The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28

4
would have laughed you TO scorn as false prophet He
would not have credited that IL was within the capacity
OF The people, the fiscal OF the States 10
eject such gigantic undertakings at the expense OF
many millions, and especially within short period
and therefore he would perhaps have gone with the inter
nal-improyement gentlemen Tor resortng 10 the govern
meni OF the United States for aid Now, in what stua-
ton would this country be If we had undertaken twenty
years TO construct all these railroads by the hands OF the
government instead OF leaving them TO the States and The
peoples appeal TO senators on both sides OF the cham
ber what would be present condition il the govern
men had undertaken TO construct these thousands OF miles
OF railroad which are now IN actual and benetcent oper-
alton Why, IN the hrst place. we would not have &C
comps hed one twentieth part; and il had accom-
pshed it, il would have been at the cost of twice the
which has been expended by the States and the
people Is that an exlrayagant caculaoni IL II Is adj
mted TO be JUST then figure up the result and see what
the cost would have been TO The country But that Is moi
all
There is another view OF the subject alarming some
OF though not perhaps 10 both sides OF the chamber
an equal degreeI the vast amount OF patronage
would have thrown into the hands Of the government
and which the system of internal Improvements now pro-
posed will necessarily confer am averse 10 an increase
of the patronage of the federal government think its
patronage has been TO the country heretofore.
unwilling TO give to il by my vote any increase And
yet sir the government is TO eembark IN this exploded
scheme OF general symptom OF internal improvements,
whereof the present BILL with its amendments. is but a
promonitoy symptom, what an army OF contractors and
agents will be subjected to its influences What horde
OF officers surveyors, and engineers will be dancing
attendance upon the executive departments! To com
pete the grateful picture behold the sovereign States
engaged in dgaifed scramble for the spoils of the
treasury, each claiming priority, and the stronger sec
lions obtaining it by successful combinations. Or il it
be left TO the executive department TO select the public
| works to be undertaken, may behold these same
soveregns bowling al the foot stool of executive power,
and loyalty to the administration made the price Of favors
conferred We had almost come TO that yesterday. i
proposed by the distinguished senator from Mchi-
gan to refer the whole subject OF surveys including the
places to be improved, TO officer OF the government
was proposed TO make general appropriation for that
object and leave it not TO Congress 10 say where the
veys should be effected, but to The executive department
OF the government upon which the power would thus be
conferred to say which State should be favored, and
which should not. | trust that day will come.
trust that shall restrict the patronage OF the federal
government within the narrowes limits; that we shall
moi add to the thousands Of postmasers, custom house
officers land receivers, Indian agents, &c, the vas,
swarm which great system OF internal improvements
will necessarily generate. Such an accumulation OF pa.
tronage may, apprehend be attended with disastrous
results. and prove too strong tor our institutions.
had occasion time ago to look into book, pub
lished by order OF Congress, entitled The OpnIons OF
the Attorneys General of the United States" found il
to be very interesting volume. 1t shows this: that
there is not officer from the hnmblest tide waiter up
TO the highest plenpoeHary, but has to apply to OF
the departments for ayors or extra allowances in the
course of his terra of office. If minister abroad
office 10 keep the archives of the legation if he wants
an extra clerk if he wants compensation for unexpected
charges he has had TO encounter he has TO TO the
department The arising before the departments
10 the construction of contracts the extension OF time,
or additional allowances to be made by the government
infinite The reason why had my attention specially
called 10 the subec, was this friend OF mine, before
The annexation OF Texas had charge oil Indian agency
and the ordered him go out Of that agency
and look after the Texas Indians, then threatening
inroad upon both the Texas frontier and our own, and
make treaty. believe il he could. He went there in
the midst OF hostile tribes, at the peril OF life, suppose
Tor many OF them the most wild savages in this
counlry-Arapahoes. / believe, Cumanches, Caddoes
and various others By and by he made application TO the
department Tor additional compensation, TO which he
outside of his agency. Ii referred to the Attorney
General, who overued the claim He asked me to look
through the volume OF opinions have referred to- and
study heques,lon and if did not concur with the At
iorney General, 10 write counter opinion, which he
would send TO the department. | looked through the
work, and found many cases OF like applications. only
cite this as an illustration Of the number OF per-
peiuay brought before the government, in which some
OF its officers have TO ask favors at its hands, to illus
its various departments and that therefore. ought io
avoid any such course of actonany such construction oil
the constitution in doubtful cases-as will lead to
cumua,on of patronage, and to those results which
finally terminate in the ruin of the conederacy. | sup
pose IL will be admitted that there is couupung
power than the power oil appointment, and the unlimited
control over the agents OF the in the varou.
particulars IN which their interests are directly con-
cerned.
do not know that should be opposed to this bill ia
all its parts, or disposed ask those who adhere the
old doctrines to vote against all the propositions it
tans Some OF them are for objects which have much
at heart, and desire TO accomplished But am afraid
this bill is mere entering wedge The system was
arrested for number OF years. From all sides Of the
chamber have heard complaints that this river and
that river, this babor and that harbo have been
elected for many years They have been without any Of
the pap OF the government and they camorous
they are crying and yoceratDg for IL, and suppose
they must have II. Bot the course indicated by The
amendments proposed by the Committee Commerce is
carried out in its spirit hereafter the treasury OF the
United States will be found inadequate 10 answer the
enormous demand without large increase OF taxation,
and the administration will have to reirace its steps,
the people will rise in their majesty and arrest this whole
system OF unequal, ruinous, and unconstitutional ex
penditure.
The times for those Of us who adopt the conservative
view are rather alarming; for when turn 10 the other
branch OF Congress- where had hoped to find safety in
large democratic majority, bill passed entitled AN
act making appropriations Tor the Improvement OF certain
harbors and rivers" That is the bill under consio.
Grafton here. Upon seeing that, turned my file OF
newspapers and read platform which adopted the
other day at Baltimore. When looked at the bill, and
looked at the platform, could not, for my life, reconcile
| them.
Our wing friends have adopted their platform 100
and they 20 for opening and repairing harbors, and
moving distractions IRON navgable rivers. As they
have majority in this body just now--not exactly a
majority OF their party but majority with them on
this question: desire TO how far their platform
| extends 1 say 10 them, shall watch them / want to
how far they going to carry the river and barbo
policy. have read IN their platform that the object must
be national and general IN ITS character. Now, per-
haps when the appropriation for the Susquehanna river
Perhaps the appropriation for the Taunton river may
It. As understand it, great many amendments 10
be offered TO the bill, and upon some OF them
their principle. III there are harbos high up the
Mississippi river, where ports OF entry made not
long since, in anticipation OF this question; where
toms coectable by law but will be collected
fact. those harbors will apply 70 have dredging boats
4 III a - -