Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-14

strict construction CT the powers granted TO Con
gress Is the only true as well as the enIy safe. the
DRY Of the constitution. Whilst this priEeipIe sba
guide my public conduct I consider il clear that
under the war making power Congress ms5 ap.
pirate money for the construction Of military road
through the Territory Of the United States, when
this is absolutely necessary for the defence Of any
Of the States against foreign INVASION The ccnsti-
tuition has conferred upon Congress power 70 ''de-
clare war" ITO raise and support armes:" sto pro-
vide and maintain navy, and TO cali forth the mi
Itia to 'repel invasionsn These high foreign pew
ers necessarily involve important and responsible
public duties and among them there IS none so
sacred and so imperative as that ofpreserying ouT
sol from the invasion OF foreign enemy.
The constitution has therefore, LETT nothing on
tbs point to construction, but expressly requires
that 'the United States shall protect each Of them
(tke Siates) agsinst INVASION" Nov, il a military
road over our own Territories he irdispehsibiy
necessary to enable as TO meet and repei the IN
ysder it followt necessary consequence not only
that we possess 9he power but it IS orr imperative
dlti to eonstrct such road. IL would be sn
a0snrdity TO invest a government with unlimited
Poser TO make and conduct war, and at the same
time done to it only the means OF reaching and de-
Eating the enemy at the frontier. Without such
Oad ID is quite evident we eanRot protect Cali
brnia and our Pacific possessions against inyason
and munitions If war from the Atlantic States in
sufficient time successfully to defend those remote
and distant portions Of the Republic.
Experience has proved that the routes across
the i>thmus of Central America are at best but
very unceI tain and unreliable mode of commuBica-
ton. But even if this we're not the case, they
would at once be closed against in the event OF
war wish a naval power so much stEonger than cur
own as to be able to blockade the ports at either
\ r. L..
only rely upon a military through ows terrific
ries; and since the origin of the government
Congress has beer in the practice of apprOpriating
money from the public treasury for the construction
of such roads
The diff uIties and the expense Of constructing Mill
ary railroad to Atlantic aad Pacific States
have oeeu greatly exaggerated The distance on the Ar
route the SD pa ae Of No. tn latude between
the western boundary Of Texas the Rio Grande and the
eastern boundary OF California the Colorado from the
best p.oraons within knOzledge, does not
ceed iou hundred and seventy miles, and the face Of the
the country is in the main, favorable k0r obOus
the government ought not 70 undertake tn WorS itself bg
means Of iis own agents.
This ought to be committed to other agencies, which
Congress might assist e her By grants Of land money
bcIh such and conditions they deem
most benz fetal for the country Provision might thus be
made not Ouly FOR the SAFE rapid and economical trans
porta0n Of troops and munitions OF war, bus also OF e
public mails The commercial interests of the Whole
try both East and West would be greatly promoted by such
road and above ali, it wOuld be powerful additional
bond of union And .alshough advantages OF ds kind
constitutional power Jet they may f1rnise auxiliary
ments In favor Of exped.ting work which, in my udg
ment, clearly embraced within the war-m4kng power
For these reasons commend to the friendly considera-
on of Congress the subject Of the Pacific railroad with
out finally committing myself to any particular route
The report Of the Secretary of the Treasury VIII m nsh
detailed statement OF the condition Of the public dnan-
and OF the respective branches Of public service de-
vOyed upon that department of the government BY this
report il appears that the amount oreveRue received from
al into the Treasury during the fiscal ending
the Both Of June 1889 was sxtTei9ht millions six hun.
fv-One IreQ NJ
dollars and sixty cents, (S6S which
ount with the balance OF nineteen million and nine hun
dred and thousand three hundred ard twenty Eve
dollars and forrydYe cents, QS9I13z5 "a remaining in
the treasury at The commencement OF the year, made
aggEeglte for The s1vice Of the year Of Lightweight mil
lien five hundred and tir y-tWo thous eig hundred
and thirty-nne dollars and twelve cens.( 81 5S 1919
would call the special attention of Congress to the
OF the Secretary OF the Navy in favor Of the
construction often steamers Oflgt draught For
years the government mas ooged on many eecasens
to hire such steamers from individuals to supply It's pressing
wants. At he present moment We have armed ves-
sci in the which penetrate the rivers OF China
We have but few enter OF the harboTs south
OF Norfolk although many millions of foreign ard domestic
commerce annually in and out of these hsrhOEs Seme
of valuable interests and most vulnerable points
thus left exposed This class of vessels light dTaUgh,
great speed and heavy guns would be form dabe in coast
and they win require but comparatively sDS expediture
to keep them commission. In time OF peace they viii
prove as Elective as much larger vessels and often more
useful One Of them should be at every station where
maintain adron, and three four should be constants
Atlantic and Pacific coasts Economy, uliiy,ana
able. Ten of these small vessels word be OF ncalcniable
advantage the naval service and The whole oftEer
construction would not exceed two million three hundred
thousand dollars, or $23e,0O9 each. 3
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior worthy Of
grave consideration threats OF the important
aud diversified branches of domestic administration
trusted to him by law Among these the prominent
the public lands 2Dd relations with the Indians
Our system for IN disposal of the public lands oFigi
mating with the fathers the repnbc has been improved
experience pointed the way and gradually adapted
the grosth and settlement Of our Western States and
1 AireaCT
thirteen States and Territories have been carved cut
these lands, and still more than a thousand rIilion
acres remain Unsoid. What bOUndless prospect this
presents country of fuIure prosperity and pOwe
We have heretofore disposed OF 64 Of the
public land.
