Latest / State of the Union Addresses 1829-1836 / 014 - Andrew Jackson December 1 1834 part 3

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014 - Andrew Jackson December 1 1834 part 3 · State of the Union Addresses 1829-1836

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Speaker 1: Section fourteen of State of the Union, Addresses eighteen twenty
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Speaker 1: nine to eighteen thirty six. This is a LibriVox recording.
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Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
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Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Andrew Jackson,
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Speaker 1: December the first, eighteen thirty four, Part three. The Report
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Speaker 1: of the Secretary of War, together with the accompanying documents
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Speaker 1: from the several bureau of that Department, will exhibit the
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Speaker 1: situation of the various objects committed to its administration. No
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Speaker 1: event has occurred since your last session, rendering necessary any
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Speaker 1: movements of the Army, with the exception of the expedition
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Speaker 1: of the regiment of dragoons into the territory of the
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Speaker 1: wandering and predatory tribes inhabiting the Western frontier and living
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Speaker 1: adjacent to the Mexican boundary. These tribes have been heretofore
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Speaker 1: known to us principally by their attacks upon our own
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Speaker 1: citizens and upon other Indians entitled to the protection of
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Speaker 1: the United States. It became necessary for the peace of
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Speaker 1: the frontiers to check these habitual inroads, and I am
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Speaker 1: happy to inform you that the object has been effected
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Speaker 1: without the commission of any act of hostility. Colonel Dodge
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Speaker 1: and the troops under his command have acted with equal
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Speaker 1: firmness and humanity, and an arrangement has been made with
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Speaker 1: those Indians, which it is hoped, will assure their permanent
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Speaker 1: pacific relations with the United States and the other tribes
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Speaker 1: of Indians upon that border. It is to be regretted
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Speaker 1: that the prevalence of sickness in that quarter has to
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Speaker 1: deprive the country of a number of valuable lives, and
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Speaker 1: particularly that General Leavenworth, an officer well known and esteemed
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Speaker 1: for his gallant services in the late War and for
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Speaker 1: his subsequent good conduct, has fallen a victim to his
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Speaker 1: zeal and exertions in the discharge of his duty. The
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Speaker 1: Army is in a high state of discipline. Its moral condition,
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Speaker 1: so far as that is known here, is good, and
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Speaker 1: the various branches of the public service are carefully attended to.
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Speaker 1: It is amply sufficient under its present organization for providing
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Speaker 1: the necessary garrisons for the sea board and for the
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Speaker 1: defense of the internal frontier, and also for preserving the
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Speaker 1: elements of military knowledge, and for keeping pace with those
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Speaker 1: improvements which modern experience is continually making. And these objects
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Speaker 1: appear to me to embrace all the legitimate purposes for
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Speaker 1: which a permanent military force should be maintained in our country.
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Speaker 1: The lessons of history teach us its danger and the
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Speaker 1: tendency which exists to an increase. This can be best
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Speaker 1: met and averted by a just caution on the part
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Speaker 1: of the public itself and of those who to represent
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Speaker 1: them in Congress. From the duties which devolve on the
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Speaker 1: Engineer Department and upon the topographical Engineers. A different organization
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Speaker 1: seems to be demanded by the public interest, and I
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Speaker 1: recommend the subject to your consideration. No important change has
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Speaker 1: during this season taken place in the condition of the Indians.
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Speaker 1: Arrangements are in progress for the removal of the creeks,
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Speaker 1: and will soon be for the removal of the seminoles.
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Speaker 1: I regret that the Cherokees east of the Mississippi have
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Speaker 1: not yet determined as a community to remove. How long
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Speaker 1: the personal causes which have heretofore retarded, that ultimately inevitable
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Speaker 1: measure will continue to operate. I am unable to conjecture.
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Speaker 1: It is certain, however, that delay will bring with it
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Speaker 1: accumulated evils which will render their condition more and more unpleasant.
