Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-05-28
THE GRAND RIVER TIMES
GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN.
WEDNESDAY, EVENING. MAY %. 1856.
YETOED.

the House on the 18th inst, and presented
to the President for his approval, has been
returned to that body, vetoed. " -
This act, on the part of the Executive, has
aroused manifest displeasure in the minds of
Congressman of the North West as well as a
feeling of disgust and bitter reproach on the
part of prominent citizens, directly or indi-
rectly interested in the commercial prosperity
of this portion of our common country, pos
sessing as it does commerce which now ex-
ceeds that of all the Atlantic States in
amount of tunnage and value of products
transported. In one point of view, particu-
larly, do we consider the unwillingness of the
Executive to assent to any appropriation for
the removal of obstacles exceedingly detri-
mental to the maritime prosperity of the
scores of cities and towns that dot the maps
of our lake region, as indeed, reprehensible.
1t must be known to the President that the
reciprocal communication recently established
between our lake ports and those of foreign
government, has awakened new era in the
trade connected Herewith. Hence, vessels
of large tunnage, freighted at Liverpool, Bir-
mingham, or Glasgow, might, if all obstacles
were removed that now obstruct navigation,
pass down the st. Lawrence, enter our wide
ly expanded lakes to their fartherest termina-
ton with their valuable cargoes, and exchange
them for the immense surplus products of
our vast prairies and woodland farms, that
TEEN with the beauty and fertility of Eden,
thus affording our citizens employed in COM
mercial and mercantile enterprises all the adj
vantages possessed by more Eastern capital
lists engaged in similar pursuits But with
the impediments to navigation that now ex-
list, the vessels that visit us from foreign ports
are of small tunnage, and even these are LA
BILE to serious hindrances, particularly by the
shole waters of the st. Clair Flats. An APP
preparation of few thousand dollars by
Government, judiciously and economically
expended, would give such increased facli-
ties to home as well as to foreign trade, that
we might safely conjecture that Chicago,
Milwaukee and Detroit, would soon become
in commercial Importance, the New York,
Philadelphia and Boston Of the West, to our
merchants and business operatives generally.
And again, should any circumstances occur
to bring about war between the United
States and any foreign power possessing ter
ritory contiguous to our own, every precau-
tionary measure should be adopted in time of
peace to enable sufficient naval armament
to move freely from point to point, for the
better protection of our frontier cities and
towns.
If the improvement of the ST. Clair Flats
were matter of local interest exclusively,
we could find pretext to justify the non-ap-
prevail on the part of the Executive, of the
appropriation; but the importance of our
Lake navigation to the interests of our coun-
try and Of our whole country renders such a
WOTh UuttOUut Ill luS VARIOUS UcdIluSS-dIlu
whatever facilitates commercial enterprises
connected with that extensive maritime thor
oughfare, benefits us nationally, and the ma
tional treasury should not be closed against
necessary appropriations where the whole
Union is to be the recipient Of the benefits
accruing therefrom.
If an appropriation of that kind is denied
on the ground of @nconstitutionaHty, with
what greater propriety can public lands be
granted under the same constitution, to the
different States for internal Improvements,
when the proceeds arising from the sale of
such public lands, constitute very efficient
source ofrepenishingsuch treasury, unlessit be
removal OF the bugbear name of appropria-
ton for River and Harbor improvements.
We believe the country demands at the
present time President whose study shall
be the real benefit of every section of the
Union in all its varied interests, Agricul-
tural, Manufacturing, and Commercial.
A bill making an appropriation for the re-
moval of distractions to navigation, at the
mouth of the Mississippi River, presented to
the President in connection with the St.
Clair Flats bill, shared similar fate.