New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-10-23

'.,x ies.sn hs, ~ Petersburg q principle which il
,dopted would ,top every species OF improvement ana
compel us leave he worid N IN =, r na." c,,
I.fisls I.nrs X POLK succeeded Mr. TYLER Com-
,. from Tepnessee was hoped that he would carry
into the Government somewhat Of the nationality OF zen
JACKSON But Mr. Polk exceeded all his prcdccessors
in The nr1owness and severity Of his theories He not
oply vetoed the bills for continuing the hsrbors when
had been commenced by General JACKSON, but he niiy
denied all authority whatever in the National Govern
menf 10 expend money for any such ebleets-d ouhc-
ing the whole utterly unconstitutional
The reefon be gave would equally include hghthou-es
snd beaoons To be consistent he should nave Vetoeo
them slfo, butthey were allowed to siana--sl ' io'
time ~
forward plan FOR the virtual DIVISION and d,rnener
Ynept Of ali the navigable of the Upion-he h
s,spui the Lakes and sl-aDd the abandonment OF all
authority regulate their Improvement by the National
Government. The plsn was distinctly proposed In an
elaborate message which recommended that Congress
should at once give is consent in advance that each
suite should levy tnnege duties all vessels entering
the harbors within IL hnite-to be applied 20 the
improvement Of rivers and hsrbors within such
6rits exclusively by the State and in such
manner es ns local authorities should see nj
thus reproducing at stroke the evils Of the old Con-
MISUNDERSTANDING 10 atoms the fabric which the Con-
sffuiion intended 10 and destroying those two
rrcat cardinal and prominent tcetures-he unity and
the freedom Of our navigable waters-which distin
guh America from all the other nations Of the world
On the 5th Of July, ls47 Convention Of Delegstes-
10 considsr the condition Of nay gable watersrom
eighteen of the States assembled at Chicago large
commercial city in the heart OF the continent near the
southern extremity Of Lake Michigan and preemnen'y
hitting place for such an assenbage General Cass in
the speech TO which have alluded terms IT, sneeringly
a"renowned ConvocatOn.' II wss indeed renowned
MS well in numbers in weight of character and psrl
otto devotion TO the country and its best interests, and
Ia oil theee refpece and above all in the decent deco
6f It's proceedings, will stand comparison with
any Jubc body ever assembled in America, not except
ing Congress itself
The interests of the country greatly suffering
Our lake. and rivers strcwed with wrecks, which
the cruel neglect of Of the Government had causclnd
the sufferers spake plainly. The place VI meeting
Immediately Opposite the great peninsula vi ach
gan-a state Of large and iDcrcaSing commerce, and
greatly needing safe and commodious marlboro and
State moreover, which had cnrred forward Gen CAss
10 wealth and greatness lie was respectfully invtei 10
stt nd this Convention but circumstances prevented
him. What those circumstances were, were never pub
cly known, until his recent speech IN the Senate winch
distinctly that he abstGned from attending, be-
cause be satisfied that it got mp for the ur-
pOse q injuring Mr. Polk, and through nm NE bsn'
cratic party"
have no wish TO comment upon this avowGl, further
than TO that il establishes two imporantiacts ON
the very beet authority the first of which Il, thT the
Democratic party are thus distinctly ldcnimed WIN
Mr. Polk enemies 10 the improvements IN question
and the second that the power OF the American fre-t
dent has indeed become dangerous, when Senator OF
the United States in where the Interests OF ms
State vitality concerned does not dare openly to dis
sgree with the Executive, take any efficient means 10
resist the of his authority IL aso shows the utter
folly OF eectng that office either an absractionist or
an ay of absractiO nists under the vain expectation
that Congress will be able 10 restrain HIM from the w.
rsnncnl exercise of the veto power with which the
Constitution has clothed him. Experience has taught
we'll that in the power OF the American President
10 resist all for the improvement of navgabe
water he is 10 all nents rs much an autocrat as the
Gar OF Russia. And shall we with eyes open,
ter upon another dynasty Of misrue and follyf
The Chicago Convention appointed Committee o
two each the States represented In the ConVen
ton, TO collect and embody information as TO the trade
Of the Western waters, and the necessity for ts more
efficient protection with proper memorial, 10 be pre-
sented TO Congress. The duty Of prenarn. that IN
portant paper vindiee.iny the constitutional authority
Of the MARION and rho necessity of ts exercise was com.
