The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-03-12

ernment may remain fof Q season, the SUD.
stance has departed forever. I'll
Il Our pFesent financial condition is wllhsu.
q parallel 10 history. No nation has ever
before been embarrassed from too large q
4 hnrplus In In treasury. This almost neees.
sarily gives birth to extrayagaht legislation.
Il produces wild schemes 0. expenditures
and begets q race OF fspeculstors and iobbers,
whose ingenuity ls exerted in eontriving and
promoting sxpedients 10 obtain public mon.
ey. The purity Of Official sgents, whether
rightfully .or wronglully is susPected, and
the character Of the Government suffers In
the estimation Of the people. This is In L..
self q very great evil. The NATURAL mode Of
J relief from this embarrassment Is to appro-
pirate the surplus in the Treasury to great
national objects, for which clear warrant
can b. found In the Constitution. Among
these might mention the extinguishment
Of the public debt, reasonable increase OF
the NaTy,-which is at present inadequate
to the protection Of eur vast tonnage anoat,
now greater than that Of any other nation,
I .s.well as to the defence OF our extensive
/ sea coast. il is beyond all question the
princ;,le that 10 more revenue ought to be
collected fro;2 the psople than the amount
necessary to defray the txaenses OF wise,
economical and efficient admi= =tstration OF
the government. To reach this point II
was necessary to resort to q MODIFICATION OF
the tariff, and this has, ! trust, been accom-.
plished In such manner as to do as little
! injury % may have been practicable TO our
domestic manufactures, especially those me-
cessary for the defence of'the country. Any
determination against a particular branch
for the purpose OF benefitting favored corpo.
rations. individuals or Interests, would have
! been unjust to the rest OF the community,
and inconsistent with that spirit Of fairness
and equality which ought TO govern 10 the
adjustment Of a revenue tariff. But the
squandering Of the public money sinks into
comparative insigniicance, as q temptation
to corruption, when compared with the squuH.
dering Of the public lands. No nation iii
the tide of time has ever beeM blessed with
SO rich end noble an il,heritance as We enjoy
in the Public Lands. Ia administering this
important trust, whist it may be wise to
graft portions of them for the Improvement
Of the remainder, yet we should never for.
get that it is our cardinal policy to preserve
these lands, as much as may be, for actual
settlers, and thi, at moderate prices. We
shall thus not only best promote the pros
. Gritty OF the new States and Territories by
lu.-n ishDg them 4 hardy and independent
race OF honest and industrious citizens, bot
shall secure homes for our children and our
child-en's children, Us well as for those ex.
lies frt'm foreign shores who may seek in
this cen ntry TO improve their condition and
70 enjoy The blessings OF civil and religious
liberty. Such emigrants have done much to
eromote tn growth and prosperity OF the
country They have proved faithful both
in pence sno in war. After becoming citi.
zeHs, they are entitled under the Constita.
ton and laws, 10 be placed on perfect equal.
ftS wAi, native born citizens, and in this
character they should ever be kindly recog.
nfxed. The Federal constitution is grant
from Ghe States to Congress Of certain spe-
csstic powers, and the question whether this
grant should be literally or strictly con.
stWed, has more OF less divided political par
ties fso@ the beginning. Without enter
ing into the argument, desire to state, at
che commencement of my administration,
that long experience and observation have
convinced me that in a strict construction
of the powers Of the Government is The on.
'Ey safe theory Of the Constitution. WIen-
ever, in our PAST history, doubtful powers
have been Exercised by Congress, these have
never failed to produce injurious and unhap-
py consequences. Many such instances
might Do adduced, il this were the proper oc.
casion. Neither is il necessary for the pub
lie service to strain the language of the Con.
stitution, because all the great and useful
powers required for successful administra-
tion Of the Government, both in peace and
in war, have been granted either in express
terms, or by the plainest implication. While
deeply convinced of these truths, yet con.
slider It clear, that under the war. making
power. Congress may appropriate money to.
wards the construction OF military road,
when this is absolutely necessary, for the de.
fence of any State or Territory OF the Union,
against foreign Invasion. Under the Consti
tuition, Congress has pUwer"to declare war"
Ito raise and support nrmies"-"to pro.
vide and maintain navy" and to call forth
the militia to "repel INVASION" Thus en-.
dowed in an ample manner with the war
making power, the corresponding duty is re
quired that "the United States shall protect
each ofthem (the States) against Invasion" F."
Nov is 1t possible to afford this profession
to California and our. Pacific possessions
except by meons Of military road through
out the Territories ofthe United States over
which men aId ammuAitions of war may be
speedily transported from the Atlantic States
t. meet and repel the invader! In the event
OF war with naval power much stronger
than our own, We should then have no other
available access to the Pacific coast, because
such power would instantly close the route
across the Isthmus of Central America. IT.
is impossible TO conceive, that whilst the
Constitution has expressly required Congress
to defend all the States, it should yet deny
to them by any fair construction the only
possible means by which one OF these States
can be defended. Besides, the Government
ever since it's origin, has been in the constant
practice of constructing military roads. It
might also be wise to consider whether the
| love for the Union which now animates our
fellow citizens on the Pacific coast map not
be impaired by our neglect or refusal to pro.
vide for them in their remote and isolated
condition, the only means BY which the pow.
er OF the States on this side Of the Rocky
Mountains can reach them in sufficient time
to protect them against invasion.
| !orbear for the present from expressing
an opinion as to the wisest and most econ.
omiral mode IN which the Government can
lend its aid in accomplishing this great and
necessary work. believe that many dis.
culties in the way, which now appear for.
midable, will, in great degree, vsillsh as
soon as the nearest and best route shall