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Speaker 1: The experience of every year adds to the conviction that
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Speaker 1: emigration and that alone can preserve from destruction the remnant
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Speaker 1: of the tribes yet living amongst us, the facility with
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Speaker 1: which the necessaries of life are procured, and the treaty
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Speaker 1: stipulations providing aid for the emigrant Indians in their agricultural
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Speaker 1: pursuits and in the important concern of education and their
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Speaker 1: removal from those causes which have heretofore depressed all and destroyed.
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Speaker 1: Many of the tribes cannot fail to stimulate their exertions
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Speaker 1: and to reward their industry. The two laws passed at
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Speaker 1: the last session of Congress on the subject of Indian
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Speaker 1: affairs have been carried into effect, and detailed instructions for
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Speaker 1: their administration have been given. It will be seen by
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Speaker 1: the estimates for the present session that a great reduction
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Speaker 1: will take place in the expenditures of the Department in
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Speaker 1: consequence of these laws, and there is reason to believe
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Speaker 1: that their a operation will be salutary, and that the
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Speaker 1: colonization of the Indians on the western frontier, together with
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Speaker 1: a judicious system of administration, will still further reduce the
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Speaker 1: expenses of this branch of the public service and at
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Speaker 1: the same time promote its usefulness and efficiency. Circumstances have
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Speaker 1: been recently developed showing the existence of extensive frauds under
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Speaker 1: the various laws granting pensions and gratuities for revolutionary services.
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Speaker 1: It is impossible to estimate the amount which may have
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Speaker 1: been thus fraudulently obtained from the National treasury. I am satisfied, However,
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Speaker 1: it has been such as to justify a re examination
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Speaker 1: of the system and the adoption of the necessary checks
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Speaker 1: in its administration. All will agree that the services and
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Speaker 1: sufferings of the remnant of our revolutionary band should be
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Speaker 1: fully compensated. But while this is done, every proper precaution
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Speaker 1: should be taken to prevent the admission of fabricated and
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Speaker 1: fraudulent claims. In the present mode of proceeding the attestations
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Speaker 1: and certificates of the judicial officers of the various states,
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Speaker 1: from a considerable portion of the checks which are interposed
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Speaker 1: against the commission of frauds. These, however, have been and
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Speaker 1: may be fabricated and in such a way as to
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Speaker 1: elude detection at the examining offices. And independently of this
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Speaker 1: practical difficulty, it is ascertained that these documents are often
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Speaker 1: loosely granted. Sometimes even blank certificates have been issued. Sometimes
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Speaker 1: prepared papers have been signed without inquiry, and in one
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Speaker 1: instance at least the seal of the court has been
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Speaker 1: within reach of a person most interested in its improper application.
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Speaker 1: It is obvious that under such circumstances no severity of
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Speaker 1: administration can the abuse of the law, and information has
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Speaker 1: from time to time been communicated to the Pension Office
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Speaker 1: questioning or denying the right of persons placed upon the
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Speaker 1: pension list to the bounty of the country. Such cautions
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Speaker 1: are always attended to and examined, but a far more
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Speaker 1: general investigation is called for, and I therefore recommend, in
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Speaker 1: conformity with the suggestion of the Secretary of War, that
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Speaker 1: an actual inspection should be made in each state into
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Speaker 1: the circumstances and claims of every person now drawing a pension.
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Speaker 1: The honest veteran has nothing to fear from such a scrutiny,
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Speaker 1: while the fraudulent claimant will be detected and the public
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Speaker 1: treasury relieved to an amount I have reason to believe
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Speaker 1: far greater than has heretofore been suspected. The details of
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Speaker 1: such a plan could be so regulated as to interpose
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Speaker 1: the necessary check without any burdensome operation upon the pensioners.