nitted TO john c. SPENCER, of New-York; and 1t Is
enough say that his great powers were thrown wholly
into the work. The mastery exposition which he then
made not only of the right and duty Of Congress TO m
prove cur Rivers and Iarbors but OF the utec faacy,
folly, and unconsttutionuly OF the proposed pan OF
Rtate tunnage duties is of the most valuable state
papers ever produced in this country Let our op2o
nents answer il. if they can
The scheme Of State tuunage duties did not, AFTER ALL
originate with Mr. Polk. The true author JONI
C. CALHOUN OF South Carolina who saw in II plan pc
cuarly harmonizng with his views OF State sovereignty,
and well calculated TO enfecblo the national authority
Shortly after the of Mr. POLK Mr. RHErr OF y g.,
introduced bill into the House OF Representative Wv
ing the consent a Congress to the local tunnngc dules
10 be levied by the States IL referred to the Com
mittee OF Commerce. OF which WASHINGTON Hunt,
the present Governor of the State of New YORK, was
Chairman Earnest efforts used by Mr. RiiErr 10
point out to Governor HUNT the peculiar advantages
which New.York would derive in leyyng local duties,
from her geographical POSITION holding the very gates
of commerce both ON the Atlantic and the Lake. But
WARRINGTON Hunt was National Wing, and loyafto
the Com uiiOn IL enough tor hliI "a u IL tof all
GOOD Whigs that New York should be part OF one great
Republic lie scorned to seek and would not accept al
vantages for his State by measure that would weaken
the Unicn but presented to the House report con
demnine plan in the strongest terms II took broad
and comprehensive view of our commerce. foreign snd
domestic and the Just right OF every portion Oh the
Union he aiily protected, and placed ON apropor ma
tiona bas the duty which the Government mad 20 long
neglected 1t also reprObsted the arbitrary veto, by
which the President had deieeted the Harbor Bill The
report accompanied by four separate re 'ouilon
upon which vote was obtained IN July lsiS amer a
desperate resistance by the friends of the Executive.
The frst re oution asserting the power OF The Naon
al Government TO improve Rivers and HarboTs. was
passed by vote OF l2S Ia 80
The second, asserting the cxpcdeucy Oh cxerchlnS
that power, was passed by n vote OF ll2t %
The third disappearing the veto OF the President was
passed by 81 To IL.
stnte tunnncc duties, was passed by 100 TO ~.
Ii no, being practicable to obtain two-thIis OF the
House 10 pnss the Harbor Bill notwithstanding the yeso
the bill iuiled and Lskcs and Rivers were len to
their fate
In November Of that year, ZACHARY TAYLOR was
chosen President of the United States aud was really
believed 10 be impossible that this important national III
ieret could be longer neglected But such was the vio
lepcc Of paIty or go great the fear OF offending South
that nearly four years elapsed before
the Whcs could succeed IN passng RIVER ana haroof
Bill Their opponents held majorlues IN both Houses,
and steadily reus TO pass it, until late in the summer
Of the present year. when the approach OF the Pre
Dental election and the apprehension OF losing the votes
al the Stues inisre ted in internal navigation operated
10 convince a sufficient number of the cNpetency OF
voting for the bill 1t is almost needless TO say that NIL
LARD FILLMORE the Wing President, signed II w;houta
NOME s hesitation.
I, mmst bc Obvious that this revival of the River and
Harbor policy is only temporary, aud VIII again be
abandoned unless the people can succeed at the ap,
preaching election in placing Whig IL al. tFSSicat"
~, have ACtS,
that position an absractions or Northern ally OF 9o
strsctonls,s What can we possibly expect we elee;
any but Whgf It's already distinctly announced oy
lesst Of opcrness and candor-tha, General PIERCE
elected VIII abandon the policy just renewed Now
can we will we, consent that the proccuhg arm % Iie
- Ii L.. uL..l.