Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-10-13

action u The (3ehefut 00Serpmeut 70 - u
propriass. National Conatitpsieaal spAsse. ~
A. md Il - RA1laI = r. s|l u
tfs n (ssf6&6l B III
jsf Ill bsnrAt q s6cAl and private interests.
wcre not willing to give up their darling pro.
jects; they resolved to gain their objects. Or
else defeat appropriations for all improvements.
when bill for works Of National, judicious
and constitutional character was presented
their plan was 10 attach to It others Of N OBJ
iectionable nature, aud insist that the whole
should stand or fall together. A bill provid.
ing for the improvement Of important Harbors
or removing distractions from the Mississippi
river, would be saddlcd with provisions for
objects of local and private character. so that
the good must be defeated or made to carry
bad with it. Such in fact were the bills against
which the votes of General PIERCE were given
which are now produced to prove him hostile
to all appropriations for the improvements Of
Rivers and Harbors. lie was aware then,
doubtless that his votes would be thus repre-
scnted; but that consideration never had
feathers weight in his mind in determining
his course upon such bills. Desiring at all
times to favor proper and judic'ous arPropra.
tions of this kind his stern sense Of constitu-
tional duty and his jealous regard for the in.
teres,s of the people, alike forbade his yield
Ing his support to wasteful and unconstitution.
al expenditures. even for the sake Of promoting
objects which he desired to secure. Whatever
others might do, he he'd but one course to pur-
sue in such cases, and that was to oppose ev-
cry bill which embraced appropriations for un.
constitutional or improper objects, even il in
so doing ho was forced to oppose those Of an
unobectionable aud desirable character.
The Democratic administrations, since the
. election of General Jackson, have done much
. more for the benefit Of Commerce, by the I'm
/ provements of Rivers and Harbors than all
other administrations since the adoption Of the
, Constitution and all Of i, has been done under
{ that constitution Of the Constitution to which
t General PIERCE subscribes. And this legsla-
g ton has embraced the Harbors of the great
i, Lakes aud the Rivers Of the West, as well -
v The TIarbors md coast Of the Atlantic. And
a such will ever be the case.
, Those who admit the constitutional power
. and duty of Congress to make appropriations
. for The Improvement of Harbors upon the At
! lantic, generally admit the power and propriety
/, Of improving such Ilarb0rs upon the great
Lakes as the convenience and safety Of their
vast Commerce require; and in regard to GER
tain class of Rivers. there is as little doubt.
The principal difficulty 10 to determine which
. arc proper objects Of congressional legislation,
4, and which are not The late Si'as Wright,
whose autl oriy will be questioned by few
friends of proper and judicious improvements
. Of this character, admitted that he was unable
j, to draw the line between the two classes. and
. he says: "The facts anl circumstances are SO
n very variant between thevarious applications,
that doubt whether any general rule can be
:. laid down which will be found just and prac-
!. t,ca' and think the course most likely to De.
70 cure a satisfactory result, with the least dan.
ID ger Of violation of principle, would be to'
. Congress to act separately and Independently upon
n zach application. There has appeared to me Il
a. be one broad distinction between thes'
h, cases, which has not always been regarded
. but which think always should be. 1t i
~ between the applications to protect and secur
exists and is regularly carried on in def
:, ance Of the obs,ructions sought to be removes
" and in the face Of tho dangers they place il
!, its way, and those applications which ask 70
Improvement Of Rivers that Commerce may b
- extended upon them where it 10 not. The on
4. class appears to me 10 ask Congress to regulaf
. and protect Commerce upon Rivers whsre Con
...f fu~A o,.A A1xn 1knpk ~
=, upon rivers where il docs mot exist" And
:. similar principle holds in regard 70 Harbor'
But ia both cases, the dffcuity .of obtaining ar
!. = propriations for proper objects ofthis kiss
would be entirely obvisted II each cass was 4
lowed to stand upon its own merits. unconnse
- - ted with speculative schemes which have :
merit But II the friends Of proper. necessar
=. aud judicious improvements allow them 70
" connected with those Of = contrary charactsl
: both must fail; to grant all the app'ications &
local and spec alaiive projects which are mad
to Congress. would consume the whole ~
- tional revenue. and soon involve the countr
in enormous debt. 1t is against such projects
such wholesale schemes Of plunder and spe<
- ulaton that the Democratic party has set II
~ face; and they will continue to do SO to tn
~ end; while they have always favored such jud
n1 clous and necessary Improvements OF River
.a aud Harbcrs as the safety and convenience
:, general Commerce demand.
nd We have thus cndeavorcd to show the tru
and Only ground now occupied by :be Dcm'
DIG aratic Party ard it's Candidate. 1t will be 4
On the people to decide between the two parti,
Of upon this question. That their decision wi
,a be in IA ,nr Of the men and measures Of u
" Democratic party, TO whose care have SO ofte
me been committed the great interest Of the coul
'ell try, one and all, few will very strongly doub
md To the Democratic party ARE the people indeh
ed for most Of all the pro sperity Of theconntr,
'uo To this party is the whole country indebted 4
'ro- its improvements of Harbors and Rivers, al
,tic all those other necessary means Of oommer'
Ill. which they enjoy. 1t will be for them to d.
49,. termne whether they will not choose rather
'e' place that party in power which has alwa,
0as heen true to the interests We have defended
'nts this documentary electing FRANxLIx hEG
CON to the Prc,idcncy--a statesman aud schois
= or a military ehicftain whoau il cannot be su
- posed has ever been able " tLrn ais attenti,
ort to so an important object the impro,
de- nient Of Harbors and Rivers: whose who
S os course OF lite has besn in different sphere
- in the army. To the staresmans hands a
om mater OF great civil importance like this
de be htly committed,