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Speaker 1: The object should be too fold to look into the
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Speaker 1: original justice of the claims, so far as this can
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Speaker 1: be done under a proper system of regulations, by an
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Speaker 1: examination of the claimants themselves, and by inquiring in the
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Speaker 1: vicinity of their residence, into their history, and into the
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Speaker 1: opinion entertained of their revolutionary services, to ascertain in all
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Speaker 1: cases whether the original claimant is living, and this by
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Speaker 1: actual personal inspection. This measure, will, if adopted, be producted.
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Speaker 1: I think of the desired results, and I therefore recommend
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Speaker 1: it to your consideration, with the further suggestion that all
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Speaker 1: payments should be suspended till the necessary reports are received.
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Speaker 1: It will be seen by a tabular statement annexed to
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Speaker 1: the documents transmitted to Congress, that the appropriations for objects
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Speaker 1: connected with the War Department made at the Lafeast Session
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Speaker 1: for the service of the year eighteen thirty four, excluding
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Speaker 1: the permanent appropriation for the payment of military gratuities under
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Speaker 1: the Act of June seventh, eighteen thirty two, the appropriation
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Speaker 1: of two hundred thousand dollars for arming and equipping the militia,
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Speaker 1: and the appropriation of ten thousand dollars for the civilization
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Speaker 1: of the Indians, which are not annually renewed, amounted to
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Speaker 1: the sum of nine million, three thousand, two hundred and
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Speaker 1: sixty one dollars, and that the estimates of appropriations necessary
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Speaker 1: for the same branches of service for the year eighteen
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Speaker 1: thirty five amount to the sum of five million, seven
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Speaker 1: hundred seventy eight thousand, nine hundred and sixty four dollars,
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Speaker 1: making a difference in the appropriations of the current year
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Speaker 1: over the estimates of the appropriations for the next of
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Speaker 1: three million, two hundred and twenty four thousand, two hundred
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Speaker 1: ninety seven dollars. The principal causes which have operated at
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Speaker 1: this time to produce this great difference are shown in
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Speaker 1: the reports and documents and in the detailed estimates. Some
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Speaker 1: of these causes are accidental and temporary, while others are
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Speaker 1: permanent and aided by a just course of administration, may
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Speaker 1: continue to operate beneficially upon the public expenditures a just economy,
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Speaker 1: expending where the public service requires and withholding where it
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Speaker 1: does not, is among the indispensable duties of the government.
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Speaker 1: I refer you to the accompanying report of the Secretary
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Speaker 1: of the Navy, and to the documents with it, for
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Speaker 1: a full view of the operations of that important branch
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Speaker 1: of our service during the present year. It will be
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Speaker 1: seen that the wisdom and liberality with which Congress has
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Speaker 1: provided for the gradual increase of our navy material have
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Speaker 1: been seconded by a corresponding zeal and fidelity on the
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Speaker 1: part of those to whom has been confided the execution
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Speaker 1: of the laws on the subject, And that but a
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Speaker 1: short period would be now required to put in commission
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Speaker 1: a force large enough for any exigency into which the
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Speaker 1: country may be thrown. When we reflect upon our position
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Speaker 1: in relation to other nations, it must be apparent that
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Speaker 1: in the event of conflicts with them, we must look
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Speaker 1: chiefly to our navy for the protection of our national rights.
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Speaker 1: The wide seas which separate us from other governments must
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Speaker 1: of necessity be the theater on which an enemy will
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Speaker 1: aim to assail us, And unless we are prepared to
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Speaker 1: meet him on this element, we cannot be said to
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Speaker 1: possess the power requisite to repel or prevent aggressions. We
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Speaker 1: cannot therefore watch with too much attention this arm of
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Speaker 1: our defense, or cherish with too much care the means
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Speaker 1: by which it can possess the necessary efficiency and extension.
