The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-08-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
no oF THE RIYER AND HARBoR Biz.

VETO OF THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
To the House Of Representatives
have received the bill entitled "An act
making appropriations for the repair, preser-
walton and completion of certain public works
heretofore commenced under authority of
law" 1t reaches me in the expiring hours OF
the session, and time does not allow a full
| opportunity of examining and considering its
provisions, or of stating at length the 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 general government and which, from
a very early period, have been deemed of
doubtful constitutionality and expediency,
and have thus failed to obtain the approba-
ton of successive Chief Magistrates.
On such an examination of this bill as it
has been in my power to make, | recognise in
it certain provisions, national in their charac-
ter, 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 construction of the constitution. To
make proper and sound discrimination be-
tween these different provisions would require
n deliberate discussion of general principles
well as n careful scrutiny Of details for the
purpose of rghtfuIly applying those prnc-
pies to each separate item of appropriation.
Public opinion with regard to the value and
Importance Of internal improvements in this
country is undivided There is disposition
on all hands to have them prosecuted with
energy, and see The benefits sought to be OBJ
tanned by them full y realized. The prominent
point of difference between those who have
been regarded as the friends of n system of
internal improvements by the General Gov
eminent, and those adverse to such n system,
has been one of constitutional power, though
more or less connected with questions of ex-
pediency. My own judgment, it is well known,
has, on both grounds, been opposed to the
general system of internal improvements by
the Federal Government. have entertained
the most serious doubts, from the inherent
difficulties of its application, rs well as from
past unsatisfactory experience, whether the
power could be so exercised by the General
Government, as to render its use advantage
GUS to the country at large or effectual for the
accomplishment of the object contemplated.
| shall consider j. incumbent on me to
PioSChb W NuHSIeoS, at us ueAJ ScSSlOD,
matured view of the whole subject, and to
endeavor to define, approximately, at least,
and 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 admit
and sanction, in case no substitute should be
devised capable of reconciling differences,
both of consttutionality and expediency.
In the absence of the requisite means and
time, for duly considering the whole subject
at present. and discussing such possible sub
stitute, it becomes necessary to return this
bill to the House of Representatives, in which
it originated, and for the reasons thus briefly
submitted to the consideration of Congress,
to withhold from it my approval.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
Washington, D. c., August 4, 1854.