aeonsrvsiise satVo IA Congress upon
any abuse q the power which tue States aue,npt
. Under this wise system in, rbos nd
rivers was eomenced sather continued or
ton Many acts We're passed by the several aes eVying
dotlts OF tonnage, and many passed 10y Congress
by Massachusetts, Rhode Island, nnsy vanta Maryland
ifsaia North Caroina, South Carolina and Georgs and
enurns ,tiug them ALL it may be Instructive 10 refer 10
some oil them. as Illustrative Of the mode improving hnr
bors AMI rivers the early perods of our povernmra
10 The oonsuuillonay Of which there can be no doubt N
lHere Mr. Polk proceeds to enumeraie thirteen cases
~ dferen, States where it has been exercised He then
continues, ..... .#..-Er. a.mu. .a ....l. ....
Congress has passed many giving it, consent to
,hese aud oher State laws the first OF whlch dated in
t, and The last in 1913 by The la5r act The consent
o. Congress wac gwen 70 The law OF tho e ,araro OF the
oato OF MARY land iyng tonnage duly vessels The
Ia ioce nn he hfa day OF Jane, 1850 transmit here.
wia copies of such OF the the .lauies OF le
on tho subject and also the acts OF Congress wing
Us consent thereto, as have been cola,ed uD ua
ihat sns power was consttn,io,aliy and righuIy
efc ed IN these cases does not admit OF doubt 1E =
Inc lnaS,lee aa ineqaa,'y resulting from conccding
the power 10 bnb governments are illustrated by several Of
ne aots chunefaeh take that Tor the Improvement OF
the harbot OF Baltimore That Improvement Is paid for
exclusively -, oy Tx on .ae onnelco Of .hat city bat
the improvemsut Of the babor of Boston, II must be paid
IN par, ont otaxes levied the commerce OF Balno
ns result . thar the commerce Of Baltimore pay, the
tu'' cost Of The harbor Improvement designed Tor is own
beneh ana, IN addition, contributes, the cost OF ali
ouei NJ 9,n and river improvements in the Union. The
iac's neod but be stated - prove tho inequality
nis bin Either subject should be lett rs was during
Tue hrsthd century q the practice Of levying tonnage
dates py me states should be abandoned atosher and all
harbor and river imp rovements made under the authority
Of The United States and by direct
In view not only OF the constitutional dttcuy. a
question Of poicy. CLEARLY OF opinion Thai The hole
subject should bo lett 10 the States aided by
legislatures may hlnk proper propose Cong see
lit 10 sancton Tns consent OF Congress would never be
refused IN where the duty proposed TO be levied
by the 8 ate reasonable, aud The object OF m.
proyeuspi was che OF npauance. The funds required
IN this mode, as was done IN the earlier periods
government, aud ,hus avoid strained
ton OF the consiituton not warranted by letter Ii di.
rect appropriations be made OF the nlonsy in lede
treasury io such purpose, The eApsnditures viii be
laal and unJost Tue moacy IN The federal paid
by tax on the whole people Of the lJnited States
VIII Do partially distributed, and De nded adj.
vintage OF particular States sections, and localities, tue
'By returning the esry and approved construction OF
cohstituot and The ptaclce under H. t.s me
qual ~ and inu2tce VIII be avoided, and at the same
all The really poYaIt made and
experience has proved, be better made, and
cost tbey would be by agency of officers OF the
Unsed States The Interests henentSJ by asse Improve,
nens too, would bear the OF MAXIM them, UPON
priuciple that the expenses OF post office esab
hInent have always been deirayed by who derive
benefits from it, -s.r.
But there is another mode by which The aid OF the fed
eral government may be consluonally obtained. Ii is
by amending the constitution ITSELF and giving the pow
and al The time regulating its exercise by such
specifications may guard against excuses and abuses
This the suggestion OF Jefferson and Madison and
other Psesients and this is the course Indicated by
Mr. Polk in The following concluding paragraph of this
! veto message ... r
Should any great bect of i'm provement exi., in our
widely -extended county which effected ly
means OF tonnage dates levied by the ) Win the
concurrence OF Congress- II is safer and wiser apply 10
The States. in the mode prescribed by ta co,tuuon Tor
an amendment oil that insru neat whereby powers
the general government may be enlarged such n-
tsltons and restrictions as experience has shown
proper than 10 assume and power which ha
not been grained, which bs regarded as doubtful in
tue opinion OF large portion OF our Constituents. This
has been recommended BY PfesJeus
Jeterson Madisoa Monroe and Jackson aud Judy con
cur with mem in opinoa II Enlargement oil power
should be deemed proper, II w be grane
BY the States a olherwse, AZ will whheld; and in
either case, their decision should be final the nsa lime
deem 1t proper add that the investigation of this sub
Ject has pressed strongly tau with tue
solemn conviction that the usefulness and
this government, and happiness Of ths rnuon, over
whom II spreads is protection, viii best promoted by
carefully absainng from the OF all powers not
clearly granted by the constellation