The true Democrat., 1854-08-23
Congress.

| The proceedings of the last two days of the session were so confused, that we find no intel- llglole account of tn em in any of the Washing ton or Baltimore papers. A great amount of business was however, disposed of, and we can only say that the civil and diplomatic bill; the army and navy appropriations; the postoffice bill; the bill to increase the pay of the rank and file of the army; a bill to carry out the pro- visions of the reciprocity treaty; Mr. Cobb's gra- duation bill, and bill defining the southern boundary of New Mexico, and the river and harbor bill were passed The ocean mail steam- CT appropriation failed to pass the House, and the Homestead bill was not acted on.
 The river and harbor bill met with the veto of the president, which is as follows:
 1o tue House cf Representatives.
 have received the bill entitled an act "mak- ing appropriations for the repair, preservation and completion of certain public works hereto fore commenced under authority of law" It reaches me ln the expiring hours of the session. and time does not allow full opportunity for examining and considering its provisions or of stating at length the reasons which forbid me to give It my signature.
 It belongs to that class of measures which are commonly known as internal improvements by the general government, and which. from very early period, have been deemed of doubtful constitutionality and expediency, and have thus failed to obtain the appreciation of successive chief magistrates.
 On such an examination of this bill as it has been In my power to make I recognise in it certain provisions, national in their character. and which, if they stood alone, it would be compatible with my convictions of public duty to assent to, but, at the same time, it embraces others which are merely local, and not, in my Judgment, warranted by any safe or true con- struction of the constitution.
 To make proper and sound dscriminatons between these different provisions, would require deliberate discussion of general principles, as we'll as careful scrutiny of details, for the purpose of rightfully applying those principles to each separate item of appropriation.
 Public opinion, with regard to the value and inn portance of internal improvements in the coun- try, is undivided. There is disposition, on all hands. to have them prosecuted with ener- gy, and to see the benefits sought to be attained by them fully realized. eyt
 The prominent point of difference between those who have been regarded as the friends of system of internal improvements by the gene raj government and those adverse to such system, has been one of constitutional power, though more or less connected with considera- tons of expediency t wy own Judgment, 1t Is we'll known has, on both grounds, been opposed to "a general sys- 1em ol internal improvements " by the federal government have entertained the most seri- ous doubts from the inherent difficulties of its appi,ca.lon' as well as from past unsatisfactory eApeiieHce, "hetner the power could be so ex- ercised by the general government as to render its use advantageous either to the country at large, or efectual for the accomnlish,nent of % the object contemplated. -
 Ishal consider :' it incumbent on to me to present of the whole subject, and to endeavor to def;ne approximately at least, and according to my own convictions, what appropriations of this na. ture, by the general government, the great in- terests of the United States require, and the constitution will admit and sanction, in case no substitute should be devised, capable of recon cling differences both of constitutionality and