Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-09-22
OUTRAGE!
Improvement Of Rivera and Harbors--TOn-
nase Dulles ssheme or senator douglas.

P RUPUSEU U UUIHAh !!
Improvement Of Rivers and Harbors--TOn-
nase Dufies seheme Of senator Douglas.
In the Senate Of the United States, August
I'd, 1852, the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas
brought forward his proposition to authorize
a levy Of tonnage duties by the States for the
improvement Of Rivers and Harbors. On The
2sd Of August the Hon. Truman Smith, Of
Connecticut delivered a speech in the Senate
on the subject of the proposition of Mr.. Dong,
las As the matter is one of deep interest
to the people of the West and Northwest, a
question Of vital importance in their COM
merce and prosperity, involving as it does
safety to life and property, we earnestly call
the attention Of the public TO the following
extracts from the speech of Mr.. Smith. We
do this the more earnestly, since Mr.. Douglas,
with all his variableness on other questions,
has never in the Senate or on the stump pro-
iessed any change Of views in regard 20 his
most extraordinary proposition of 1852. As
a stumping candidate for the Presidency, he
carefully dodges the subject Of Harbor and
River improvements; and it is fair to pre-
sumo that his proposition Of 1862 would be
his olicy of 1861, should Mr.. Douglas, un-
fortunately for the country, be permitted to
give it the force OF Executive recommends
ton.
ARer some Introductory remarks, Mr.
Smith proceeded to examine the proposition
Of Mr. Douglas in constitutional point of
view.
TONNAGE DuTIEs UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
believe that the amendment which the
Senator has submitted is unconstitutional
throughout By the third clause, sec, 8, ar
ticle lst of the Constitution of the United
States, il is provided that ono State shall,
without the consent of Congress, lay any dtfty
Of Tonnage; keep troops or ships Of war in
time Of peace; enter into any agreement or
compact with another State or with foreign
power; or engage in war unless actually in
Nuuclt VI ia buNAA .AA4AAAAAAGAAk WI
not admit of delay i.sI
Now, the amendment proposed by the
honorable Senator can find nc warrant in
the constitution, unless it be in the clause
here cited And what are the propositions
which he puts forward in that amendment ?
They are-(l.) That Congress consents that
each State may empower the authorities Of
cities and towns within its limits to levy du-
ties Of tonnage not exceeding len cents per
ton upon boats and vessels of every descrip-
ton entering the harbor or waters of any such
city or town; the funds derived therefrOm
70 be applied exclusively to the improvement
of the same, and no higher duties to be
charged than is necessary for the purpose spe-
Gifted. a. Also Congress consents that the
several States bordering on the Lakes, or Ell
ther of them, or any two or more Of said
States, may by compact with each other i'm
prove the navigation of such lakes or either
of them, and OF the channels connecting them
together; and to that end may divert a por-
ton of the tonnage duties not exceeding four
cents per ton, collected at the townsand cities
within the States entering into the compact,
and may collect tolls sufficient to defray
the expense of keeping in repair any Ca
nal or artificial communication coAstruc-
ted for the purposes above specified. 81
Also where any navigable river or water is
situated wholly or in part within the limits
of any State, the Legislature thereof may pro-
vide for the improvement of the navigation
of so much of the same as is within such
States by the levy Of duties of tonnage not
exceeding ten cents per ton, to be applied
exclusively to the object here expressed; !;
and a. Where such river or water is situa-
ted between two or more States, such States,
or any number Of them, may by compact
provide for the improvement of the naviga-
ton thereof by the levy Of duties Of tonnage
not to exceed the amount already specified,
and to be applied exclusively to the object
neht proposed, tbtit6ss RGaef the ameBg=
parent that the honorable Senator contem-
plates the overthrow of the existing system
Of harbor and river improvements by the
general government and the substitution in
lieu thereof Of improvements by cities and
towns, by single States, and by combina-
ton of two or more States. Is such scheme
as this constitutional? Let us attend to its
different parts r--,-
The Senator first proposes that Congress
shall consent that State may authorize the
public authorities of any city or town within
its limits to levy duties of tonnage to the
mount and for the purpose indicated. Now
the constitution authorizes no such proceed
ings According TO the clause already re-
lerred to, the State is to pass an act laying
the "duty of tonnage, which is to become
valid on receiving the sanction of Congress.
WHAT SENATOR DOUGLAS PROPOSES.
But what does the Senator propose2 Not
that Congress should give its assent to law
passed by State leEyiRg tonnage duties, but
that it shoHld sanction an act to be passed BY
any State empowering "the public authori-
ties Of any city or town within its limits to
levy such duties. Now, wLo are the authori-
ties of city or town. We can form some
conception as to who are the authorities of a
city; they are ordinarily the Mayor, Board
Of Aldermen and Common Council Of such
city. But who are the authorities ofa town?
Can any one tell? Perhaps the Senator con-
templates slevy by the high constable Of each
town. should like to have him explain his
meaning. We have here sineular state of
things-the assent Of Congress to the assent of
State to the levy of tonnage duties by
L Il