The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-03-23

iicle and IL IL IS grown only in Kentucky, Missouri
or ILLINOIS, you have as much right TO improve the iacii
lies 10 bring II to your naval depot and navyyad that
your expenditures may be lessened as you have the
case OF liveoak timber. They all to
plish constitutional ends In like manner you have the
power and the right TO penetrate with your improvements
the agricultural districts supply your army and navy
with food These illustrations, growing of the
naval and military powers Of the government The post
oihce power Is equally striking We contract with rail-
road companies Tor the use OF their roads and for the
transportation OF our mails for limited periods Now, if
we can consltuonaly enter into such bargain for four
years. why may not purchase the OF the road for
ever! And If we may contract for such use without imi
aton or end why may not build the road in the first
instance! Suppose you build a navy-yard. and after
wards Nature. by deposites fill up the channel that
your ships cannot reach the yard have you power
open the channels ii you open it when il fills up
after me navy yard y built may you not first open the
hold oil these questions and give US satisfactory answers
! ii they can
/ We had petition presented the other day TO make the
Wheeling bridge (Which the Supreme Court has said
an obstruction 10 commerce) postroute BY having ii
established as means 10 accomplish the ends OF the gov
eminent in the transportation OF the mails, the petitioners
saw, correctly In my opinion that II could not then be
abaed as nuisance The decision OF the Supreme Court
II am correctly nformedor have not read the opin
ion--turned upon the constitutional power Of Congress
over commerce between the States and foreign nations
We must construe and apply all the powers gwen by the
constitution in such way as 10 make them harmonious
and these petitioners wisely saw that i you bring the post
bridge, then it would follow, Congress had the excu
sivs regulation OF between the States well
the power to establish postroads, that the dormant
commercial power could not authorize the destruction Of
the bridge as nuisance when had been adopted by
Congress as means to execute the powers OF the gov
eminent IN transporting the mails. Now sir, il Con-
gress can adopt bridge, erected by State cor
poraton, as post road, and thus protect it, when
otherwise It would be deemed obstruction 10
mercal intercourse and nuisance, may not Congress
build its bridges to aid in the transportation OF
its mails over naWgabe streams, where neither States
nor corporations, nor individuals will build them :
i IrHaa = tr srta al
have not yet read the opinions bridge cannot be
rightfully erected under State authority nav-
gable stream without the consent OF Congress- in the
judgment OF the Supreme Courl. Now sir, if bridges
cannot be built by State authority, S,aes corpora
tons, and individuals will not build them, the mails
of the United States to be delayed for want OF bridge
or boat may this government build it's own bridge
boat 10 aid its operations in transporting the mas' What
necessary and proper, the language OF the cons
tuition, may be done bridge or boat is no, only nscs'
sary and proper, but absolutely required TO enable the
government TO discharge It's constitutional duties Hence
this government may build them; and the same reason
ing which proves we may build bridge or boat will
equally prove constitutional power to build rail-
road as the best means 10 transport our mails.
But sir look at another case Suppose your mail has
TO pass, as It does IN some portions OF the country, d
rectly mountain, elevated some six eight thou
sand feet. You can have no railroad there you can
have coach there and your mail is carried at all,
must be upon the backs OF mulesi or other beasts OF
burden, When we in our electoneering schemes. and
particularly during the year President is to be elected
ter enough 10 employ and break down stage after stage
and, sir when is banked up by cart loads and wagon
loads the wayside, have you not the right in the
OF very high mountain, even to make tunnel under
meath il 10 facilitate The passage OF your mails You
need not wait for the State to do in mountainous
glons thinly populated for they never will do IT. 1t IL
profit TO them. Ii is useless for commerce, and only
valuable for mail purposes and you the exclusive
manager and conductor OF the mails. II you wait for
the people in the vicinity 10 do il ii will never be done,
because they poor and sparsey settled owing 10 the
serlity OF The country The consequence is, that the
locality OF an intervening mountain burdens this govern
ment with heavy expenditures forever and reisds the
transportation OF the mails, and there is remedy, un.
less we have the constitutional power of making tun
mel half mile or mile under the mountain.
have thought proper TO present all these illustra.
hons TO show The distinction between and ends,
instruments and objecs We cannot enlarge the powers
or the objects OF Inc federal constitution | much
opposed to that as any man ying ln that respect am
sTuments 10 accomplish The great, beneceDt purposes
and objects of the constitution, think may freely
choose among the unnumbered instrumenaes OF human
genius and Improvement.
Now, sir, with these views find myself greatly per.
picked, and do not know yet what | ought TO do, IN
voting upon this BILL II my amendments rejected hav'
ing entertained these opinlons-having. as think, ma.
ured them by years oil refecionhaylng gone for all
works OF internal Improvement every whefe--and when
cannot get that which think my State ought to have,
sill going for those which benefit other Satesgoing for
q partial system, because national advantages
resulting IRON lit seems TO me that the democrats take
advantage OF principles, and appropriate them TO theiI
exclusive benefit Whenever they ask anything for in
eroa improvements they get my vote; but when ask
them TO reciprocae and extend the benefits 10 al
the States, they shrink into very narrow compass, and
say to me: We have no constitutional powers TO dc
what you wish take gifts OF your lands to i'm
prove the States in which the lands suated but W.
cannot allow you TO take the land or the money TO i'm
prove other Sates 10 accomplish the things you wan
for national purposes" peIplexes exceedingl,
10 know what to do in the attitude 10 which stand
Whether ought 10 help these gentlemen any longer
upon the principle avowed the other day, OF doing goot
for evil or whether should 20 with them no further
and stop voting for their improvements until see then
rise to my scale OF bealry and justice IS The perpex
ing question. For the present. shall wait TO see IN
fate oI my amendment, and only withdraw any commit
ment in fsvor OF the passage OF the bill
1t is insisted that rights propueior--a grea
landhoderand the advantages 10 be derived from IN
creasing the value OF the lands by these improvements
grant lands the States TO aid in the constructor
OF roads and canals, and to improve their rivers Now
these grants do not increase the value OF The lands 81
long as they retained by the government No matte
what improvements made the lands remain and ar
sold at the minimum price OF si IS per acre We can
not than that, without increasing the prce oy
additional legislation, this bill proposes to do Ih'
basis OF the argumeni therefore is entirely faliacious
There increase OF price, and can Oe none wlnout'
new law. But the gentlemen representing the ne"
States are willing to make new law and double ih
price of the alternate sections within SIX miles OF I'M
road That ho wever does not bring cent more int
the treasury. BY giving away hail. and only douohnl
the price OF the remainder the government receives OF
completing The sales exactly the same amount lhe or
Grafton of doubling the price OF the lands within sp
miles OF the road is losing business, as my friend iron
Georgia [Mr DAwsoNl demonstrated the other day. Ih
lands within six miles Of the line OF the road are takeT
up The minimum price soon as the road rs spoker
OIL and hence there is left upon which The new Law
doubog the price operate II follows. conclusivey
that every acre granted by the government at create