Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-08-12
Transmitted for the Baltimore Amerfcan'
VETO OF THE RIVER iED HARBOR BILL.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
n t1c Housc of ReDresentati0eS'-

To tile House Of Representatives.
! have received the bill entitled
an act making appropriations for the re-
pair preservation and completion ofcer
tain public works heretofore commenc-
ed under authority of law. 1t reaches
me in the expiring !'5urs OF Inc session.
and time does not allowa full opportu-
ni,y of examining and considering its
provisions, or Of stating at length tho
reasons which forbid me to give it my
signature. 1t belongs to that class Of
MEASURES which are commonly known
as Internal Improvements by the Gone
raj Government, and which from 8 very
early period have been deemed Of doubt
full cons,itu,ionality and inexpediency,
and have thus failed to obtain the ap.
probation of successive Chief Magis'
trates.
On such an examination of the bill Us
it has been in my power to make, re.
cornize in it certain provisions, national
in their character, and which if they
stood alone, it would be compatible
with nv convictions Of public duty to
assent to, but at the same time it embra.
ces others which are merely local, and
not in my Judgment warranted by any
safe or true construction Of the Consti-
tuition. To make proper and sound dis
elimination between these different pro-
visions would require deliberate dis
custom of general principles, as well as
a careful scrutiny of details, for tho pur-
pose of righ,fuIly applying those prin-
ciples to each separate item OF appro-
priation.
Public opinion with regard to the
value and Importance of internal i'm
provemen,s in the country is undivided.
There is disposition on all hands to
have them prosecuted with energy, and
to see the benefits sought to be obtain
ed BY them fully realized. The prom
inent point of difference between those
who have been regarded as the friends
of system of internal improvements
By the General Government, and those
adverse to such system, has been one
of Constitutional power, though moro
or less connected with questions Of en-
pedency. My own judgment, it is we'll
known, has, on both grounds, been OPP
posed to general system of internal
Improvements by the Federal Govern
ment. | have entertained the most Sc
rious doubts from the inherent difficult
ties of is application, as well as from
past unsatisfactory experience by tho
General Government, as to render its
use advantageous TO the country at large,
or elftctual for the accomplishment oil
the object contemplated.
Ishall consider it incumbent upon me
to present to Congress at its next SEES
sion matured view of the whole sub
iect, and so cnleavor to define, approx
imately at least, aud according TO my
own convictions, what appropriations Of
this nature by the General Government
the great interests Of the United States
require, and the Constitution will ADM.
and sanction, in case no substitute should
be devised capable of reconciing differ
ences both Of Constitutionalisy and en-
pcdicncy.
In the absence of the requisite means
and time for duly considering the whole
subject at the present, and discussing
such possible substitute, i; becomes ne
cessary to return the bill to the House
of Representatives in which it origina'
ted aud for the reason thus briefly sub
mi,ted to the consideration of Congress:
to withhold from it my approval.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
Washington, d. c., Aug. a, 1854.