Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-12-16
VOL: V.

interest of the States Ia which tho works are loca "a
and at The same time the substantial interests Of all
the other States, by enhancing the value and promo
ting the rapid sale Of the public dYfran. refer YOU
to the Report Of the Secretary of the Ioteror 4
careful examination, however, will show that thig
experience the rcsult If ust d criminaon, ond
wili he Tar from stOrling encouragement to a TeCk
less or indscrin exfension cf the pyigciplo.
commend to your favorable ansiieration tho mer
OF genius of cur country who, by their inventions and
discoveries In scitrca aud art have n'rbuted large
~ 10 the Improvement Of the age, without in MANY
lntances, securing FIR themselves anything like ar
adequate reward. For mspy interesting daails upor
th's SUI ct refer yon TO The appropriate reports
ana especially urge upen early attention the sp
parentiy slight, but really ihn1rtant notifications
existing laws ther, insuggestei
Inc literal spr.: which has so long uaarsed the
tio1 of Congress in relation to the District of Column
sa will have no doubt. tnue TO rs manifested
The erection of an asylum for tie insane Of the
District ct C0lumSis, and of the Am and Navy
the United State, has been somewhat retarded; but
full preparation for tha reception IF Taen's bsore
tho return of anstber wiutsr, il anticipated; AMI
there he best to bali We, from the plan and
ntenpla.ed arrar gsnents wh,h have hsen dsvised
with the large expererc, furnished within tho last
few years in relation 70 tha treatment of the 1i'ease,
that 1t will prove an asylum ind cd to this most hap
less and aii ;ted class Of u rers, and stand as no
Bile m onumeut of wisiom ard merry.
Under the acts Of Congress of AIg. 81. 1852, and
OF NJ arch 1853 designed to for the ciiis o.
washington and Gesrgsto9n abundant supYly Of
anime the rpprt and pins Of the engineer who had
charge Of the surveys unler tbs act first namd. The
BEST II not the ony plan, celebrated 10 secure perma
nently the object sought was that which nonempates
taking the water from the great falls Of the PJom'c
ard. consequ ntly gave 1t my approval.
For the progress and present condition OF this i'm
portant work, and for its demands, so far appro-
priatons are coFcorned, refer you to tbs report of
the Secretary of War.
The rrescn. i1lic'al sgsteul OF tre United States
has now been in operation far so long period Of
time. ard has in It's general theory and much Of its
details become familiar the country and ACQUIRED
60 entirely the public ear iience, that If modiad in
any respect, it should only be in those particulars
wh'ca may adapt 1t to tho increased rxent, popu'a
ton and legal hus1css Of the Unie9 States. II this
relation, the organzaion of The courts is caufess
ediy inadequate TO tho duties 70 be performed hy then
IN ems qusnce of which The States Of florida. Wis
consn, loTe, I xas acd California;, ani districts Of
other States are IN f,c tx udei from the full bon
tfts OF the general svsten by the functions of the
Cr1ut urt being devpved on the Dis'rc' Juag's IN
all those States, or psrts IF States.
The spirit of the Constitution, and due regard 10
Justice require that al the Sta's o the Union should
be placed the footing in regard to the judicial
tribunals. I therefore commend to your consideration
this imro-taEt SUI sct which, in my Judgment. de-
mands the speedy a III II ngress. win present
to yoa. if deemed desirable. plan, which am pre-
pared to rocoInrnd. far the enlargement and modi-
fcation Of I! e mes Mt juiiral system.
The act Of Congress establishing the Smithsonian
Instuti provided that tho President of the United
States. and other persons therein desg should
constitute an /" establishment" by that name and
that the mombars should held stated and spesial
meetrgs for the superv sion Of the affairs of
the Insti ion. Tbs orgsn'zEtion net aving
taken place. it ell to proper that ii should De
effected without delay. This has been dpne and an
occasion thershy presented for inspecting the en-
dition of the lastitui1n and anpraciGting its snccss
full progress thus far and lis hgi promise of geat
and general usefulness.
have omitted to ask your Favorable consideration
IF W ys al n IOo1 charac n
twenty seven OF the thirtv-one States amounting 10
enc million tunl rod and fifty four thousand
Eve hundred dollars, beceuse independently Of the
grounds which have 81 often bca urEed against the
application of the Fiefa venue for works Of this
character inequqliy WITH consequent Injustice is in
heren in the nature Of tho proposition and because
the lan has pr we'd entirely inadequate to the accom-
plishment of the object sought.
