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

III I0ASc pOSltiuh OeIoIc the peOple uPVu tno
vital question Of Harbor and River Improve
ments BY the General Government. II is well
known BY all that the whig Party has claimed
to BE- the exclusive champion Of the Peoples
rights and interests; and particularly has i.
through the medium of egotistical display, en-. !.
dsaxorea = anpear Y eAly shazIv1s NJ Isss
fH0 lLIIsty 81 III thsse pretcnsions however.
has never ceased to Be- palpably visible before
the enlightened eyes Of the American people
This is proved by no stronger argument, per-
haps, than the fact nakedly stated. tha: the
people have never entrusted the Whig Party
with the charge of the government twice 10
succession.
For the purpose Of correcting the falsencss Of
the ten thousand statements now being circu-
lated throughout the co, ntry by the Wings,
that the Democratic Party and FRANKLIN PIERCE,
its candidate for the presidency, are opposed to
Harbor and River improvements by the Gene
raj Government this document is published;
and it is to be hoped that it may have
that careful perusal which the facts it
tains, and the magnitude of the subject
upon which it treats, fully merit. We shall
fully show, by facts and figures, that four -ffths
| of all the money that has ever been appropria-
| ted for Harbor and River Improvements by
Congress, has been so appropriated by the De-
mocraiic Party, and on the true Democratic
Principle We shall prove by faithful data,
that the Democratic Party has ever fostered
these works, and that the best lights of the
Party-those Sages who have been the fathers
and supporters of Democracy. have also been
the fathers and supporters OF Harbor and River
Improvements.
The following resolutions. passed at the Bal
more National Democratic Convention, is the
pretext the Wings now avail themselves of to
falsfy the history of the country, and of the
Democratic Party:
2 That the CONSTITUTION does not confer
upon the GENERAL GOVERNMENTS the pow
ER to commence and carry on A GENERAL SYS-
TEN OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS
3. That tie CONSTITUTION does not confer autho-
rity upon the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, directiyor in
directly, to assume the of the seoeral States,
contracted for LOCAL and INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS
OR OTHER STATE PURPOSES; nor ,could
such assumption be just or erpedient
General Pierce in his letter of acc eptance
adopts the Platform of the Convention, and has
always maintained the policy of the Democratic
Party. How, then, can it be lruthfuly said
that he is opposed to Harbor and River In
provements?
The following article from the "Boston Post, -
sets forth vigorous exposition of the true re-
lation of the Democratic Party to this question
"The votes of General Pierce when in Con.
gress nearly twenty years ago, show that he is
entitled to the honor of having stood by the
indomitable hero of New Orleans when he
struck so decisive blow against the system OF
appropriating the National Funds for works OF
Internal Improvement. Members of Congress
who sustained President Jackson's policy de.
serve the gratitude of the country. Instead OF
meteing out such an award however, IAN unscru
pulous press is torturing his votes into deni
al Oh his part of all power in Congress to au
thorze appropriations for the improvement OF
any harbor, however urgently the wants of com
merce might demand such to be made. Thai
is, because General Pierce in Jackson's admin
istration voted against building railroads, dgin,
canals, and improving rirers, after the wholesal,
! Wing fashion of those days, they argue, there
fore he would veto bill wisely providing fo
needed improvements in the harbors of Bostor
sissipi. Though the very statement carrie
with it, on its face, rank absurdity, yet it ma,
be well at this time to state some facts abou
this old internal Improvement notion, the prac
: tice that grew up under it, and.th Hercuea,
effort required to check it.
This ultra Internal Improvement policy go
4 to be, by Wing Interpolation. one branch of tn
- called American system. The idea was t
collect as much revenue as possible by a higl
lterif. and 70 scatter it abroad among the peo
r1ple in appropriations TO aid in cutting canals
i building railroads. removing obstructions from
: rivers. and doing . thousand things in them
selves of salutary character, in order to de
velope the resources and build up the country
This country, j. was truly said. was surpasse
! by none on the surface of the globe; and henc
it was duty devolving upon those who occu
pied it to cover it with works-the fris nds {
this policy said-"on scale worthy of its in
! trinsic importance and Of the extensive resoul
: ces of this powerful nation;' and it was ais
held that these works should be aided in tw
: ways: lst, by direct appropriations Of none
by the Ger eral Government, and I'd, by til
la,ter's subscribing to stock in companies err
IF ated by the States.
J. This plausible policy, before the Maysvil
- veto, had been long coming to head. Coz
ar gress first sanctioned an approach to such
a. policy in 1877; but the bill received reto fro
PRESIDENT MADISON. Mr.. MONROE
\ that time was Secretary of State, and concurr
a. In the oe,o; and in his first annual message
y. reiterated the same objections that Madst
urged against this policy. Congress. howeve
assented to report on the subject. wherei
n the constitutional power to make these gran
70 was claimed, and wherein was affirmed ais
IN the expediency of exercising it. In 1922 &c
eral survey bill was reported. which in le
became a law-even President Monroe. TO i
deep regret of many of his republican friend
at length yielded to the general current. y
IS John Quincy Adams gave it the full weight
his character and party. In his inaugural a
dress as President IN 1895 he drew vivid p
: ture of the roads and acqueducts of old Ron
III and stated how they had been 'the admirati
of sfter ages" and predicted, as to the INTER-