Washington sentinel., 1854-02-04
From the Daily Louisville Times.
Tonnage Duties.

From the Daily Louisville Times
Tonnage Duties.
The Improvement Of our rivers and harbors,
so that theQ may be able to meet the require
ments of the vast trade and commerce spring
ing up all over the country as its wealth and
capabilities are developed, assuredly deserves
the earnest consideration of Congress. The
way by which this object is to be accomplished
is certainly question of very great import
ance.
No man, who will look honestly and fairly
in the face of past legislation upon this subject,
can fail to admit that river and harbor bills
are entirely inadequate to make improvements
commensurate with the wants of the country.
This the most sanguine advocate of river and
harbor bills must be forced to admit. With
scarcely an exception, every improvement un-
dertaken by the general government results in
an absolute failure; and the reason for it is
very easily explained. Every bill for the inn
provement of rivers and harbors must, by the
very nature of things, be an omnibus bill. No
other could, by any possibility, become law;
for it is but natural that every member OF Con-
gress should look upon Improvement in his To-
cality as of paramount importance, and make
an appropriation for that purpose the sine qua
non, without which his vote for the bill cannot
be obtained. If appropriations were made
equal to the accomplishment of all these i'm
provements, it would not take long to bank
rupt the national treasury. The financial
abilities of the Secretary would be very soon
employed, not in disposing Of a surplus reve-
nue., but in devising way to provide for de-
felt. The result is, that the appropriations
are too small to effect any practical good, and
by the time Congress is induced to make an
additional one what little that was accom-
plished by the first appropriation has been lost.
Every candid man must admit that this is the
usual history of the improvements undertaken
by the federal government. 1t does seem to
US, then, that the only effect of these river and
harbor bills is to create delusive hopes and
check individual enterprise.
If the general government had undertaken
to build our railroads. it is impossible to calcu-
late how long, if ever, before they would have
been brought to that state Of forwardness
which their present condition exhibits. In ad-
dition to the obstacles above stated in the way
Of an improvement of our rivers and harbors
by this system, it must always meet with vio-
lent opposition; for q large number of our best
and wisest politicians believe it unconstitu-
tional, and conflicting with the rights of the
States. But, waving the constitutional objec-
ton, and assuming that these bills can accom-
plish the purpose-that the improvements can
be made-it must be admitted that they are of
doubtful policy, involving wasteful and ex-
travagant expenditure of the public money,
and giving to the general government pat
ronage and power never contemplated by the
States when the confederacy was formed. If
the general government has the power to con-
struct lighthouses and improve the national
thoroughfares, tits somewhat difficult to deny
to it the power to carry on general system Of
internal improvements; and no one imbued
with democratic principles can contemplate
the exercise of such power without trembling
for the safety of the country. 1t was attempted
once, but the democratic party arrested it be-
fore its corrupting influence had pervaded the
masses of the people and poisoned the very
life-blood of our institutions
In order to obviate the very many difficult
ties embarrassing this vital question, it has been
proposed that Congress pass a general law,
giving to the States the right to collect tonnage
duties to be devoted to the improvement Of
the rivers and harbors pertinent to their juris-
diction. To what extent such a measure would
meet with the appreciation of the democratic
party, it is impossible to say. It's merits and
dement's have yet to be examined; and we
do not doubt but that the dominant party in
Congress will attentively weigh the reasons for
, and against it.. One thing is very certain !;
some Of the features are preferable to those of
any plan yet proposed. 1t is the only way by
which the improvements can ever be economi-
cally made, and it is equally certain that none
others than those absolutely necessary would
ever be attempted.
We believe the consttutionality Of such q
measure is not doubted, as Congress is ex-
pressly authorized by the Constitution to grant
such power to the States. Hostility to such a
measure is Of course to be expected from the
whig party, as it is supposed to be favored by
the administration. Already has storm of
indignation been hurled against it from certain
quarters. The Hon. Presley Ewing has led
off in speech, in Congress, in opposition.
What that gentleman can find in river and
harbor bills to recommend them to him, is
miracle to us. Of one thing we are very sure,
they have resulted in no practical good to the
people of the west since they have had the
benefit of his assistance in the national legis-
lature.
1t would be more becoming in those opposed
to this measure to forbear from denouncing it
until they are prepared with better one.