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Speaker 1: To this end, our policy has been heretofore wisely directed
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Speaker 1: to them constant employment of a force sufficient to guard
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Speaker 1: our commerce, and to the rapid accumulation of the materials
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Speaker 1: which are necessary to repair our vessels and construct with
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Speaker 1: ease such new ones as may be required in a
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Speaker 1: state of war. In accordance with this policy, I recommend
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Speaker 1: to your consideration the erection of the additional dry dock
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Speaker 1: described by the Secretary of the Navy, and also the
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Speaker 1: construction of the steam batteries to which he has referred,
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Speaker 1: for the purpose of testing their efficacy as auxiliaries to
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Speaker 1: the system of defense now in use. The Report of
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Speaker 1: the Postmaster General herewith submitted exhibits the condition and prospects
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Speaker 1: of that department. From that document, it appears that there
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Speaker 1: was a deficit in the funds of the Department at
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Speaker 1: the commencement of the present year, beyond its available means
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Speaker 1: of three hundred and fifteen thousand, five hundred nine nine
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Speaker 1: dollars ninety eight cents, which on the first of July
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Speaker 1: last have been reduced to two hundred and sixty eight thousand,
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Speaker 1: ninety two dollars and seventy four cents. It appears also
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Speaker 1: that the revenues for the coming year will exceed the
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Speaker 1: expenditures about two hundred and seventy thousand dollars, which, with
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Speaker 1: the excess of revenue which will result from the operations
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Speaker 1: of the current half year, may be expected, independently of
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Speaker 1: any increase in the gross amount of postages, to supply
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Speaker 1: the entire deficit before the end of eighteen thirty five.
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Speaker 1: But as this calculation is based on the gross amount
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Speaker 1: of postages which had accrued within the period embraced by
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Speaker 1: the times of striking the balances, it is obvious that
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Speaker 1: without a progressive increase in the amount of postages, the
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Speaker 1: existing retrenchments must be persevered in through the year eighteen
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Speaker 1: thirty six, that the department may accumulate a surplus fund
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Speaker 1: sufficient to place it in a condition of perfect ease.
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Speaker 1: It will be observed that the revenues of the Post
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Speaker 1: Office Department, though they have increased and their amount is
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Speaker 1: above that of any former year, have yet fallen short
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Speaker 1: of the estimates more than one hundred thousand dollars This
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Speaker 1: is attributed in a great degree to the increase of
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Speaker 1: free letters growing out of the extension and abuse of
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Speaker 1: the Franking privilege. There has been a gradual increase in
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Speaker 1: the number of executive offices to which it has been granted,
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Speaker 1: and by an act passed in March eighteen thirty three,
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Speaker 1: it was extended to members of Congress throughout the whole year.
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Speaker 1: It is believed that a revision of the laws relative
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Speaker 1: to the Franking privilege, with some enactments to enforce more
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Speaker 1: rigidly the restrictions under which it is granted, would operate
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Speaker 1: beneficially to the country by enabling the Department at an
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Speaker 1: earlier period to restore the male facilities that have been withdrawn,
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Speaker 1: and to extend them more widely, as the growing settlements
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Speaker 1: of the country may require. To a measure so important
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Speaker 1: to the government, and so just to our constituents, who
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Speaker 1: ask no exclusive privileges for themselves and are not willing
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Speaker 1: to concede them to others, I earnestly recommend the serious
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Speaker 1: attention of Congress the importance of the Post Office Department
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Speaker 1: and the magnitude to which it has grown, both in
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Speaker 1: its revenues and in its operations seem to demand its
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Speaker 1: reorganization by law. The whole of its receipts and disbursements
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Speaker 1: have hitherto been left entirely to executive control and individual discretion.
