Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-10
History Of the River and HarDOr
LEGISLATION.


Legislation
( Chicago TI1bsAe.
/ The first river and harbor bill passed Con-
/ gress May %, 1926, during the administrator
| OF President Adams. IL was entitled an
| set for improving certain hsr0ors and the
navigation Of certain rivers and creeks, and
| for authorizing surveys TO be made OF GER
| tain bays, sounds and rivers therein men
| toned" This act contained the first appro-
| pristion ever made for the Improvement OF
nsvigsble river by the United states dovern.
meut During the second term OF resident
Monroe there were some appropriations
made for the Improvement Of harbors and
the surveys Of rivers. In sign1fYing nis ap-
proval OF these bills President Monroe
averred that Sin the more early stage OF the
government he had entertained Inherent
opinion of the constitutional powers OF
Congress in this respect" IL renamed Tor
his successor, John Quincy Adams, who was
an earnest advocate OF the policy OF internal
improvements, to sfT1x MS signature 70
general river and hsrbor bill.
President jackson took 3 middle course.
He vetoed the Maysville Road bill, the VS.
bash river bill, and number OF otner meas
ures OF similar import But he was not op-
posed to the improvement OF haroors or
works which be regarded as OF national
consequence The effect vi his vetoes was,
however. 20 discourage omnibus legislation
on behalf of the improvement or rivers and
harbors. The Wrigs were generally in favor
of internal improvements, and so declared
/ themselves on all occasions; the Democrats
SIS party were opposed to them. Many
bills were passed by Congress during the
years following Jackson's vetoes authorizing
States to levy tonnage dues to defraV the
cost OF improving baroors.
Still, river and harbor improvement bills
- F,fE nd q al
from time to time. We find in Mes Regis
ter OF March S, 1881, brief abstract Of the
debate in the House February "A on "The
hill making appropriations for carrying on
certain roads and works Of internal i'm
provements, and providing for surveys"
including items for the Ohio, Mississippi,
and Missouri rivers. The bill was warmly
supported by the Wings and opposed by the
Democrats. Mr. Archer asked, Chow long
will these appropriations be necessary ?"
Davy Crockett answered frankly, Gas long
as the Mississippi runs" Gen. Jackson re-
pestedly signed bills for improving harbors
and rivers at the expense OF the General
Government, and this bill among the num-
Der.
President Polk vetoed two river and hsr-
Dor bills, one of which appropriated some
thing more than half q million dollars and
the other 81, $4,000. The President took
advanced grounds against the whole policy
of internal improvements, aud denied the
constitutional authority OF Congress to
make appropriations for such purposes.
His policy in this respect raised up many
enemies against him IN his own party, and
partly for this reason he was not renomi-
mated These vetoes gave rise to the River
and Hsrbor Convention held In Chicago ia
1847, at which letter from Lewis Cass-
then D mocrstic candidate for the Presi-
dency-very family approving OF the policy
OF internal mprovements-was read.
Cass was nominated by the Democrats,
but he was defeated by General Taylor, the
Wing candidate, who IN his first message to
Congress said at shall be my study TO re-
commend such constitutional measures 10
Congress as may be necessary and proper to
secure announcement and protection to the
great interest Of agriculture, commerce and
manufactures, to improve our rivers and
harbors," etc. River and harbor bills were
approved by Taylor and Fillmore.
The Wing platform OF 1852 contained the
following:
"The Constitution vests in Congress the
power to open and repair harbors and re-
move distractions from navigable rivers,
and It is expedient that Congress shall ex-
ercise that power whenever such improve
ments are necessary for the common de-
Tense or for the protection and facility OF
commerce with foreign nations or among
the States"
General Scott was months ted on this plat
form, but he was defeated by Franklin
Pierce, who subscribed to the doctrine OF
the Democratic party, announced in Its reso
lutions as follows;
"The Constitution does not confer upon
the General Government the power to com
mence and carry on a general system of
internal Improvements"
In accordance with this resolution, Pierce
vetoed the river and harbor bill Of 1882
He advised Congress to ''make appropTia-
tions for every work in a separate bill, so
that each one shall stand upon its indie
pendent merits" But when Congress took
him at his word and in the next session
passed bills for the improvement of the
mouth of the Mississippi, for deepening the
channel over the st. Clair fats, and for per-
forming q similar work on the St. Msry's
q ats, the President vetoed them all. Con-
| gress passed these three bills over the Presi-
dents veto. With the exception Of the
revenue cutter bill, which passed over Ty-
ler's veto, they were the first measures to be
enacted into law from the foundation of the
government, "the objections OF the Presi-
dent Notwithstanding"
After Pierce's veto large number Of bills
making specific appropriations for river and
harbor improVe meGts were introduced in
both houses, but few or none OF them passed.
In the spring of 1859 Buchanan pocketed
the St. Clair fats bill, and announced his
rooted objections to all measures OF the
same character in a special message to the
new Congress February l, 1880 "For my
own opinions on the subject" he sd-
ded naively, al might refer to
President Folks carefully prepared
message the 18th of December, 1S47,
addressed to the House of Representatives
whilst / was member of his Cabinet
This was practically the last river or barbor
1 I'm. n4rr,k
No important bill Of this kind WAS, indeed,
enacted iuto law from 1852 to 1886, pc
Rod OF fourteen years. The known oppo-
sition Of Pierce and Buchanan 70 such
measures and the growing gravity OF the
political situation prevented this class of
legislation during the eight years they were
in office; and the necessities OF government
were so pressing during the war that inter
nal improvements were not thought OF.
April so, 1856. Mr.. Eliot, of Msssschu-
setts, Chairman of the Committee on Com
merce. introduced in the House the first
systematic river and barbor bill that has
been prepared since the Pierce veto Of 1854.
In advocating the bill Eliot said;
sfDuring all the war the Committee
on Commerce have persistently re-
fused to report any bill on this
subject, although petitions have
been before them time and again. And the
people have been content; they have been
expanding life and treasure to save the life
of the nation. The work of war has called
them from their homes. That work has
been well accomplished and thoroughly.
And now from every loyal section Of the
land petitions have come up demanding the
action of Congress In behalf Of works where
the highest industrial Interests OF the coun-
try are involved"
The bill passed under suspension OF the
rules and the operation of the previous ques-
ton, and without q call Of the yeas and nays.
1t appropriated for the fiscal year 1867 the
sum of s., 700, 0O0 The title Of the bill was:
ga bin making appropriations for the repair,
preservation and completion Of certain pub
lie works heretofore commenced under the
authority of law, and for other purposes"
The dates at which these works had been
commenced" were cautiously suppressed.
Three of them had been Commenced" less
than fourteen years before the introduction
of the bill. and some of them were "com-
meneed" fifty years before.
River aud harbor bills have been passed
annuslly since 1865, with the exception Of
two years. The appropriations for each rs
cal year have been as follows
1867. ......s AGO. 900 1876 .....S $500 600
1e6S.... 49,. 10000 1871 5O15OOO