Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-06-21


| Gnsernal l0psovemeoss Ay he Fed
eral Ooveranens.
| Among the resolutions adopted by the
Democratic Convention lately assembled II
Baltimore. was the following:
"Thatthe constitution does not confer on the
general Government the power to commence
and carry on general system of internal inn
provements."
| The first inquiry that arises is. what did these
political managers mean BY the term general
system Of internal improvements Did they
mean system embracing every portion Of our
widespread Union. or only particular por-
toni Did they mean 10 embrace rivers and
ilarbors or to exclude them Z The negaiion
Of the power to commence and carry on a
general system admits BY inevitable inference
the power to commence and carry on some sys-
tenn. Wat 10 that system?
Do they mean tina. Congress may improve
| particular number Of rivers and harbors
II so what is that numbers it ten, or q hun
dred, or FIVE hundred! Do they mean to con-
cede the power 10 commence and carry on
particular number Of roads and canals If
90 what numberi Or do they mean to deny
the power az to both
The Western man will tell you the resolu-
lion was not intended to deny the power to
rivers and hsrbois. The man from New
York or Pennsylvsnia. will tell you that it does
not forbid roads and canals The man from
the South will tell you that it means gener
al nega,ion as to all these subjects. Gen. Pierce
will probably tell you that he construes the
lesolution.as the Convention did the resolutions
$50. according to its "obvious import" Now
if the object of these crecd-makers had been to
lay before the people great and fundamental
article Of the Democratic faith-to enlighten
and not to confound and dcceive-to assert
principle, not to "cover . trick'-how easy
it would have been, throwing aside all ambi.
guilty and equivoca,ion to have asserted, either
that Congress has or has not the power.
But this would have exposed to the people
the Numerically opposite views of different
wings Of the party. upon great ques'ion--a
result, which the harmonious Democracy
sought to avoid; and, hence a resolution assert
inga principle as common TO the party is de-
libera,ely and dcsignedly. so worded as to adj
nit Of as many constructions. as there are d.
verse opinions and interests in every portion Of
the Union.
We ask the Virginia Democracy to con-
,rast this duplicity-ths jesuistical ambiguity.
with the open. uncquivocal and direct denial
Of the power ofthe Federal Government over
this subject, and the denunciations Of its exer-
else which are to be found in the thousand and
one resolutions they have from time to time
adopted within the last quarter of a century.
We ask men Of all parties. to consider that the
denial Of the power to construct general sys-
TEN Improvements being the concession Of
power to construct partial or local system
the practical operation Of the policy would
be to introduce into the halls of Congress a
rotten system OF log rolling. and to frit,er away
the means of the Government in works of no
national utility.
A ridiculous recollection connected with this
resolution is, that it was adopted by the Con-
vention 164s, which nominated Gen. Cas- for
the Presidency. Another one Of the resolu
lions approved and lauded all the acts Of Mr..
Folks administration. Among those acts,
were one or two vetoes of internal improve
ment bills. for which Cass had voted. He
however did not hesitate to swallow down the
whole batch Of resolutions-assentngt to that
which approved the veto Of the bills for which
he had voted. as well a. all the others-whie
the Convention on their part,nominated the man
as the successor Of Polk. who had voted for
the BILL the veto Of which they approved
The resolution we have quoted was broad
enough and indefinite enough for both Polk and
Cass to stand upon. Could anything better
tnctive principles Of the party