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Speaker 1: The principle is as sound in relation to this as
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Speaker 1: to any other department of the government, that as little
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Speaker 1: discretion should be confided to the executive officer who controls it,
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Speaker 1: as is compatible with its efficiency. It is therefore earnestly
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Speaker 1: recommended that it be organized with an auditor and treasurer
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Speaker 1: of its own, appointed by the President and Senate, who
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Speaker 1: shall be branches of the Treasury Department. Your attention is
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Speaker 1: again respectfully invited to the defect which exists in the
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Speaker 1: guile judicial system of the United States. Nothing can be
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Speaker 1: more desirable than the uniform operation of the Federal judiciary
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Speaker 1: throughout the several States, all of which, standing on the
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Speaker 1: same footing as members of the Union, have equal rights
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Speaker 1: to the advantages and benefits resulting from its laws. This
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Speaker 1: object is not attained by the judicial acts now in force,
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Speaker 1: because they leave one court of the States without circuit courts.
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Speaker 1: It is undoubtedly the duty of Congress to place all
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Speaker 1: the states on the same footing in this respect, either
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Speaker 1: by the creation of an additional number of associate judges,
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Speaker 1: or by an enlargement of the circuits assigned to those
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Speaker 1: already appointed, so as to include the New States. Whatever
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Speaker 1: may be the difficulty in a proper organization of the
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Speaker 1: judicial system so as to secure its efficiency and uniformity
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Speaker 1: in all parts of the Union, and at the same
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Speaker 1: time to avoid such an increase of judges as would
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Speaker 1: encumber the Supreme Appellate Tribunal, it should not be allowed
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Speaker 1: to weigh against the great injustice which the present operation
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Speaker 1: of the system produces. I trust that I may be
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Speaker 1: also pardoned for renewing the recommendation I have so often
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Speaker 1: submitted to your attention in regard to the mode of
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Speaker 1: electing the President and Vice President of the United States.
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Speaker 1: All the reflection I have been able to bestow upon
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Speaker 1: the subject increases my conviction that the best interests of
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Speaker 1: the country will be promoted by the adoption of some
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Speaker 1: plan which will secure in all contingencies that important right
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Speaker 1: of sovereignty to the direct control of the people. Could
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Speaker 1: this be attained and the terms of those officers be
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Speaker 1: limited to a single period of either four or six years,
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Speaker 1: I think our liberties would possess an additional safeguard. At
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Speaker 1: your last session, I called the attention of Congress to
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Speaker 1: the destruction of the public building occupied by the Treasury Department,
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Speaker 1: as the public interest requires that another building should be
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Speaker 1: erected with as little delay as possible. It is hoped
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Speaker 1: that the means will be seasonably provided, and that they
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Speaker 1: will be ample enough to authorize such an enlargement and
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Speaker 1: improvement in the plan of the building as will more
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Speaker 1: effectually accommodate the public officers and secure the public documents
18:15
Speaker 1: deposited in it from the casualties of fire. I have
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Speaker 1: not been able to satisfy myself that the Bill Entitled
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Speaker 1: and Act to Improve the Navigation of the Wabashed River,
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Speaker 1: which was sent to me at the close of your
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Speaker 1: last session, ought to pass, and I have therefore withheld
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Speaker 1: from it my approval, and now return it to the Senate,
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Speaker 1: the body in which it originated. There can be no
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Speaker 1: question connected with the administration of public affairs more important
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Speaker 1: or more difficult to be satisfactorily dealt with, than that
18:49
Speaker 1: which relates to the rightful authority and proper action of
18:53
Speaker 1: the Federal Government upon the subject of internal improvements to
18:58
Speaker 1: inherent embarrassments have been added others resulting from the course
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Speaker 1: of our legislation concerning it. I've heretofore communicated freely with
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Speaker 1: Congress upon this subject, and in adverting to it again,
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Speaker 1: I cannot refrain from expressing my increased conviction of its
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Speaker 1: extreme importance, as well in regard to its bearing upon
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Speaker 1: the maintenance of the Constitution and the prudent management of
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Speaker 1: the public revenue, as on account of its disturbing effect
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Speaker 1: upon the harmony of the Union. We are in no
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Speaker 1: danger from violations of the Constitution by which encroachments are
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Speaker 1: made upon the personal rights of the citizen. The sentence
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Speaker 1: of condemnation long since pronounced by the American people upon
19:41
Speaker 1: acts of that character, will I doubt not continue to
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Speaker 1: prove as salutary in its effects, as it is irreversible
19:49
Speaker 1: in its nature. But against the dangers of unconstitutional acts, which,
19:54
Speaker 1: instead of menacing the vengeance of offended authority, profer local
19:58
Speaker 1: advantages and bring in their train the patronage of the government,
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Speaker 1: we are, I fear not so safe to suppose that,
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Speaker 1: because our government has been instituted for the benefit of
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Speaker 1: the people, it must therefore have the power to do
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Speaker 1: whatever may seem to conduce to the public good is
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Speaker 1: an error into which even honest minds are too apt
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Speaker 1: to fall. In yielding themselves to this fallacy, they overlook
20:24
Speaker 1: the great considerations in which the Federal Constitution was founded.
