The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-06
$50
Tonnage Duties.


in favor of tonnage duties, to be levied by
each state respectively, for raising revenue
to improve rivers and harbors We copy
the following rather conclusive objections to
his plan, from the Ohio State Journal
He asserts that the policy lin improving
our rivers and harbors heretofore pursued
has proven worse than failure" and recon-
mends the levying of tonnage duties by con-
sent of congress on the commerce of our
lakes and rivers declaring it the way point
cd out by the founders of the republic, and
provided for in the constitution when it de-
cIares, g No state shall lay duties of tonnage
except by the consent of congress"
Whether the policy heretofore pursued has
proven "worse than failure" is not the
question now to be decided by congress and
the people of the west. The question SO con-
tidently presented by the senator is, whether
the course now recommended to the west is
the one they ought to adopt We ewaive all
questions of constitutionality. As to the
correctness of the policy heretofore pursued,
it is enough for US to know that it was one
adopted by the first congress that assembled
under the constitution, whose members would
be quite as likely to understand the meaning
of lis founders as Mr. Douglas; since which
Tine it has received the support and sanction
of the ablest minds that have adorned the
councils of the nation It's failure, therefore,
can have nothing to do with its constitu-
tionality. We place the demands of the
west on ground which no statesman of any
repute has dared to question, and which GER
tainly no lineal SON of the a1est will repudiate,
10 wit, the ORDINANCE of ST. Mr.. Douglas
makes no allusion to this venerable instru-
ment, bearing date anterior to the constitu-
ton, and recognized by the first congress as
a binding compact. Perhaps he forgot it;
it is convenient sometimes for politicians of
the expediency school to forget their antece- |
dents We will not charge this, but we will
quote for his information, and for the infor-
nation of every true son of the west. With
them it rests whether their just rights under
it are to be frittered away by corrupt sec
tional or party legislation, or not,
EXTRACT FROM THE ORDINANCE OF 81.
The navigable waters leading into the
Mississippi and ST. Lawrence, and the carry |
ing places between the same, shall be com
mon highways, and Joreusr free, as we'll to /
tue inhabitants of the said territory north
west Of the Ohio river, as to the citizens of
The United States, and those of any other
states that may be admitted into the confed-
eracy, without any tar, lMPosT, Or DUTY
therefor ,- ....... ..... -.r4.
The argument is complete on the mere
statement of the case. 1t requires no am
plifying. Mr. Douglas belongs to a party
that makes great pretensons to strict con-
struction, he himself protesting great love
1or the west. Will he try to dodge this COM
pact? dare he betray the interests of his
constituents thus secured We shall see.
The west must and will be true to herself
and, before she is bound fast, she wial feel
the impulse Of her destiny and assert her
claim, first, to her rights under the ordinance,
second. to the same protection of her COM
Inerce as is now extended to the Atlantic
states.
aDagt .-