Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-05-03
The River and HarbOr Bill

Never since the days when the ''old
man eloquent stood up in the halls of
congress as the champion of the free
dom of speech, aud the right OF petit
ton, has there been such an insoiept,
barbarous and reckless disregard Of
the rights of the people as was cXhi-
bited on the occasion Of the vote on
the River and Harbor Bill. 1t is !
quite bad enough when the people of
ons- enntinn nf the country i"etit"t"
riotous proceedings to disturb politi-
cal meetings or conventions by all the
unseemly and outlandish Interrupt
tons which characterize savages bor-
der ruflians, or the notorious X. KS;
hut when that method is adapted to
drive ell decorum, and all therproprie-
ties Of the place from congress-, and
10 stife the freedom of speech in those
halls into which the people look as to
the very fountain OF candor. wisdom,
and careful deliberation, what can be
expected from the rough and unculti-
waited classes who constitute q great
part Of the political society Of this
country? If it has come to this, that
hundreds of thousands Of dollars Of
the peoples money can be appropria-
ted for great variety Of purposes
and no one allowed to question It's
correctness, a condition Of things than
which none other can be more danger
Gus is upon us. We are not express
ing any opinion as to the merits Of
the measure because we have not the
information which would enable MS to );
but we are saying, that, as a general
rule, an omnibus bill above all others
should be held up to the full blaze Of
all tue light which can be shed upon
it by discussion, and q comparison OF
all the facts attending each and every
appropriation in the bill. II there are
several appropriations provided in
the bill, and many locations arc eacn
interested in the one which will i'm
mediately benefit them, is it at all i'm
probable that their representative mag
not in his zeal to secure his constitu-
ents benefit, overlook the dement's of
some other appropriation i'll the bill?
If the necessities for each appropria-
ton were considered separately and
each required to stat d or fall alone,
then the body would act disinterested-
ly. But when each depends upon the
others for votes to secure his appro-
priation, are they not SO much inter-
,ested and dependant one upon another
as to make it prudent to carefully eX-
anime the whole measure and see If
they are proceeding with such caution
as the safety of the treasury requires
And above all things is it decent,
manly Or just to gag the man who
raises a question on the constitutions
,ality of the measure, especially as the
treasury is supposed to be guarded by
laws whose only safety comes from
the fact that they are founded in the
fundamental laws Of the country?
Now, it is barely possible that any
constitutional question touching the
above mentioned bill would be frivo-
lous; but, when so vital an one is
raised as the one touching the right OF
congress to appropriate money for the
purpose Of improving local interests
or sections, the questfon-how far
congress may constitutionally go in
that dIrection--is most certainly OF
sufficient Importance to entitle it to a
candid hearing, the denial of which is
but the entering wedge to dangers
even beyond the fears Of the most
tlmid. 1T may be said that the i'm,
provements provided for by the bill
will add SO much to the general wealth
convenience or beauty of the whole
country, ard no improvement coulC
be made which was not local. Sc
would the appropriation Of severa
sums OF money to improve a giyel
number of designated farms, but who
would claim congress has the right t.
make the appropriation for the latte
purpose? An objection to the latter
has no more right to full and fai
hearing than one to the former. AM
IlISiC 10 ~ etooui lllCC Jildl IG Uld\
not be engulfed in a similar confusion
TO that which has just been blown up
on the country from the hot mouths
of its noisy representatives. i is in
deed the beginning Of sorry Cay 70
this country when member of con
gress cannot rise in his place in OBJ
servance Of all the prophecies of tn,
occasion and resi- ectfully protes
against any measure he deems detri
mental to the country What is, an,
what is not in the power of congress
in respect to this class of cases i
some times very nice question, ant
ought on all occasions when a cas-
occurs to be carefully and fully con
sidered: and if their representative
are not allowed to discuss it in an
given case, the people ought to do 81
most fully and frankly.
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