20:29
Speaker 1: They forget that, in consequence of the conceited diversities in
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Speaker 1: the interest and condition of the different states, it was
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Speaker 1: foreseen at the period of its adoption, that although a
20:39
Speaker 1: particular measure of the government might be beneficial and proper in
20:43
Speaker 1: one state, it might be the reverse in another. That
20:47
Speaker 1: it was for this reason the states would not consent
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Speaker 1: to make a grant to the Federal Government of the
20:52
Speaker 1: general and usual powers of government, but of such only
20:55
Speaker 1: as were specifically enumerated, and the probable effects of which
20:59
Speaker 1: they can good, as they thought safely anticipate. And they
21:03
Speaker 1: forget also the paramount obligation upon all to abide by
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Speaker 1: the Compact then so solemnly and as it was hoped
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Speaker 1: so firmly established. In addition to the dangers to the
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Speaker 1: Constitution springing from the sources I have stated, there has
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Speaker 1: been one which was perhaps greater than all. I allude
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Speaker 1: to the materials which this subject has afforded For sinister
21:27
Speaker 1: appeals to selfish feelings, and the opinion heretofore so extensively
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Speaker 1: entertained of its adaptation to the purposes of personal ambition.
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Speaker 1: With such stimulus, it is not surprising that the acts
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Speaker 1: and pretensions of the Federal Government in this behalf should
21:45
Speaker 1: sometimes have been carried to an alarming extent. The questions
21:50
Speaker 1: which have arisen upon this subject have related to the
21:54
Speaker 1: power of making internal improvements within the limits of a state,
21:58
Speaker 1: with the right of terroryatorial jurisdiction sufficient at least for
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Speaker 1: their preservation and use, to the right of appropriating money
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Speaker 1: in aid of such works when carried on by a
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Speaker 1: state of by a company in virtue of state authority,
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Speaker 1: surrendering the claim of jurisdiction. And to the propriety of
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Speaker 1: appropriation for improvements of a particular class viz. For lighthouses, beacons, boys,
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Speaker 1: public peers, and for the removal of sandbars, sawyers, and
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Speaker 1: other temporary and partial impediments in our navigable rivers and harbors.
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Speaker 1: The claims of power for the general government upon each
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Speaker 1: of these points certainly present matter of the deepest interests.
