Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-11-22

such power is strisney illustrated by the wcaulhenc
fact that il distinctly proposed TO the con'en
which formed The constitutions by leading member and
eonded by another 10 create The office oil occfoaty u
mestic Affairs" whose duty IL should be to alGhu 10 t m
tiers of public police tho state OF agriculture ana au
tures the opening OF roads and narlgdttons anu ac
commerce through the United Sutes without s receW
the favor IF adoption by that body while the Proposon
confer the power ITO provide for cnting canals wherc ne
II sary" distinctly neeatived by the strong vote OF ef.
States to hrse. Win this latter vote fell The proPosi'0'
" grant charters OF incorporation by Congress.
The abolition by Congress of all customhouse fees -
duty chips and vessels with permission to The States
impose tonnage duty not TO exceed certain amount WIN
il would relieve OF voSatiOus mpedments, YOU
also enable each State 10 provide In future those lmp
: mens and convenences which the cxgcnces OF comne1
In the States require This could Sc by general Ia" f
. cable 10 ull tho Slatea. 49,
While The power over lighthouses beacons, buoys ~
public piers shelters for commerce, has been eHeisp
from tho foundation of The government. no Instance IS '
lion Of bay inlet, river, for the first thirty -hrec
of The Government Such appropriations first app@a' @
bills and tho eSpenees charged as ga,
lures Of this kind found unIll The close oil Mr. ho
administration On the elevation OF his successor tue ""a
power internal Improvements assumed an eAc'
csed Immense expenditures were prolected ana 10 s"u
against empty treasury under its new burdens ne
were proposed and authorized desire OF sudden
and ag9randizemcn the expense OF the nnlonaltr"u
widely manifested ami sought qualification at te "s
of Congress. Scum after the elevation OF General
The exercise of this power was arrested by vel, ".
met the appreciation OF his constituents. In adVt
this subject in his annual sage In 1881 i'e says
"Whcn the bill authorizing subscription on w. pai. VI
the United States for In the Maysvlc and l'A,s'"n
Turnpike Company passed the houses, there a oca
reported, by the committees on internal mproVem% % "'
containing appropriations for such Objects lncusn W
Tor The Cumberland road and for habors and
10 the amount about Sl06 600 900. In this aro" was
included authority the Secretary Of the Treasry l" sun
scribe for stock OF different companies " sfea. "
the residue principally for the direct cuns'"c''o' ol
ronis by this government. In addition TO ines ri"J.'
which had been presented to the two houses und m SUMO
on and recommendation Of their respective concc' On
commuters and in memorials presented but not ltlIcu, u
erent projects for works OF similar character he eApehse
OF which be cslma with certainty OIL us' nave
exceeded Sl000 900 UUO"
These extraordinary projects all arrcste oY ms ve-
toi and hhoush similar nnh"tity was ASSUME ~ ,a;
bash river blll from which lie withheld hs slF'au'c HIS
wide and boundess power has been since as com
pecly nrgatved. Whoever cheIishcs The safe eoVr'n
mens as worthy OF preservation will resist lis revival hu
seek 10 cuail The operations OF the federal gopinGnt nu
limit its expenses Instead OF increasing liz vii sech u -
minish the number Of its agents and their uc'ions Ia
stead OF expanding its powers BY construction c WI"
restore IL TO ills original simplicity and purity lie WIN resist
all encroachnenis upon the powers OF the safes ana
Capitalization at tile federal head. he WIZ sea'ny u
firmly oppose oil increase Of power and patronage, o"'h -
gsatlvc and executive The too liberal exer-c o po"es
by Congress and The executive has strong tnaency
those conflicts for political ascendcncy which SD H.
ten sever the most sacred lies AMI 50 icqney ehu"
the public morals and peace.
No system nj internal improvements has been devised
which Is free Of difficulties and hOzards Ni:urc mas CO..
errcd advantages upon State which site has "lbhi
from another These inequalities presented asc'"S ''si
Gle 10 the formation Of federal compact wlch was mn
ly formed by surrounding State authority win nniherIS
guards, and limiting the powers Of the nanni gmVch"'1
TO enumerated Objects Among these do nnt hna lmNf
TO equaIiZe these advantages, create Others lh
would be doing for State than anothr wl'ch ""
excite jealousy and dscuncn u not violence al lhJ
After Stale, BY her energy, perseverance, a'a hc nS,'
her own Icans and The application Df her 0wn taxes lis
made her necessary improvements TO require her h'ot
national taxes, to contribute towards those in another @"l
arouse Indignant and feelings ANA tend seriously
disturb the harmony Of The Union aGd happiness ol lie P
/ ple. ,.o.
commence and where endl Where does The cousn.in
draw the line between places within, and those without l.
