Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-21
From the Richmond Enquirer September LIST, !s5S.
The Pacific Railroad-The Power Over Internal

Improvement
We would recall the attention of our readers
to the Two Veto Messages which Mr. Polk sent
to the House Of Rcprcscntativcs-thc first on
the Sd Of August, 1916. and the other on the
18th December, lS4,. They were both deci-
dedy in opposition 10 tho power assumed ny
the Federal Government over internal itn-
provclncni. They cinanatcd from one OF the
best and most brilliant Administrations which
this COUNTRY has ever witnessed. James n
Polk was true Republican, in The best sense
of the word lie was devoted to the true prinri-
pies of the Jciicrsonan School. They are. in
deed. the only principles on which this Govern
mcnt can be properly and usefnly administer
cd They form the polar star. 10y which every
wise politician will conduct his har4ue. Let
Writings snecr at them as mich as they please
Let miserable prctcndrrs laugh at them As Nir-
ginia distractions fhGre they stand, in all
their majesty and in all their beauty The pillar
Of clo,rl '.v day. and the pillar oi fire BY
night"
Gifted with that strong common sense that
sees what i, right, anil with great iirmncss of
character to carry II Out--adyiscd by one Of
the ablcst and most indeGatigablc Cabinets Of
which any President can boast, impressed as
t WAS WIKI Nl'ptlliicS 'l tIit
with the cloarcst principles oi thc good old
Republican party: Guiding the helm OF state
amid storms which were 20 well calculated To
tcS: the skill ~ well rs vigor Of the pilot; no
wonder Mr.. Polks Administration closed in
flood of glory, which scarcely any other has
left behind Read the history Of th"Sc lour
evcntiul years, see the reforms which he intro
dred at home, and the gloricS which he ac-
Gnircd abroad: and let us not wonder At the
reputation which tlrnt pilot carried int" his re-
tiremcnt.
VI President has i"...n in"rc devoted to the
true theory ci the Consttuto" than James Il.
Polk. lie had carly in.bbcd til" views OF the
illnstrio,is Jefferson He thoroughly conceded
in his opinion, that when an instrument adj
mii> two constructions, the ore safe, The other
dangerous. the one precise, the Other indeii-
mite | prefer that which is sata and precise.
had rather ask an enlargement Of powcr from
tho nation, When it is found necessary, than 10
assume il by 4 construction which would make
our powers boundireS. Oar peculiar security
is in the possession Of L written Constitution.
it specifies anh deincatcS the operations per-
mittci t" the Federal Government and slvcs
all The powers necessary 10 carry them INTO
execution. Nothing is more likely than that the
enumeration of powers is defective. lie, u 90
on then perfcc;ing it. ~ adding. by way Of
amendment to the Constitution not. as some
dar.gcrouS projectors would suggest. hy asking
the consent "f = single State I" aHy n>urra-
ton those powers which time and trial show,
are sti! wanting"
Trnc to these principles, Mr.. Pix set his fac
against every cncroachmen, Of power, "h!ch
came within the range of his veto. II was in
this spirit That he prodGccd the Two veto mes
sugcs to which We have already referred. In
the same spirit, he framed the last annual mes
sage which he addressed 10 Congress aud TO
his cD,intry. It is long paper-rcrhaps i.ic
longest mc>Sagc which any PrcSidcn, ever pro-
duccd But it Vas necessarily i "cry ex'en-
siyc - We'll rs elaborate paper, because it com
prchenicd not only the history o! hi own busy
administration. in; general review Of the
true principles o! the Constitution, and the
proper functions with which the General Gov
crnment was charged, but i, pointed our the
variations from i; into which We had OCCASION
ally fallen lie exposed with 4 mastery hand.
the hcrcsics into which the Federal party had
sometimes BETRAYED Us By that mischicvons poll
cy which they had falsely called the '.\meli
cai. system" Let that paper he carefully read
bv cvery politician who wishes to understand
the theory Of our g1,arn;nen; ana the glorious
destiny L. which i, will arrive
l. there a man vino believes that The author
Of .heSc rspcrS would advocate Tia" Pacific
Rail Road: Is there man wh" believes that
the illns,rio,ls Jctrson, would smctcu such
an exercise of powe": In i;,rt. wlio believes
tina, Franklin PIERCE. with al! In prestige,
which surround him: with III, cvr votes before
l. Il, L., III
dict his OWN professions, and overthrow t.c lial-
timore Platform. upon which he stands:
For one we vii! 10, hc!icv. il. We hear.
indeed, from those who ougi,, to know, that
Mr.. Pierce doc, not hold himself bound by any
thing which has escaped from any member cf
his cabinet. We are delighted, too. to hear,
that Col. Davis has been misunderstood on this
subject st ali crcn,S. this paper will bc the
las; TO surrender the citadel of the Con>tita-
ton. aud t. strike the flag Of State Rights. The
time has been when Virginia once stood UP.
almost alone. the active supporter Of those doc
;rinr>. TIL" time Was. when thi; paper had 10
struggle ri the same time with the Charleston
Mercury. the Democratic pres, Of New York.
and the able editors ot the National lntclliycn-
Ger, in opposition to THIS seductive power of
Internal Improvement. But Virginia was then
leu Oh ny JclICTSon AiiN Mi;u>"h. 'N i'"a"S ann
Barbour and John Taylor. Of Caro!ne-ant,
who could quail then. who could hesitate in his
course, when he hal such champions to guide
her steps and cheer his efforts: We ,hal not
hesitate now. We too have distinguished allie,
to rally around the standard. The Who'll" Demo
craft" press is coming cut III 'lricacr "i the Re
publican cause There are able presses in the
other Sta:cs to bear the battle and brunt OF the
day" licsidcs it is written in impcrisl,able
characters on The Republican standard no good
citizen ever jeSpair> OF the Rcpnbli"'
<-RN-S
Far The EngH;r,r
PACIFIC RAILROAD