Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-16
Veto of the River and Harbor Bill --Presi
dents Message

To THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
have received the bill entitled an act making
appropriations for the repair, preservation and
completion Of certain public works heretofore
commenced under authority OF law. 1t reach
es me in expiring hours of the session, and
time does not allow full opportunity of ex-
animation 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 Gov
eminent, and which from a very early period
have been deemed of doubtful constitutionality
and expeGiency aud have thus failed to obtain
the appreciation of successive Chief Magis
trates.
On such an examination of the bill as it has
been in my power to make, | recognize in it
certain provisions national in their character,
and which if they stood alone, it would be COM
patible 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 discrimination between these differ
ent provisions would require deliberate dis
cussion of general principles, as we'll as care
full scrutiny of detail, for the purpose of right
fully applying those principles to each seper-
ate item of appropriation.
Public opinion with regard to the value and
Importance of internal improvements in the
country is undivided. There is a disposition on
all hands to have them prosecuted with energy,
and to see the benefits sought to be obtained by
them fully realized. The prominent point of
difference between those who have been regard
ed as the friends of system of internal i'm
provemerts by The General Government and
of Constitutional power, though more or less
connected with questions of expediency. My
ovn Judgment, it is well known, has, on both
grounds, been opposed to general system of
internal improvements by the Federal Govern
ment. | have entertained the most serious
doubts from the inherent difficulties of its ap-
phcatior, as well as from past unsatisfactory ex-
perience by the General Government, as to rem
der its use advantageous to the country at large,
or efFectual for the Accomplishment of the object
contemplated.
| / shall consider it incumbent upon me to pre-
sent to Congress at its next session matured
view of the whole subject, and so endeavor to
define, approximately at least, and according
to nv 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 difference both of Constitution
atty and expediency.
! In the absence of the requisite means and
time for duly considering the whole subject at
the present, and discussing such possible sub
stitute, it becomes necessary to return the bill
to the House of Representatives in which it
originated, and for the reaons thus briefly sub
United to the consideration of Congress to with
hold from it my approval.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
Washington, D. c., Aug. 4, 1854.
|
Why are members of the Legislature like in
Al <~(t1 tha~