Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-07

ter Of our Government and the language OF the
ConstItntiOp, he could not doubt the full DO 4er
OF Consress not only 10 regulate the CON mere
among the states conducted oy existing TiI!-
road, but when IL Deems II expedient to ouild
rev raiirosds, either directly by the noneS al
tne people or by corporations restsd bri and
Con stitutiCn.
II was Lot only conferred IN general Lao
guace but toavoid tae inference tasl The pows-
might. by construct on, be connGei . :brei-n
commerce, unusual tsutology vas aIoo.sd n,
declaring II TO extend 10 commerce among tar
several States.
Tie power of the United States to hu,ld
works OF internal Improvement within ta-
States has been settled oy = Series of precedent,
stretching through our entire iegislar history
Government. The public records show ths,
the policy in some form or other has ban
coeyal with the existence of the @ overn .neut,
aid the rapid progress OF the nation Is eyid-Hcs
OF the wisdom OF the policy. NstOss have
sometimes limited the general power fOT = tune
but these are exceptions 70 the general rul-,
RIVERS AID narbors have been improved. tEals
nave been made, turnptkss ana railroads have
been constructed; private properly has been
appropriated tor public use, sad aimo every
form Of commercial Improvement has bA-a
authorized ana constructed by The authority 4
the General Government.
And when We TrtlcCr upon The march Of
event, upon TIE aebt.S ami acts 81 49, san
ate DUNG the last eight y.arS. u seems Iii, %
pause over the exercise Of 2 power 20 hui'i A
national railroad to the CapIttl of the nation
when Is necessity Is SO cI-ariy demanded fIr
'ne public good. and when 3, l. ou,y resisted
by the interest OF pIIyd:e corporations s.. maui
lDg monopoly III TIE name 80 S-a'. right
Mr. Sherman proceeded - max Arg u-,:u-
Der OF CITATIONS from pre,eaents COHErl.GS
his positions.
Tae authority # Congress " bllld ro4i..
canaIs, and ali forms o! Iui III Il Improvement
has been sustained by the supreme CDUE. w0ru-
ever questioned before tlat tribunal. ruougn
the direct question whether Congress nav. IN
disregard OF a State law. bail. railroad within
State has never oeen presented; Vet The tenor
OF the decisions OF that court has a.wsys upheld
the power OF Congress u ADOPT lis owl Sy-u-
cIes IN the execution Vt is q -legat-i powers
and TO disregard any obstrucrions sej np by
STATE. L he jnIted States Bank cases aud The
Wheeling bridge case sustain all that as a.
tempted by this bill Watcher the bank was
an agency proper and neces Sary for the sxecu-
ton OF any of the Xpress powers OF Congress
was question OF doubt but NJ man wall gaes-
ton but that railroad between Washington
ard New York is an agent of commerce be-
tween the States, essentially and vitality nacas-
sary Cor the postal, military, ana commercial
service Of the United States; and to hold that
no such agent shall exist except II ba created
by a State. controlled by a state, regulated by
State, made a monopoly by a State, and be-
yond the power OF Congress, is 10 DIES ROY the
essential qualities OF supreme national Gov
erhment- Ii is secession intensified. for AZ a
STATE seeded il lost the benefit the protection
of the Genera Government; but a STATE thar
can grapple ana control for her own interests
merely, all communication over her terri
tory could ENJOY ali the benefits of
Union and yet infiict upon her sister
States all the injuries OF separate govern
ments. The case of New Jersey is
marked and, fortunately for the country an
isolated example of this policy Her terra
tory lies between the TWO great cities OF the
continent 1t Is generally level, presenting no
dlmculties FOR constructing railroads. She re-
ceives vast local benefits from her proximity
TO those cities. One OF those cities CONTROLS the
commerce Of the continent, the oh4r is the
"a m e mfr -, ~
road between them should he open, free easv
and cheap. Every mode OF transIt should com
pete Tor the exchange OF comm odities aud pro-
auctions. Yet New Jersey undertakes 10 de.
clare that but one corporation shall transport
all these commodities and production ana
that this corporation shall collect for her a tax
on all thus commerce. This m,nopoly
has been maintained for years, but ex-
pres within the present year. En-
forts will be made for its renewal
At all events II will have power enough 10 pre-
vent State authority for the construction of
rival lines. Now, therefore, is the proper time
TO assert the authority OF Congress TO regulate
commerce among the States by authorizing
new lines of transit; bv encouraging compati-
ton, improvement, ana enterprise; by ma king
the construction OF railroads as tree as the CON-
struction of merchant vessels and blacksmith
shops, and by guarding by general laws the
lives and safety OF passengers on railroads as
we'll as steamboats,. We have already by a gem
erai telegraph la W greatly increased tne COM
petition IN that agency OF commerce. We have
often exercised oar power 10 regulate CONNER
cial vessels, both on the sea and on tue rivers
Ehe IRON track Is now the great commercial
road OF mankind. Over II thu commerce
of men is now greater than by all kinds
OF ravigable waters. The locomotive is either
sui orsedlng or revolution iziug he canal.foqt
the sailing vessel, aud the steamboat. Ii is
Greer ping up every valley and overlea ping every
mountain OF our vast country. Ii Is every
where the agent Of commerce and civilization
1t has added more to the wealth of our country
than all the land and houses and possessions
We're worth forty years ago. II the railroad
and telegraph are not national, then nothing is
national. If railroads can only be- built by a
Stale, regulated by a State, onopoIzsd by a
State; II state can prevent their cons LructIon
TO promote some local interest MONOPOLY
then our Government IS not national. A STATE
under pretense of State law, taxes other States
1t Is one of the great beauties OF our Consti-
tuition. framed by men of rare wisdom, thai
though man may invent and magnify; though
the habits and agencies OF their day are swept
away by the inventive genius OF their children:
though our population has increased twelve.
fold, and our country extends across the Con-
tnent, yet that the general principles and DOW
ers they have Ip grated in the Constitution like
the teachings OF The Bible, meet all changes, ali
time. all diversities of condition, wealth, aud
population, and, applied with 4 liberal and fair
construction. regulate agencies ana things of
which they had no conception, in harmony with
their central idea OF a local govern I1ent for
local purposes merely, affecting only the people
OF the State; national government for gene
raj purposes, affecting the people of differ
ent States He believed that IN authorizing the
construction of these railroads We exercise no
doubtful power, while if our Legislation is fol-
lowed, as he hoped it would be, by their speedy
construction, we will have contributed not
only to the local interests of this District bat 10
the common good aud general welfare of the