New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-23
MR.. JOHNSON ON AMBOY.


mH. JOHNSON ON AMBOY.
Mr.. Reyerdy johnson has made the argument
to the Senate in support OF the Camaeh ana
Amboy Monopoly. As this was to be DONE ana
we'll done. we rejoice that M johnson was se-
lc.cted TO do it. If great and gainiui abuse Is
to be upheld by show Of argument, he o. all
our present Senators is the man IRON whom We
should expect the effort.
Mr.. johnson processes inability TO guess under
what power granted to Congress by the Consul
tuition the right to abate the Camden nuisance Il
claimed to exist unless it be the clause when
confers the power " to establish pcst-roads.'
Now, we DO not at all question nor doubt TIE
right Of Congress to create post-roads Wherever
they nav be needed-much less TO direct the
mails 70 be carried over any existing roads; but
we insis. that Congress has ample power to
upset TIE Jersey monopoly under the expressly
granted power "To regulate commerce
among tho serool States" Federal Constitu-
ton, Art. !, Ss clause 81 1t seems to US that
this power was granted mainly TO enable Con-
eress to protect the whole American people
against Just such local impedimerts and extor-
tons rs Mr.. johnson is here defending.
My. johnson seems disposed not to mince
matters, but to mako thorough work. On the
broad question Of power, he says:
New Jersey under 10 litigation 10 make road
or canal. fsuppOse that VII be admitted. ILefe IS
nothing IN The Constitution - the lnted states which
oompes SegJcrsey 20 spend dollar iOE tbs beGea. Of
other States o. spend dollar IN the construction -
roads or canals IN her own state, What shg locs ilf
The btnoht OF bc own citizens Sic is authorized 10 do
and NAV be corpicd 20 do not By tho United States
but by tho influence OF her population They elect
her Legislature aud they the people Of NoW-Jersey.
Hing g. have roads constructed, they, the people
wl instruct the members Of their Legislature 20 con-
sruct any particular road canal that they want but
tie United States have no right 90 interfere. II New.
Jersey not under any obligation 20 the United
states or any citizen whatever living in any other
state 10 construct road or earn, IN ls9O when these
improvements were authorized, and sic determined
upon constructing road and canal. had she not night
10 say upon what terms she would authorize them 20 De
oonsiructodi Who can doubt ihaii She had the powe
10 make either Of these Improvements ard nobody
had night TO enforce as against her tie execution q
that power. IL was power ooaudod 20 her Owe sole
discretion, ard being Ia the nj! aud unlimited posses
sion o. the power shC had night % exert Just N TIE
manner she thought proper and II She IN Judgment
believed that she could make this road by means OF tls
charter and by force Of all the provisions contained m
the charter inc Gding THAI provision which The
company az againht competition, who has right u
complain OF III tnu TIE tDflhfNtOiB complain NlttE
they have got the charteri | suppose that question
answers iSek And. II they cannot complain. who sse
can complaint
Why, Mr.. johnson ire complain, "a citi-
zens OLA great commercial emporium, that New
jersey burdens and obstruc.s the transit OF our
customers TO us, thereby lettering and diminish.
ing our trade urjGstly and in manifest opposi.
ton to the general good. We desire that tho
merchants Of tho South md West shall visit
our City; they want TO come: Ncw-Jerscy
taxes and impeGes their coming, and you uphold
her in so doing. Nay: You affirm her right (sec
above) TO interdct and prohibit any transit
whatever by railroad across her territory. You
say she was under no obligation to construct
either railroad or canal, (Which we agree to y
and you thereupon assume that she had ga
right 10 say upon what terms she would author
ize them to be constructed" But that is
horse Of another color. If she had chosen not
to "agtioYise" any road at all connecting New
York with Philadelphia, we maintain that
the people of these two cities, with
tho millions of other similarly situated, had
clear natural and an equally clear consti-
tutonal right to hold intercourse, visit and trade
with each other by the most convenient route, in |
the cheapest and most expeditions manner; and
that, if New-Jcrsey had seen fit to play the part
of dog in tho manger, she would thereby have
made it the duty of Congress "to regulate CON-
merce" and "to establish post.roadS' between
the two greatest Of American cites--that Con-
gress could not refuse to do this without a clear
of duty and practical denial of the
VITAL viviiying truth that we are citizens of one
great, free country, no part Of which has right |
under the Constitution, to enrich itself by ere.
ating barriers between other portions of the
United States. Every toll-gate wantonly
erected, every tax ncedessly imposed on such
transit is violation both of the letter and
spirit of the Constitution.
One remark of the Senator from MARYLAND
meets our hearty appreciation 1t is that with
which he opens his plca--as follows:
Mr.. President, the bill which is now before the I
Senate. according to my vicw involves principles Of
great importance which II 10 VERY desirable. II they