Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-12-15
highest promise Of great and general useful.

A1BheSI RtVihise oi great and general useful.
ness gNHigI ya lJ rsbstevE .-.r,. ,-.faa,.r
w 4 have omitted y ask your favorable con-
sldeTatlOn tor the estimates of works Of local
character in twenty -seyen of the thirtY-one
States, amounting to one million seven hun
dred and ffty-fonr thousand FIVE hundred dol
larss because independently of the grounds
which have 90 often been urged against the
application Of the federal revenMerf0 works of
tins character, inequality with consequent in
1uStlce is inherent in the nature OF the propo-
sltion, and because the plan has proved entirely
inadequate to the accomplishment of the OBJ
jects sought aA bsnEnW 741M taalfF g.cHsg
4 The Subject Of Internal improvements,
claiming alike the interest and good will of
all, has nevertheless been the basis of much
political discussion, and has stood as a deep
craven line of division between, statesmen Of
eminent ability and patriotism. The rule Of
strict construction of all powers delegated by
the States to the General Government has ar
rayeditsef from time TO time, against the rapid
progress Of expenditures from the National
Treasury on works of a local character within
the. States. Memorable as an epoch inthe
history of of this subject is the message of
President Jackson, on the 9th of May, 1880,
which met the system of internal improve
ments in its comparative infancy but 50 rapid
had been its growth, that the projected appro-
priations in that year for works of this charac-
ter had risen to the alarming amount Of more
than one hundred million dollars.
\, In that message the President admitted the
difficulty of bringing back the operations Of the
government 10 the construction. Of the consltu
iion set Up in I798, and marked it as an admon-
itury proof of the necessity of guarding that in
strument with Sleepless vigilance against the
authority Of Precedenis, which had not the
sanction ofiIs most plainly defined powers.
90 Our government exists under a written COM
pact between sovereign States, uniting for
specific objects, and with specific grants 10 their
general agent. li, then, in the progress of its
administration there have been departures from
the terms and intent Of the compact, il is, and
will ever be, proper 10 refer back 10 the fixed
standard which our fathers left us, and to make
stern effort 10 conform our accounts 70 il.
W j would seem that the fact Of principle
having been resisted from ihe first by many Of
the wisest and most patriotic men Of the re-
public, and Pelicy having provoked constant
strife, without arriving at conclusion which
can be regarded as satisfactory to its most ear
nest advocates, should suggest the inquiry
whether there may not be plan likely 10 be
crowned BY happier results. aa
intending to assert any principle as opposed 10
improvements needed for the protection of in
fernaI commerce, which does not equally apply
to improvements upon the seaboard for the pro-
lection Of foreign commerce, submit 10 you,
whether il may not be safely anticipated that,
If the policy were once settled against apprO-
priatiOns by the general government for local
Improvements for the benefit Of commerce, To-
caliiies requiring expenditures would not, by
modes and means clearly legitimate and proper,
raise the fluid necessary for such constructions
as the safety or other interests of their com
merco might require. '- niaN nan1
fIhat can be regarded as a system, which,
in the experience Of more than thirty years,
has at no time so commanded the public judg-
ment a. TO give il the character Of settled
policy which, though il has produced some
works Of conceded importance, has been at
tended with an expenditure quite disprOporiOn-
ate is their value, and has resulted in squan-
dering large sums upon objects which have
answered no valuable purpose, the interests
Of all the States require il 10 be abandoned, un-
less hopes may be INDUCED for the future which
find no warrant in the past. rn r-
With an anxious desire for the completion
Of the works which are regarded by allr good
citizens with sincere interest, have deemed 10
my duty TO ask at your hands deliberate re-
consideration of the question, with hope that,
animated by desire to promote the permanent
and substantial interests Of the country, your
wisdom may prove equal to the task of deVising
and maturing plan which, applied 10 this sub
ject, may promise something better than con-
aiant strife, the suspension Of the powers Of
local enterprise, the exciting of vain hopes, and
the disappointment Of cherished expectations.
In exPending the appropriations made by the
last Congress, several cases have arisen in re-
latiUn TO works for the improvement Of harbors,
which involve questions as 10 the right of soil
and jurisdiction, aid have threatened conflict
between the authority Of the State and general
government. The rightto construct break
water, jetty, OF dam, would seem necessarily,
to carry with it the power to protect and pre-
serve such constructions .,.r
This can only be effectually done BY having
jurisdiction over the soil. But no clause Of the
Constitution 10 found on which 10 reSt the claim
Of the United States 10 exercise jurisdiction
over the sOil Of State, except that conferred
by the eighth section of the first article OF the
constitution. II is then submitted whether, IL
all cases where constructions are TO be erected
by the general government, the rights of soil
should not first be obtained, and legislative
For the pr ogress made in the construction Of
roads within the territories, as provided for In
the appropriations Of the last Congress, | refer
you to the report Of the Secretary Of War.
There is one subject of domestic nature,
which, from its Intrinsic importance, and the
many interesting questions Of future policy
which il involves, cannot fail 10 receive your
/ allude N the means Of communication, by
which different parts Of the wide expansc Of
our country are 10 be placed N closer conne4ion
for purposes both of defence and commercial
intercourse, and more especially such az aP-
pertsin 70 the communication Of those great
divisions Of the Union, which lie on the oppo.
site sides of the Rocky Mountains
That the government has not been nnmindfnl
Of this heretofore, is apparent from the aid i
has afforded, through appropriations for mail
facilities and other purposes. But the general
subject will now present itself, under aspects
more imposing and more purely national, BY
reason Of the surveys ordered by Congress- ana
now in the process Of completion. for cOmmunl-
cation by railway across the continent ana
wholly within the limits of the Y. States.
The power TO declare war, to raise ana sup
port armies, to provide and maintain navy,
and 20 call forth, the militia 10 execute the
laws. suppress insurrectiOn and rcPel invasionH,
was conferred upon Congress az means TO pro-
vide far the common defence, and 10 protect .
,aFrit6rv and population now widespread and
ya.fly multiplied. As incidental 10 and indiS-
pssnsabIe for the exercise Of this power, il must