Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-04-03
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
INDIANAPOLIS, MARCH 60, 1881
Internal Improvements by the General Govern
ment.


The right and power of the General Government to
commence and carry general system OF internal i'm
provements by fund drawn from the national treasury
is doctrine which has always been maintained by the
Wings, and denied by the Democratic party. This is
of the clearly defined lines which separate the
political parties. The Wings holding that there is no
constitutional restriction and that the discretion of Con-
gress in making the appropriations should be the only
guide, whilst the other hand it is contended by the
Democratic party that appropriations be made
by Congress for works purely local. such lie within
the limits of the States and clearly within the ju
rsdction of such States The following is the resolu
luton which adopted by the Democratic Convention
in 1885, and which has been strictly adhered by every
succeeding National Convention and may be regarded
as the platform of the party:
Resolred That the Constitution does not confer up
the General Government the poWer to commence and
carry general system Of internal improvements"
We now present this question readers: Vas the
bill trhch passed The House Of Representatives, at the late
session. and defeated in the Senate, in riolaton Of
this redefned and cardinal doctriae2 We think it
To prove this however, let refer Of its most
Objectionable features. The War Department rec
ommended that an appropriation Of one million fifty
two thousand six hundred and seventysix dollars be
made for the improvement of fory-one distinct works
For each work, the Secretary recommended a specific
appropriation Many of these appropriations for
national works and for such, all parties in Congress
were willing make the necessary appropriations But
the Committee on Commerce, instead Of conning them
selves to the works and amount recommended by the
Department for which the Administration response
blereported bill containing aggregate appropriation
Of two millions three hundred thousand dollars, for the
Improvement eighty -four distinct works Some Of these
had been surveyed single estimate of the cost
submitted the character Of the improvement recon-
mended. Taking the word of members representing
districts interested in these works. their number was In
creased until by that system of logrolling which Is
always necessary pass such bills, the appropriation
was increased one million three hundred thousand dol
lars over and above the estimates Of the Department,
and forty-three new works inserted. Among the items
which in our opinion clearly unconstitutional are
appropriations for the improvement of the Tennessee,
the Illinois, the Hudson and the Pamlco rivers, all y
ing within the limits Of sovereign States. which have
the same control and jurisdiction that the State of Ind
ana has over the Wabash White river. Gen. Jack
son vetoed bin for the improvement Of the Wabash
river because the improvement was not of national
character If this work local. and for that reason
could not receive the fostering Of the General Gov
ernmen we should like know what higher claim the
Tennessee and the Illinois have much less the little riy
er Pamco IN North Carolina, stream scarcely known
to the most minute and critical geographer. Again, the
appropriations which the bill contained for Improvement
OF the harbors at ST. Louis and Dubuque, was perver
sion Of language There is such thing as harboI
at either place. They are mere wharves, such as We
find at Louisville Madison, Cincinnati, and have nc
higher claims for appropriations than hundreds OF othc
towns the great rivers of this country more per
feet system of internal Improvements by the Genera
Government. was never devised The system recon
raended by the War Department not large enough
It could not have passed heHOuse of Representatives
Bot to make the passage Of the bill certain, works
added, until sufficient number Of members became inter
ested by appropriations in their districts TO secure ITS pas
sage Il swept the whole seaboard from Maine to Texas
and the Northern lakes from Burlington to Sheboy gan
When strength enough secured, all amendments
without regard to their character merits, votc
down. and the bill passed the House, under the pressur
Of the previous question: The appropriations for har
bors on the Atlantic coast well as the Norther
lakes were rather with view to give strength TO th
bill, than their respective merits
Taking this bill a standard, or guide il would hav
required at least two hundred millions Of dollars to hav
completed all the harbors Of equal merit The prece
dent once established, justice other harbors Of equ'
claims would have required future Congresses to max
appropriations for their improvement; and the sysei
thus commenced would have gone until the Gener'
Government would have been bankrupt, as some OF IN
States have been, under their ponderous systems Il
ery inlet creek, cove streamles would have demans
ed ins share Of the public punder. Speculation wou