Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-03-13

than to the West. These | shall not at
tempt to portray, because | feel an humble
confidence. that the kind Providence which
inspired our fathers with wisdom to frame
the most perfect form Of Government and
Union never devised 10y man, will not suf.
fer it to perish until it shall have been
peacefully instrumental. ly its example,
in the extension of civil and religious lib
erty throughout the world.
Next in importance t. the maintenance ,
of the Constitution and the Union, is the .
duty OF preserving the Government free ,
from the taint or even the suspicion of .
corruption. Public virtue is the vital |
spirit of Republics; and history proves .
that when this has decayed and the love /
oil money has usurpcd its place, although /
the former OF free Government may remain /
for season, the substance has departed /
forever.
Ous present financial condition i with ,
ont a parallel in history. No nation has |
ever before been embarrassed from too ,
large a surplus in its treasury. This al I
most necessarily gives birth to extrayagant
legislation. 1t produces wild schemes OF
expenditures ami bcEets a race of Specul.,- /
tors and jobbers, whose ingenuity is eXer-
ted in contriying and promoting expedients .
TO obtain public money. The parity Of
official agents, whether rightfully or wrong
fully. is suspected, aud the character of
the Government suffers in the estimation /
of the people. This is in itself a very
great evil. The natural mode Of relief
from this embarrassment is 10 appropriate |
the surplus IN the Treasury to great ma |
tional objects, for which clear warrant !
can be found in the Constitution. Among |
these might mention the eXtingushmeut /
of the public debt. a reasonable increase /
of the Navy-which is at present made /
quate 10 the protection Of our vast tonnage ,
ahoat, now greater than that of any other /
nation-as well as 10 the defence of our
extensive sea cost. !; is beyond all ques-
ton the prilciple that no more revenue |
ought to Ue collected from the people than /
the amount necessary TO dctray the eXpen-
ses Of a wise, economical and efficient /
administration Of the government. To .
reach this point, it was necessary TO resort
TO a modification Of tariff, and this has,
trust been accomplished IN such a man
ner rs to do IS little injury as may have
been practicable to oVr domestic manufac-
lures, especially those Necessary for the
defence al the country. ANY discrimiua-
toE against particular branch tor the
purpose OF benehttin- favored corporations.
indriluals or interests, would have been
unjust 10 the rest Of the community. and
inconsistent with that spirit OF fairness and
equality which ought To- Govern in the
adjustment Of a revenue tariff. But the
squandering OF the public money sinks
into comparative insiEuiticance. "a temp
tation to corruption, when compared to
the squanderlng VI the public lands. No
nation in the tide Of time has ever been
blessed with SO rich and noble an inheri
tance as We enjoy IN the Public Lands
In administering this important trust
whilst it may be wise to grant portions OF
them for the improvcmnt of the rerlain-
der, yet we should never forget that il is
our cardinal policy to preserve these lands,
as much as may be for actual settlers, aid
this at moderate prices. We shall thus
not only best promote the prosperity of
the new States and Territories, by furnish
ing them a hardy and Independent race Of
secure homes for our children ana our
childrens' children, as well as for those
exiles from foreign shores who may seek
aud To enjoy the blessing of civil and re-
ligious liberty. Such emigrants have done
much to promote the growth and prosper
ity Of the country. They have proved
faithful both in peace and in war. After
becoming cilizcns they are entitled under
the constitution and laws to be placed on
perfect equality with native born citizens;
and in tins character they should ever be
kindly organized. The Federal constitu-
iion is = grant from the States to Congress
certain specific powers, and the ques-
ton whether this grant should he literally
or strictly construct, has more or less
divided political parties from the begin
ming. Without entering into the argu
mert, | desire TO state, at the commence
meut of my administration, that long
experience and observation have convinced
me that a strict construction Of the powers
of the Government is the only true. As well
as the only safe theory Of the Constitution
Whenever, in our past history, doubtful
powers have been exercised by Congress,
these have never failed to produce iujuri
Gus and unhappy consequences. Many
such instances might be adduced, if this
were the proper occasion. Neither is it
necessary for the public service To- strain
the language Of the Constitution, because
all the great and useful powers required
for successful administration of the
Government, both in peace and in war.
have been granted either in express terms,
or by the plaiEest implication. Whilst
deeply convinced Of these truths, ! yet
consider il clear, tha; under the war ma
king power Congress may appropriate
money towards the construction Ui a milf
tary road, when this Is absolutely necessary
for the defence Of any State or Territory Of
the Union. against foreign invasion. Tn
der the Constitution, Congress has nower
"to declare y:ag-''to ra;se aud support
armies to provide and maintain
navy and 10 call forth the militia to
"repal INVASION" Thus endowed in an
ample manner with the war making pow
er, the corresponding duty Is required that
"the United States shai! protect each o.
them 1.-THE States) against invasion" Now
is it possible to afford this protection to
California and our Pacific possessions
except by means of military road through
the Territories of the United States over
which men aud ammuni;ions Of war may
be speedily transported from the Atlantic
States to meet and repel the invader. In
the invent of a war with a 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 18th
mus Of Central America. Ii j. impossible
TO conceive, that whilst the Consultation
has expressly required Congress to defend
all the States, it should yet deny to them