fostering care7 There be such line, or tho po"ee
without limit aud no work could be unconstitutional SAL
this power be- at salt waller and end at iresh Sha
be determined by the action Of The tdes2 Is II confnetln
large bays inlcls and rivers The exclusion nf sma ors
Does the dePtt or current OF waters, control! How M
how Deep how large, how swift must waters be- IL be
within inc constitutional How far up stream. that Is ~fiIn
the constitution al its mouth does this power extend? me
action cl Congress In establishing ports ul cny cahol
canlcr constitutional power ~harc il did no! before cSt-
That would be TO permit in agent TO extend his pow oy
his own oct If exists only when the waters are Try
in three Saies then Congress, in admitlingne~
Saras and in asserting TO compacs by old ones ARA!
their boundaries, has The power Of bringing States uhln
the mantle Of the constitution, which, left in their sent
state and 10 their own acts, would be without il. Sch
construction would permit State owning the who OF
river 10 cede portions Of 10 other States with the asnt OF
Congress- and thereby bring such river within tho coru
un BY assuming such rule Conce!e 10 COngre5 ami
the States The right expand the p0Wcrs the
constitution. States having orlry in both HUres ol
Congress might by concerted movement rcarranr their
boundaries 10 bring their principal waters with The
improving power Of Congress- while oil others might eman
or become excluded. NO such constructions can sus.
aIned Until distinctly conferred by the sovcreiqn1owcr
pruden, regard for our common rights will qu' us To
refrain from The exercise o any such power f W resort
10 II for authority 10 remove obsrucons in the "a oil
river may not. when cheaper 7ut canal ar0n them?
The power To construct ROADS ind canals is nov hardly
claimed by any II may short canal le same
power nuthose make q long one II 20 may
make new channel 10 float commerce why ma we not
make road for in If may MAKE roads a nd cans and
improve rivers may levy ,onnagedniy or tolls or their
use, not inhc, penalties for nvoang them. 70 power
10 take toll direct Ia clear that subscribe r STOCK
and collect through the agency Ola corporation il We
have the power to consuc, useful iernn improvements
vii! be difficult 10 assign valid Ies;on why nay NOT
like the States, charge comPensaltg tolls Bn no nde-
pendent free State would submit such cxactbns By
adopting and adaaring srct obstruction of tie consti
tuon avert numerous evils fy it, The fedrr govern
men instead Of exciting Jealousy discomfort would be
The object OF universal respect onthe author nnumea
bic blessings instead Of consodiing them unlm.
tied and nsupportable despotism would shield and pro-
.ect the sovereignty OF The Staesnd thereby transmit onr
happy form 0t government in stregh and purity 10 remote
generations.
Appropriations for internal Improvements would increase
the public burdens by increasing ur taxes or ,ha national
debt TO the of the money eXended and interest The
records of the Treasury show tina since Mr. nlohroes ad
ministraton this class Of improvements including surveys
has cost an immense sum- Pas large expenditures have
not dismissed the number Of appca,ions nor the zeal and
perseverance with which they pressed The cost Of all
such works usually vastly cxcels the estimates and the
promises OF small expenditures encray end in dsappont.
men The expense of works On, commenced never
to end Usually they remain pecuu charge the treas
ury. bill embracing many of s class OF works. which
received President Polks veoapprupriaed the sum OF
450 which, il il had becO law would have added
that The public debt mime of national II is
unworthy Of consideration public confidence ia sha
ken In relation to the motvea wch sometimes prompt az
picatiens Tor expenditures OF t kind The cOnvlnency
OF commerce is always The nss,ned while ocal interests
aud private sPecuaons u;e oh supposed 10 be le real
motives The appearance OF peuions in Congress for i'm
provemcnts followed by plas Of ies and villages with lots
Tor sale, Is well calculated 10 aken such suspicious IL
is far safer 10 decline all action eubecs 80 liable susp
cion and possible injustice and onGne our Cure light
houses beacons hnoys and putc piers and such shelters
on he ocean and lakes as cornce really requires Tor sale
~ earnestly DESIRED as faas practicable to n't inc
discretion Of The Executive over prevent
abuse by any unfaithlu public sepan The laws should
der heavy penalties require mies received account Oh
Inc government 10 DC promptly dposed in The public reas
urv there TO remain invoate u puid oul under distinct
| appropriations made by Congress,
Than The present. ausLrious md appropriate pc
Rod could not be selected for hh REFORM Our fellow ciii-
Zens cofua approve Inc pracle Of rigid economy In no
lie expenditures while they arc ,verse 70 all unnecessary
discretion them by public hnclIonarics They justly
deprecale national debt sinus putic evil and wi
hold th"se creating when moi occasoned BY patriotic ana
approved considerations sirt nd saurary accounl-
bty. Debts should be ceaed nor faxes imposed