The public expenditures for the fiscal year ending sOh
June, 1851 united to seventy iion eight hundred
and twenty two thousand hundred and twenty
dollars and eighty i've cents 1Os2 4 S5 Of which i've
million nine hundred and forty three thousand eight hun
dred and six dollars and ninety cents, (5 9i3
500 9 applied to the redemption Of the pubic eb;
including interest and premium, eaUng in the
treasury at the commencement Of the present year,
the July 1851 million hundred s1d
T. tbousand ON. hundred and fourteen dollars and txenv
cents, sl77iO11 2I).
The receipts into the treasury for the first quarter ohe
present fiscal year commencing st July 1851
" miOl nine hundred and twenty nine thousand eight
hundred and nineteen 'ars and eghtyone cents (sZH
three quarters the oUth june 1885, thirty six million
hundred and fy thousand dollars 1886 650OO
king with the balance before stated rsgae OF
ty-fVe million three hundred and eighty thousand
nine hundred and thirty four dollars and tget Get Is 4j
y34 OS) the service OF the fiscal
The actual expenditure during the srst quarter Ofthe
present fiscal year twentythree millions hun
dred and fourteen thousand i've hundred and twenty
eight dollars and thirty seven cents lS23I4 5zS 3I OF
which three mill ons eight hundred ana BjneyfVe thou
sand tive hundred aud hirtytwo dollars and thirty nine
S3 S95 232 3s) applied the redemption Of
the public debt including interest aud premium. The
probable expenditures of the remaining three quarters
so June IS5Sare ty-Oue millions hundred fcrty
eight thousand FIVE hundred thirty dollars and iOur
cents, (5I PAS $50 0G including interest the public debt
making an aggregae of seventy four millions nine hun
andS doll nd
one cents 3B5S Az having estimated balance in
the Treasury he close OF the present fiscal Of our
entyfYe dollars and sixtySeyen cents ($42G,S35 6T)
The amount OF the pubic deb: at the Of
sand undred and eghtysx dollars and niny eenss
800 060Sse OO)
The amount redeemed since the Ist Of Jnly was three
million eight hundred and ninety five thousand two hun
dred and thirty dollars aud thirty nine cents
232 s9 leaving balance unedeemed at this time Of
tWeny-hy milio one hundred and sixty Ave thousand
one hundred and sfty four dollars and hyOne cents j
16J, ,i54 81.
The Of estimated expenditures forhe remaining
three quarters Of the scas year VIII In all prOba
y be increased frous the uesie forth In the report
OF the Secretary His suggestion, therefore, that auhor
the issue of limited Of treasury notes. apprCV
ed, and accordingly recommend tie passage OF such
law.
As stated in the report Of the Secretar the term Of
March g. lS5l has been in operation for short period
OF tme and under circumstances unavorabe to J1s
deVeiopnsns OF us result as revenue measure thatA
should regard 1t as an nsxPedent at least for the present.
to undertake its revision.
transmit herewith the reports made to by the secre
taries Of War and Of the Navy Of the Interior and Of the
Postmaster -Geae al They aleontan valuable and m-
po-ant information and uggestions which commend 20
the favorable consideration Of Congress.
have already recommended the raising Of four ad3i
regiments and the report OF the Secretary Of War
presents strong proving this increase Of the army
under the existing circumstances to be Indispensable
Whilst The public lands a source OF revenue are Of
great Importance their Importance is far greater fur
nisng homes for hardy and independent Of honest
and Industrious citizens who desire to Subdne and e1
vate the SOIL They ought to be administered RAiny with
view Of promoting this wise and benevolent policy In
apprOprang them for other purpose ought 20 use
greater economy than IL they had been converted
into money and the proceeds already In the public
treasury. To squander away this richest and nObest in
herance which anypesple have enjoyed objects