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Speaker 1: The first is, however, of much the greatest importance inasmuch as,
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Speaker 1: in addition to the dangers of unequal and improvident expenditures
22:52
Speaker 1: of public moneys common to all, they are superadded to
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Speaker 1: that the conflicting jurisdictions of the respective governments. Federal jurisdiction,
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Speaker 1: at least to the extent I have stated, has been
23:04
Speaker 1: justly regarded by its advocates as necessarily a pertinent to
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Speaker 1: the power in question, if that exists by the constitution,
23:15
Speaker 1: that the most injurious conflicts would unavoidably arise between the
23:19
Speaker 1: respective jurisdictions of the state and federal governments in the
23:23
Speaker 1: absence of a constitutional provision marking out their respective boundaries
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Speaker 1: cannot be doubted. The local advantages to be obtained would
23:33
Speaker 1: induce the states to overlook in the beginning the dangers
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Speaker 1: and difficulties to which they might ultimately be exposed. The
23:41
Speaker 1: powers exercised by the federal government would soon be regarded
23:45
Speaker 1: with jealousy by the state authorities, and, originating as they
23:49
Speaker 1: must from implication or assumption, it would be impossible to
23:53
Speaker 1: affix to them certain and safe limits. Opportunities and temptations
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Speaker 1: to the assumption of power incompatible with state sovereignty would
24:03
Speaker 1: be increased, and those barriers which resist the tendency of
24:07
Speaker 1: our system toward consolidation greatly weakened. The officers and agents
24:12
Speaker 1: of the General Government might not always have the discretion
24:15
Speaker 1: to abstain from intermeddling with state concerns, and if they did,
24:20
Speaker 1: they would not always escape the suspicion of having done so.
24:24
Speaker 1: Collisions and consequent irritations would spring up. That harmony which
24:29
Speaker 1: should ever exist between the General Government and each member
24:32
Speaker 1: of the Confederacy would be frequently interrupted, a spirit of
24:36
Speaker 1: contention would be engendered, and the dangers of disunion greatly multiplied.
24:43
Speaker 1: Yet we know that, notwithstanding these grave objections, this dangerous
24:47
Speaker 1: doctrine was at one time apparently proceeding to its final
24:51
Speaker 1: establishment with fearful rapidity. The desire to embark the Federal
24:56
Speaker 1: government in works of internal improvement prevailed in the highest
24:59
Speaker 1: ar during the first session of the first Congress that
25:03
Speaker 1: I had the honor to meet in my present situation,
25:06
Speaker 1: when the bill authorizing a subscription on the part of
25:09
Speaker 1: the United States for stock in the Maysville and Lexington
25:13
Speaker 1: Turnpike Company passed the two Houses, there had been reported
25:17
Speaker 1: by the Committees of Internal Improvements bills containing appropriations for
25:22
Speaker 1: such objects, inclusive of those for the Cumberland Road and
25:27
Speaker 1: for harbors and lighthouses, to the amount of one hundred
25:30
Speaker 1: and six million dollars. In this amount was included authority
25:35
Speaker 1: to the Secretary of the Treasury to subscribe for the
25:38
Speaker 1: stock of different companies to a great extent, and the
25:42
Speaker 1: residue was principally for the direct construction of roads by
25:45
Speaker 1: this government. In addition to these projects which had been
25:49
Speaker 1: presented to the two Houses under the sanction and recommendation
25:53
Speaker 1: of their respective Committees on Internal Improvements, there were then
25:57
Speaker 1: still pending before the Committees, and in memorials to Congress, presented,
26:02
Speaker 1: but not referred, different projects for works of a similar character,
26:07
Speaker 1: the expensive which cannot be estimated with certainty, but must
26:11
Speaker 1: have exceeded one hundred million dollars. Regarding the bill authorizing
26:17
Speaker 1: a subscription to the stock of the Maysville and Lexington
26:20
Speaker 1: Turnpike Company, as the entering wedge of a system which,
26:24
Speaker 1: however weak at first, might soon become strong enough to
26:28
Speaker 1: rive the bands of the Union as sunder, and believing
26:31
Speaker 1: that if its passage was acquiesced in by the Executive
26:36
Speaker 1: and the people, there would no longer be any limitation
26:40
Speaker 1: upon the authority of the General Government in respect to
26:42
Speaker 1: the appropriation of money for such objects. I deemed it
26:47
Speaker 1: an imperative duty to withhold from it the executive approval.
