The republic., 1851-04-17

which will give general satisfaction, and
which can be put into operation when there is
no danger that the plain constitutional com
pacts Of the Union can be observed and en-
forced" Now, general system" of in
ternal improvements is what the Baltimore
resolutions expressly condemn; while Mr..
DoNELsoS seems to think that at some time or
other, more propitious than the present, a
general system may be matnred which will
give general satisfaction. From his abstract
speculations, therefore, we cannot understand
precisely how far Mr.. DoNELsoN intends to
commit himself; but we have fortunately one
or two specific commitias on particular topics.
First, then, with regard to the River and Har-
Dor bill of the late session of Congress, with
General CAss's pledge to the citizens of Alle-
gan to vote for the Black river improvement !:
Mr.. DoNELsoN rejoices in the idea that this
'BILL WAS DEFEATED BY DEMocRATIc VOTES"
So Appropriations" he continues, " were made
in that bill for many objects that have no more
claim 10 nationality thaR would an appropria-
ton for deepening the channel in any Of our
small rivers; and if the plea Of nationality in
such objects be acknowledged by Congress,
then there is not locality in the United
States which cannot be improved by the ap-
plication of the money and labor of the Fede-
raj Government. Important as is
(. the improvement of the Mississippi and Ohio
rivers, and their great tributaries, believe
that the people of the West will bear with
the postponement Of appropriations for this
object as long as they are coupled with others
which have not The slightest claim to nation
atty, and which can never be justified, unless
expediency be made the rule of construction
in interpreting the powers of Congress-"
In addition to this committal against the
River and Harbor bill that was defeated in the
Senate by the unjustifable, supplementary
and disrespectful expedients of Mr. SouLE and
Mr.. CLEMENS, backed, as they were, by Gene
raj HoUsroN, MIR. BRADBURY, and General
CAss--Mr. DoNELsoN commits himself to the
approval Of the vetoes of General JACKSON and
Mr.. Polk, on the various bills for internal inn
provements which they defeated. 1t is nothing
the two Houses Of Congress have gone on, year
after year, repudiating by the most marked ex-
pressions the doctrines of General JACKSON and
Mr.. Polk, and passing these River and Har-
bcr bills for the Executive to veto.
On this point we differ from Mr.. DoNELsoN.
We think that the people, large majority Of
the people, intend that the dogmas Of General
JACKSON and Mr.. Polk shall yield to their rea-
sonable and repeated demands; and that the
doctrines of President FILLMoRE.-on this sub
ject, as expressed in his annual message, give
true expression to the will of the people. We
never can get over the good old popular VINO
doctrine, that acquescence in the will of the
majority, constitutonally expressed, is the vital
principle of republics.
From this review Of his political manifesto
DoNELsoN desires and contemplates the reor-
ganization of the old Democratic party. The
first object is to sustain the Compromise; the
second to maintain the Tariff of 1876; and the
third to perpetuate the policy Of Mr.. Polk and
General JACKSON in the matter Of River and
Harbor Improvements. Now, we apprehend
that it will be difficult, in view of JOHN VAN
BUREN's recent letter to the Abolition Conven-
ton at Boston, to rally the Barn-burners on
the Compromise nor can we well see on
what ground the coal and iron Democracy can
rally on the Tariff Of 1916; or the River and
Harbor Democrats Of the West and Northwest
on the River and Harbor vetoes of Mr. PoAK.
Mr.. DoNELsoN, like his predecessor Mr..
RIrcHIE, indulges in an agreeable but delu-
sive dream.