The subject of internal immovemsnts, claiming
alike the interest AID good viii OF ALL has nevertheless
been the SUI Jet Of much political discussion, and has
stood AS deep gravcn line Of Of division between
Statesmen of graf ability and patriotism. The rule
Of strict constrostisnpf all powers deesatd Nv the
States t, the Gensra Governr. Mt has arraved itself
from tine 70 tiue e"einst tfe rand progress Of
pepdi'ures from the National Treasury works 0f
local character within the S'atrs. Memorable
epoch in the history Of the SUI ct IS the Mos ~
President jackson. of the 27 y of Nay, $780, which
met tie system of intIrna improvements in i's com
paratve fancy; but rapa had been its growth.
that the irjac ed approrriainos in that yHar For
works of this character had risen IN the ala: ming
amount Of more than hundred millions Of dollars.
In That mcFsare TIE President admitted The difficulty
of bringing back thn nperaiions Of the vernment 10
the construction Of the Constitution So. MP ia l79S
and marked it admonitcrv proof or the necessity
of guarding thnt insrumens With s'eeples vigilance
against the authority Of presidents which bad rot the
sanction Of the most plainly fined powers.
Our Government exists under a written compact
between foverei.u St2tes. uniting FIR spee;fc objects
nsd with specific grants 10 their general agent. IT,
Them in the prcgres Of its administrator, there have
been departures from the terms and intent of the
contract, IL H. end viii ever be- urcrer to refer back to
The fixed standard which onr fathers left us, and
make stern efflTt t. conform action 20 il. II
would seem that the fant of principle having been
resisted from tho first hv many of the wss' AMI most
patriotic men of the Eepnhlic, and a pm,cy having
provoked Consistent strife without arriving OF a
cusion which can be regarded rs satisfactory to its
most earnest advocates should suggest the inquiry
whether there may rot h. Fau likely TO be crowned
by happier results. Without Terceiving any sound
distinction intending to any pinci-e rs on
pOssd TO improvements needed for the protection Of
inrernal commerce, which does not equally apply to
Improvements upon the seahoard for the protection Of
foreign comm rec. submit to you, whether it may
not be safely anticipated that if the policy once
settled against appropriations fy the General vern-
Inent for loca improvements for the benefit of COM
nerce localities requiring expenditures would not, by
m)des ard clearly legitimate and proper raise
the funds necessary for such construction the safety
or ether interests Of thair commerce might quire.
II that can be regarded a system, whicS, in the
experience Of more hsn thirty years, has at time
go commanded the rubie judgment IS to give it the
character OF settled palicy-which though IT has
produced some works Of c'n,eded importance, has
been attended with an expenditure quite dispropor-
tomato to their Ysue7ni hes resalted in SOU ander
ing large SUNS upon objects which have answered
v,luahe purp osethe Interests Of all the States
q lire it to be Ybandou:d, un'ess hopes may be ia
I'ged fox the future which fn9 warrant from tie
sast.
With an anxious dssire for the completion Of the
II
your hands deliberate reconsideration Of tie gus
tim, with hope that animated by dCsra to pro-
mote the pcrmanSRt and substantial interests Of tn
country, your wisdom prove equal 70 the task OF
devisipg and maturing plan, which applied to this
subject az promise something batter than cons ant
strife the suspension Of The pow of lc enterprise
the exciting OF vain hopes and the disappointment of
cherished expectations.
In expanding the appropriations made by the last
Congress- several arisen in relation to works
for the i'm pray. nq Of harb0rs, which invo!v2 ques
tim as to the right e soil and u'i dictiop and have
threatened ct between the authority Of the Stale
an General GOvernments. The right 10 construct
traakwater jety, or dan, would seem, necessary, to
cary with il the Protect and preserve such
constructions. THIS only be eGs,suaily d0Dc by
having jurisdiction over the soil. But clause Of the
Constitution is found, which to rest the cl9p of
tn United States to ex ,rcse Jurisdiction the soil
Of State except that conf rred by the eighth section
submitted whether in all cases where constructions
l.. - n y tta