The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28
ears.
lmoun, Of No Of
property. lives.
Total for four years. ;.

| Here we have the enormous sum OF more than
| " 600. OO0-equal TO the whole amount nppropa-
ated for the benefit of western rivers and harbors
since the year 1906 to the present tme--lost in
| the last four years.
But this alarming loss of property was not all.
Fiue hundred and sirty-trte human beings persisted
| during the same period while navigating these
| dangerous waters. Their melancholy fate APP
peals TO us, the national legislators, to provide so
far as lies in our power, by the wise and JudIcious
exercise of constitutional authority, against the
| repetition of such terrible disasters.
The history Of the internal commerce of the
United States discioses the most startling, and, at
| the same time, most gratifying results. When we
| consider that the steam tonnage of the Emitted
States, engaged in the transportation of passengers
and in the carrying trade the lakes and rivers,
| for the year ending June 80, 1851, amounted, in
the aggregate, TO the sum Of SIC, 37S, 900, as ap-
| pears by a late report made by the Secretary Of
| the Treasury, the magnitude of the interest seek
| ing protection is brought home to the compre-
hension of the du'lest intellect. The capital thus
| invested differs from all other investments of
money, because 1t goes entirely out of existence,
and has to be reinvested every three and half or
four years--ihe period of the natural life of a
steamboat on the western waters. Lessen the
dangers of navigation, and you will prolong the
existence Of the capital invested in the same RATIO
Why, sir, the interior steam marine tonnage Of
| Britain and all her dependencies. The CONNER
cal history of the world contains no parallel TO its
| growth. II stands alone in sublime grandeur, a
| proud monument of the inherent greatness of our
| ocean bound Republic.
! II has not been, sir, without great caution that
have taken the position in relation TO the ques-
| ton of harbor and river improvements by the
| General Government which now occupy And
| as intend to stand upon Democratic ground, sur
| veyed and laid out by the fathers of our creed
| have fortified myself with authority-an unbroken
! chain of authority-from the administration of
Jefferson down to the end of the administration Of
MIR. Van Buren,, and from that time to the present.
strengthened by the resolves of every National
Convention, embracing the late Baltimore plat
form, upon which our distinguished and eminent
candidate for the Presidency has taken his stand
| will first refer TO that celebrated passage in the
message of Thomas Jefferson, delivered in 1906,
upon which the opponents of the constitutional
power TO make Improvements Of any kind mostly
rely.
In speaking Of the disposition to be made Of a
surplus revenue Mr. Jefferson says:
"Their patriotism would certainly prefer its
continuance ant application to the great purposes
of the public education, roads, rivers canals and
such other objects Of public improvement it may be
thought proper TO add to the constitutional emu
meraton of Federal powers.n
In this passage several objects are enumerated,
as education, roads, rivers, canals 'and such other
objects OF public improvement as 1t may be thought
necessary TO add TO the constitutional enumera-
ton Of Federal powers" The meaning which
MIR. Jefferson evidently intended TO convey in the
passage Just quoted was that there were enumera-
ted powers IN the Constitution under which APP
preparations for the objects specially enumerated
by him could be made, but that there might be
other objects for which the Constitution did not
provide, and to embrace which il should be
amended. will now refer to some Of the official
acts Of Mr. Jefferson, for the purpose of showing
that, in the administration OF the government, he
gave the same Interpretation to the language
have just extracted from hts message Of 1906
which have gwen 10 II. On the 9th OF April,
| 1902, he approved bill that made an appropria.
ton Of $4,000 for the erection OF public piers in
the Delaware, for the purpose OF improving its
navigation and for the benefit of the interior COM
merce Of the country. Rivers, il will be observed,
were one Of the objects enumerated by him in the
message referred to. II will, therefore, be readily
seen that ripers were not one Of the objects for
which il was necessary, in his judgment, to amend
| the Constitution. Ga the 18th Of November,
| 1906, MIR. Jefferson approved a bin containing an
| appropriation Of $50 010 for a new work-the
| Cumberland road. This approval, and the COM
mencement OF this new work, running through
several States Of the Union, were made nine
months previous to uttering the language upon
which have just been commenting; and woald
submit, If II would not be unjust 10 the reputa-
draw any other conclusion than that he was, in
the message referred to, giving an Interpretation
Of the Constitution that would conform, and DO
in every way consistent, with his previous official
acts. Roads, II will be remembered, were one Of
the objects which he had enumerated
IL is not necessary for my present purpose 10
enumerate the different appropriations that we're
made, and approved not only by Mr.. jefferson,
bat his successors, for the purpose Of carrying
forward the cumberland road. Suffice IL to say,
the enormous sum Of sS, 49,, 236 was expended in
its construction, and this work was commenced
during the very time when the opponents OF the
constitutional power would have II that Mr.. JEFF
ferson was solemny declaring to Congress, in bis
annual messages, that the Constitution contained
no authority for these large appropriations, Was
he the man to exercise power, and then to deny
ita existence, and, after the denial, exercise it
ngani
Agnin Mr.. Jefferson, ia his message OF Mo-
vember 8, 1903, in speaking OF the probable sur
pluses Of the revenue that might accumulate be-
yond what could be applied to the payment of the
public debt held this language
" Shall il be unproductve in the public vaults
Shall the revenue be reduced or shall It not rather
be appropriated to the improvement Of roads,
canals, rivers, education, and other great founda-
tons Of prosperity and union, u,ldsr the popers
phieh Congress n,ay already possess, or such amend
mcnts Of the Constitution may be approved by
the States.r
ftere ne again refers 10 ronuR, cnnais, rivers,
and education, the same objects he had enumera-
ted IN his previous message Of 1906, with tho
meaning that he intended 10 convey still more dis
tincty and clearly expressed. These objects he
recommends may be carried on under the powers
which Congress may already possess" and some
Of which he had commenced, and was then car
rying on, by appropriations Of money made in
obedience to his own Recommendations. What
objects may be asked Why, most clearly those
he had just enumerated. But he goes on TO say,
there still " other grtai foundaoni Of prosperity
and union" which the Constitution does not au-
thorize, but which are so essential that amend
ment Of the Constitution should be submitted TO
the States for their approval
The power necessary to authorize these other
foundations Of prosperity and union,n having
been once secured in the Constitution all the pow
ers necessary for system Of improvements, Of
which he speaks in the closing sentence Of the
same paragraph, would then be obtained Those
objects for which he recommended an amend
ment Of the Constitution in his message Of 1906,