The daily union., 1854-07-19
THE DAILY UNION

excite dependency in the breast American citizen.
will not dean you with professions of zeal in the of in
terna improvements II TO be their friend is virtue which
deserves commendaton country blessed with abund
of for do suppose there is intelligent citi
who does wish them flourish But though all
their friends but few trust unmindfu of the
by which they should be promoted certainly SO de
desire their At the cost of that sacred
instrument with the Of which indissouby
bound countrys hopes II different impressions en-
terained any it is expected that the people OF
this country reckless Of their constitutional obligations VIII
prefer their local interest to the principles OF the Union such
expectations will in the end be disappointed if be not
then indeed has the world but little to hope from the
ample of free government When honest observance Of
constitutional compacts cannot be obtained from communities
ike ours, need not be anticipated elsewhere and the
in which there has been much marrdom and from
which much expected by the friends of liberty may be
abandoned and the degrading truth that unfit for self
government admitted And this will be the If expedi
enoy be made rule OF construction in interpreting the
Stitution Power in government could desire better
shield for the nsdous advances which ready to make
upon the checks that designed its action
None of usous democratic investigated
the subject ably discussed by Gen Jackson with
and with clearer head patriotic heart
than James X. Polk He returned river-and-harbor bill
to Congress- with his objections and upon turning to his
message il will be found that he brought his justification
for his argument which for strength and force of
reasoning has been surpassed Whilst readers
turning their minds the probable action of President
Pierce the bill which expected to be sent to him.
invite them to reperuse the argument of President
Polk:
Extracts from President Polls Veto Of rperandhorbor bW
Regarding only objects of improvement Of the nature of
those embraced in this b how nexhaustibe shall find
them Let the imagination along our coast from the
river ST. the Rio rande and trace every river
emptyng into the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to its
let coast along lakes and ascend all their tributaries
let pass Oregon and explore all its bays, nles and
and then let it raise the curtain of the future and
contemplate the ths republic and the objects of i'm
it will embrace it advances to its high destiny
and the mind will be startled at the mmensity and danger OF
the power which the principle of this bill involves.
ALREADY confederacy consists OF twenty States
Other States may distant period be expected to be
formed the west of present settlements We own an
extensive country in Oregon stretching many hundreds of
miles from east to west and degrees of latitude from
south to north by the admission of Texas into the Union
recently added many hundreds Of miles
coast In all this vast country, bordering the Atlantic
and Pacific there thousands of bays nlets and
rivers equally entitled appropriations for their improve
ment with the objects embraced in this bill.
We have SEEM in States, that the interests Of ndi
vduas neghborhoods combining against the general in
teres have involved their in debts and bank
uptcy and when the system prevailed in the general gov
ernment and checked by President Jackson it had be-
gun be considered the highest merit member of Con-
be able to appropriations of public to
be expended within his district State whatever might be
the object We should be blind to the experience of the past
if did not abundant evidences that il this system of
expenditure be induged in combinations of individual
and local interests will be found strong enough control e
gslaon absorb the of the country and plunge the
government into hopeless indebtedness
/" what is denominated harbor by this system does not
necessarily bay inlet, of the the
lake shores, the margin Of which may exist
commercial city or town. engaged in foreign domestic
trade but made to embrace where there only
such city town. but of any kind. By it
bay of nd
atoms demanded from Congress deepen it, with
draw it, enable individuals to build up
town or city ON its margin upon speculation and for their
own private advantage
"What is denominated river, which may be improved
the SYSTEM equally underlined in its meaning may be
the Mississippi may be the smallest and obscure
and unmportant stream bearing the of river which is
to be found in any State in the Union
Such system is subject moreover to be perverted to
the accomplishment Of the of political purposes Du
ring the few in full operation and which mme
datey preceded the veto of President Jackson of the Mays
vleroad BILL instances were numerous of public seek
ing gain popular favor by holding the people inter-
esed in particular localities the promise of large disburse
ments Of public Numerous
made during that period for roads canals
through parts of the Union and the people the vi
entity of each led to believe that their property would
be enhanced in value and they themselves be enriched by
the large expenditures which they promised BY the
of the system should be made federal
ry their neghborhoods Whole sections of the country
thus sought to be influenced and the system was fast
becoming only of prouse and wasteu expenditure
but potent political engine.
If the power to improve harbor be admitted it is not
easy perceive how the power deepen every inlet
the lakes and make harbos where there
be denied If the to clear deepen the chan
mel of rivers their mouths be admitted it is
perceive how the power improve them to their fountain
head and make them navgabe to their Sources be
MED Where shall the exercise of the power If it be
sumed, stop? Has Congress the power, when an inlet is
deep enough admit schooner deepen still more
that will admit ships of heavy burdenY and has
power when inlet will admit boat make it deep
enough admit schooner May it improve deep
enough already to float ships and steamboats, and has
improve those which navgable only for fat
boats and barges May the general government
and jurisdiction the soil of State of
rocks and sand bars in the beds of its rivers and it not
canal around its waterfalls its lands,
precisely the same object?
Giving the subject the serious and candid consid
GRAFTON Of which mind capable perceive
intermediate grounds The power to improve harbors and
rivers for purposes of navigation by deepening clearing
out dams and sluces by locking canang, be
mttcd, without any other limitation than the discretion of
Congress- it must be denied altogether If be admitted
how broad and how susceptible of abuses the
power thus vested in the general government There
inlet of the the lakesnot river, creek.
strcamet within the States-which is brought for this
purpose within the power and jurisdiction general gov
crnment.
Speculation, disguised under the cloak of public good
will call Congress to deepen shallow nlcts may
build up cities their shores make
gable which Nature has closed bv bars rapids that il
may sell profit its lands upon their banks To enrich
neghborhoods by spending within them the moneys OF the
nation will be the aim and boast of those who prize their To-