Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-12-19

amounting to 81 ,754 500, because inde-
pendently of the grounds which have SO
often been found against The application
of the Federal revenue for works Of this
character, inequality with consequent in
justice is inherent in The nature of tbs
proposal, and because the plan has proved
entirelyinadequate tothe accomplishment
ofthe objects sought. The subject of In
ternalImprovements, claiming alike the in
terests and good will of all has, neverthe-
less, been the basis of much political dis
cussion. 1t stood as deep craven line
between Statesmen of eminent ability
and patriotism-the rule Of strict con-
struction of all powers delegated by the
States to the General Government las
arrayed itself, from time TO time, against
the rapid progress OF expenditures from
the national Treasury in works OF To-
cal character within the States. Mem
! orable as an epoch in the history of this
subject is the Message of President
Jackson, of May 29th, 1880, which met
the system of Internal improvements in
its comparative infancy, but so rapid had
been its growth that the projected APP.
preparations in that year for works of
this character had arisen to the alarm
ing amount of more than one hundred
millions of dollars. In that Message the
President admitted the difficulty of
bringing back the operations of the Gov
eminent to the constructions of the Com
stitution, set up in 1898. II should be
marked as an admonitory proof of the
necessity OF guarding that instrument
with sleepless vigilence against The au.
thority of precedents which had not tic
sanction OF lis most plainly defined pow
err. Our Government exists under a
written compact between several States,
uniting for specified objects and with
special grants. Ii in the progress of its
administration there have been depar-
lures from the terms and intent of the
compact, it is and ever will be proper TO
refer back to the fixed standard whith
our fathers left US, and make stern de-
termination to conform our action to il.
1t would seem that the fact of princi.
pie having been resisted from the first,
by many of the wisest aid most patrio-
tic men of the Republic, and the policy
having provoked constant strife, without
having arrived at a conclusion whict
can be regarded as satisfactory to its
most earnest advocates, should suggest
the inquiry whether there may not be
plan likely to be crowned by any hap
pier results.
Without perceiving sny sound dis
tinction, or intending to assert any prin-
ciple, as apt TO advance and needed for
the protection of Internal improvements
and Commerce, which does not apply to.
improvements upon the seaboard for the
protection of foreign commerce, sub,
NIT TO you whether it may not be safe
~ anticipated that if the policy were at
once against appropriations by the Gen
eral Government, for local improve
ments, and for the benefit Of commerce,
localities requiring expenditures would
not be made most clearly, legitimately
} and properly to raise the fund necessa-
~ for such construction as the safety OF
ether interests of their commerce might
require. Ii that can be regarded as o
system which in the experience Of more
than thirty years, he's at no time so com
manded the public judgment as to give
it the character Of a settled policy, and
which, though it has produced some
/ works OF conceded Importance, has been
attended with an expenditure cutie dis
proportionate to their value, and has re-
suited in sqandcring large sums upon OBJ
jects which have answered no valuable
purpose, the interests of all the States
requires that it should be abandoned, un-
less hopes may be INDUCED for the fu-
ture which find no warrant in the past
With an anxious desire for the compile
ton Of the works which are regarded
by all good citizens with sincere inte-
1 rest, I have deemed it my duty to ask
at your hands deliberate re-considera-
tioh of the question, with hope that,
for the substantial interests of the coun-
try, your wisdom may prove equal to the
task OF designing and maturing plan
which if applied to this subject, may pro-
mise something better than constant Sis
pension of the power of local enter
prize,the exciting Of warm hopes and the
disappointment. OF cherished warm expec-
tations.
j In expanding the appropriations made
: by the last Congress, several cases have
arisen in relation to works for the i'm
provement of Harbols, which involys
the question as to the right of soil and
jurisdiction, and have threatened con-
fiict between the authorities of the State
and General Government. The right to
construct brsakwater, jetty of dam,
would seem necessarily to carry with it
the power to protectin presence Of such
constructions. This can only be effec-
ttially done by having jurisdiction over
the soil, but no clause of the Constitu-
ton is found on " hich to rest the claim
of the United States to exercise juris-
diction over the soil of State, except
that contained in the 9th section of Art.
l of the Constitution. 1t is then submit
ted, whether in all cases where con-
structions are to be erected by the Gen
eral Government, the right Of soil should
not first be obtained and legislative pro-
vision be made to cover such cases. For
the progress made with the construction
of roads within the Territories, as pro
yid1d for IN fhe errronriatianr ef laef