Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-10
sTAUNToN, VA. DECEMBER TO- 1853

first Inv many of the wiscst and most patriotic mc
of the republic, and apolicy having provoked cor
Slant strife, without arriving at conclusion whic
can bo regarded as satisfactory to its most carDes
advocates, should suggest the inquiry whethe
there may not be plau likely to be crowned b.
happier results. Without percciving any souu'
distinction, or intending to assert any principle u
opposed to improvements needed for the prOtcc
tion of internal commerce, which does not equall
apply 10 improvements upon the seabOard for th
protection of foreign commerce, submit to you
whether ii may not be safely anticipated that, II tn
pulicy were once settled against appropriations b,
the general government for local improvements TO
the benefit of commerce, localities requiring OK
ucpdtures would not, by modes and means clcarI,
legitimate and proper, raise the fund necessary fo
such constructions as The safety or other nterest
of their commerce might require.
If that can DC regarded as system, which, II
the expcriencc of more than thirty years, has at NJ
time SO commanded the public Judgment as to give
1T the character Of settled policy- though
il has produced some works Of conceded import
anto, las been attended with an expenditure quite
TO their value, land has resulted
in squandcrng large sums upon objects which have
answered no valuable purpoSe,-the interests OF al
the States requrcitto to bo abandoned, unless hopes
may bu indulged for The future which liud no war.
rant in the past. 80
With an anxious desire for Tic completion Of tho
works which arc regarded by all good ctizcns with
sincere interest, have deemed il 10y duty 10 ask
at your hands deliberate reconsideration OF tlie
question, with II hope that. animated by desire to
promote the permanent and substantial interests Of
The country, YOUR wisdom may prove equal ~ the
task ul dc, sing and maturing plan, which, appli-
cd to this suhiest. may PROMISE something better
than constant strife, tho suspension Of the powers
of local enterprise, the exciting Of vain hopes, and
the disappointment ol1chcrisled expectations.
In cxpending the appropriations made by the
lss Congress. several cases have arisen in relation
to works for the Improvement of harbors, which
Involve question as to the right of soil and juris-
tliction, and have Threatened conflict between the
of the State and general govcriincnts.-
The right 10 construct I break water, lctty, or
dam, world scem necessarily, to carry with II the
bower TO ~ occt and preserve such constructions
This can only be eiiectualiy done by having jris-
diction over the soil. But 10 clause Of the con-
stitution is found, on which to rest tho claim Of
the United States 10 exercise jurisdiction over The
soil Ola State. except that conferred by the eIelrh
section Of the iirst article Of the constitutions IL
is, then, submitted, whether. in all cases where
arc 10 be erected by the general gov
,ahmcni, llIc Fight of soil should not first be oG-
taiucd, and Legislative provision be niado to cover
all such cases.
For tic progress made in the construction OF
roads within The territories, as provided Tor in tho
OF the last congress, refer yon tO
The report ofthc Secratary of War.
There is one subject of Il domestic nature, Which
from its intrinsic Importance, aud the many inter
csting questions of future policy WHICH it Involves.
cannot fail to receive your carly attention. at
lr!tc to The meiIls Of communication, by which
different parts ofthc wide cSpasc ofour country arc
f In, tn
of ,lcicucc and commercial intercourse, and moro
ESPECIALLY such as appcrtaiu to the communication
of those great divisions of the Union, which lie
Oh Tie opposite sides Of Inc Rocky Mountains; \
That the government has not been unmipdinl Of
this heretofore, is apparent from The AID u has az
fvrdcd, through, appropriations for mail facilities
aud ether purposes. But tllcegcneial SUBJECT VIII
now presuut itself uuaer aspects more imposing
and more purely national by reason OF the surveys
ordered by Congruss, and now IN tho process Oi
for communication by railway across
the continents aud wholly within tie limits ol The
Tie power to declare war, TO raise and support
armies, To provide and maintain navy, and to
cali forth the militia 10 execute the laws, suppress
aud repel insaslous. was conferred
upun Congress, as means to provide for the com
mon deieuce, andto protect a territory aud pop
ulalion nov wide spread aud vastly multiplied.
AS incidental to and Indispensable for the exercise
uf this power, it must sometimes bc necessary to
military roads aud protect harbors OF
OF refuge. To appropriations by Congress for such
objects, no sound objection can DO raised. Hap
PLY for our country, its peaceful policy and rap
idly increasing population impose upon us no ur-
gent nee essity for preparation, and leave but few
trucklcss deserts between ass;lilablc poius and
patriotic people ever ready and generally able to
protect them. These necessary links, tho enter
prise and energy of our people are steadily and
boldly struggling to supply. All experience at-
firms that, wherever private enterprise will avail,
il is most wise for tho general government to leave
to that and individual watchfuness the location
and execution Of all means OF communication.
Tue surveys before alluded to were designed to
ascertain the most practible aud economical route
for railroad from the river Mississippi to the Pa
ciic ocean. Parties arc now iu the field making
explorations, where previous examinations had
not supplied sufficient date, and where there was
the bost reason to hope the object sought might be
found The means and time being both limited, it
is not to bc expected that all the accurate knowl
edge desired will be obtained but it is hoped that
much important information will be added to the
stock previously possessed and that partial, il not
full reports of the surveys ordered will be received
in time for transmission to the two Houses of Con-
gress on or before the first Monday in FEBRUARY
next, as required by tho act of appropriation
The magnitude of the enterprise contemplated has
aroused and will doubtless continue TO excite a
very general interest throughout tho country In
its POLITICAL its commercial, and its military bear
ings it has varied, great, and increasing Claims to
consideration. The heavy expense, the great de.
lay and at times, fatality attending travel By eth.
er of the isthmus routes: have demonstrated the
advantage, which would result from Intentional
by such safe and rapid means US
railroad would supply. s
These difficulties, which have been encountered
in period of peace, would be magniflcd and still
further increased i'll time ofwar. But whilst the
already encountered, and others
under new contingencies to DC anticipated, may
serve Strikngly to exhibit the importance Of such
Il work, neither these, nor all considerations COM
bined can have an apprcciable value, when weighed
against the obligation, strictly to. adhere 10 the
constitution, and faithfully to execute tile powers
it confers Within this limit and to tho extent Of
the interest Of the government involved, it would
seem both eXpediont and proper, If an ECONOMICAL
aud practicable route shall be found, to aid, by all
constitutional means, in the construction Of road,
which will unite, by speedy transit, the populations
of the Pacific and Atlantic States. To guaad a.
ganst misconception, it should bc remarked that,
although the power to construct, or aid in the con-
struaton Of road within thclimits Of territory
is not embarrassed by that question Ut Jurisdiction
which would arise Within the limits Of State, il is
nevertheless held TO be Of doubtful propricy, even
within the limits of territory, for the general
government to undertake TO administer the affairs
Of railroad, acana, or other similar construction,
aud therefore that its connexion with work of
this character should be incidental rather than pri
mary. ! will only add, at present, that, fully ap-
the magnitude of the subject, aud Solic-
tuuS that the Atlantic aud Pacific shores of the
republic may be bound together by insepcrablc
ties of common interest, lis well as Of common fc-
ty and attachment to the Union, I shall DO dis
posed, 50 far rs my own action is concerned, to
follow the lights of .hc constitution, as cxpounded
and iIluStratedby those, whose opinions and cx-
,nsitions rousfituIo tlc standard ~ my nnlitral