The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-12-15

II taking the water from the great Falls OF Il
;. Potomac, and consequently gave It my a
g proval. For the progress and present col
; dtion Of this important work, and for its d.
4 mand 50 far as appropriations are concerne
: refer you to the report Of the Secretary
!, War
r. The present judicial system Of the Unite
: States has now been in operation for s
. long time. and has in its general theor
j.. and much of its details, become SO fainiis
to the country, and acquired so entirely tn
q public confidence. that if modified in any re
I spcct it should only be in those particular
which may adapt it to the increased extcn
/ population and legal business Of the Unite
! States. In this relation the organizaio
a Of the courts is now coniessedly inadequate
, to the duties to be performed by them. il
/, consequence of which the States of Florida
Wisconsin, Iowa. Texas, and California, an
, districts Of other States, are in effect exclu
f ded from the general system, by the func
. tions Of the circuit being devolved upon th
District Judge in all these States or parts 0
States. The spirit Of the constitution in re
gard to justice, requires that all the State
of the Union should be placed on the samt
footing in regard to the judicial tribunals
| therefore commend to your consideration
this important subject, which in my judg
ment demands the speedy action of Con
gress. Iwi!! present to you, il deemed de
sirable, plan which ! am prepared to rec
oinmend for the enlargement and modifca
ton of the present judicial system.
The act of Congress establishing tht
Smithsonian Institute, provided that tht
President Of the United States, and ether
persons therein designated should constitute
an establishment BY that name, and tha
the members shall hold stated and special
the Institution. The organization not hay-
ing taken place, It seemed to me proper that
it should be done without delay. This
has been done, and an occasion was thereby
presented for inspecting the condition q
the Institution, and appreciating its success
full progress thus far, and its high promise
of great and general usefulness.
have omitted to ask your favorable con
sultaton for the estimate Of work Of ioea
character, in twenty-seren OF the thirty
States, amounting to S1,7545Oo; because
independently Of the grounds which have
50 often bcca found against the application
Of the Federal Revenue for WORKS of this
character, inequality with consequent, inius-
ticc, inherent in the nature Of the proposal
and because the plan has proved entirely in
adequate to the accomplishment Of the OBJ
| iect sought The Subject Of Internal i'm
provements, claiming alike the interest ard
good will Of all, has nevertheless been the
basis Of uch political discussion. 1t has
stood as deep craven line between states
men Of eminent ability and patriotism
The rule District construction OF all pow
ers delegated by the States to the General
erlment has arrayed itself from time to
tims against the rapid progress of eypendl-
lures from the National Treasury in works
ola local character. Memorable as an epoch
in the history Of this subject is the message
lof President Jackson Of the 9th Of May
1880, which met the system Of Internal Ini-
provements in its comparative infancy; but
50 rapid has been its growth that the pro-
ljected appropriations in that year fer works
Of this character had arisen TO the alarming
amount of more than one hundred m lions
Of dollars. In that message the President
admitted the difficulty Of bringing back the
operations of the government to the con-
struction set up in 1898. 1t should be
marked as an adnonitory proof OF the ne
cessity Of guarding that instrument with
slcepcss vigilance against the authority OF
precedents which had not the sanction of
its most plainly defined power.
| Oar government exists under a written
compact between sovereign States uniting
for special objects and with special grants.
| If then in the progress Of its administration
lie c have been departures from the terms
and intent Of the compact, il is and ever
will be proper to refer back to the fixed stand.
ard which our fathers left us and make d
stern determination to conform our action tc
lit. 1t would seem that the fact Of n prnci-
pie having been resisted from the first, BY
many of the wisest and most patriotic men
of the republic. and the policy having pro-
voked constant strife. without having arri-
we'd at conclusions which can be regarded as
satisfactory to its most earnest advocates
should suggest the inquiry whether there
may not be a plan likely to be crowned BY
any happier results. Without perceivine
any sound distinction, or intendngto assert
any principles as apt to advance and needed
for the protection of internal improvements
land commerce, which does not apply to i'm
| 1rCvcments upon the seaboard for the pro
|tec io1 Of foreign commerce. | submit T.
you whether it may not be safely antieipa-
ted that ii the policy were at cnce against
the appropriations by the general govern
ment for local improvements, and for the
benefit of commercial localities, requiring
Expenditures, would not be made most clear
| ", legitimately and properly to raise the
| unds necessary for such construction rs
| the safety cfether interest Of their commerce
might require.
| Ii that can be regarded as system which
lin the experience of more than thirty
wears has at no time SO commanded the pub
lie judgement as to give it the character o.
a settled policy, which, though it has produ
ceu some works OF conceded Importance
has been attended with an expenditure
quite disproportionate to their values, ane
has resulted in squandering large sums up.
on objects which have answered no valuable
purpose. the intert SITS of all the States re
'luire that it should be abandoned un!es'
hopes may be indnlged for the future which
find no warrant in the past With an anS
iious desire for the completion OF the works
(which are regarded by all good citizens will
sincere interest | have deemed it my duty
to ask at your hanGs deliberate reconsider
alton of the question with u hope for tht
n substantial interests of the county you
wisdom may prove equal to designing ans
maturing plan which itarpied TO this sub
ject NAV promise something better than con
z straint, the suspension Of the power Of loca