26:54
Speaker 1: Although from the obviously local character of that work, I
26:58
Speaker 1: might well have contented myself with refusal to approve the
27:01
Speaker 1: bill upon that ground, Yet, sensible of the vital importance
27:05
Speaker 1: of the subject, and anxious that my views and opinions
27:08
Speaker 1: in regard to the whole matter should be fully understood
27:11
Speaker 1: by Congress and by my constituents, I felt it my
27:15
Speaker 1: duty to go further. I therefore embraced that early occasion
27:19
Speaker 1: to apprize Congress that, in my opinion, the Constitution did
27:23
Speaker 1: not confer upon it the power to authorize the construction
27:27
Speaker 1: of ordinary roads and canals within the limits of a state,
27:31
Speaker 1: and to say, respectfully that no bill admitting such a
27:35
Speaker 1: power could receive my official sanction. I did so in
27:39
Speaker 1: the confident expectation that the speedy settlement of the public
27:43
Speaker 1: mind upon the whole subject would be greatly facilitated by
27:47
Speaker 1: the difference between the two houses and myself, and that
27:50
Speaker 1: the harmonious action of the several departments of the federal
27:53
Speaker 1: government in regard to it would be ultimately secured. So far,
27:58
Speaker 1: at least as it regards this branch of the subject,
28:01
Speaker 1: my best hopes have been realized. Nearly four years have elapsed,
28:05
Speaker 1: and several sessions of Congress have intervened, and no attempt,
28:09
Speaker 1: within my recollection has been made to induce Congress to
28:12
Speaker 1: exercise this power. The applications for the construction of roads
28:17
Speaker 1: and canals which were formally multiplied upon your files are
28:21
Speaker 1: no longer presented, and we have good reason to infer
28:24
Speaker 1: that the current public sentiment has become so decided against
28:27
Speaker 1: the pretension as effectually to discourage its reassertion. So thinking
28:33
Speaker 1: I derive the greatest satisfaction from the conviction that thus
28:37
Speaker 1: much at least has been secured upon this important and
28:40
Speaker 1: embarrassing subject. From attempts to appropriate the national funds to
28:46
Speaker 1: objects which are confessedly of a local character. We cannot,
28:50
Speaker 1: I trust, have anything further to apprehend. My views in
28:54
Speaker 1: regard to the expediency of making appropriations for works which
28:57
Speaker 1: are claimed to be of a national character and prosecuted
29:01
Speaker 1: under state authority, assuming that Congress have the right to
29:04
Speaker 1: do so, were stated in my annual message to Congress
29:08
Speaker 1: in eighteen thirty, and also in that containing my objections
29:12
Speaker 1: to the Maysville Road Bill. So thoroughly convinced am I
29:17
Speaker 1: that no such appropriations ought to be made by Congress
29:20
Speaker 1: until a suitable constitutional provision is made upon the subject.
29:24
Speaker 1: And so essential do I regard the point to the
29:26
Speaker 1: highest interests of our country, that I could not consider
29:30
Speaker 1: myself as discharging my duty to my constituents in giving
29:34
Speaker 1: the executive sanction to any bill containing such an appropriation.
29:39
Speaker 1: If the people of the United States desire that the
29:41
Speaker 1: public treasury shall be resorted to for the means to
29:45
Speaker 1: prosecute such works, they will concur in an amendment of
29:49
Speaker 1: the Constitution prescribing a rule by which the national character
29:53
Speaker 1: of the works is to be tested, and by which
29:56
Speaker 1: the greatest practicable equality of benefits may be secured to
30:00
Speaker 1: each member of the Confederacy. The effects of such a
30:04
Speaker 1: regulation would be most salutary in preventing unprofitable expenditures, in
30:09
Speaker 1: securing our legislation from the pernicious consequences of a scramble
30:14
Speaker 1: for the favors of government, and in repressing the spirit
30:17
Speaker 1: of discontent which must inevitably arise from an unequal distribution
30:23
Speaker 1: of treasures which belong alike to all. There is another
30:27
Speaker 1: class of appropriations, for what may be called, without impropriety,
30:33
Speaker 1: internal improvements, which have always been regarded as standing upon
30:37
Speaker 1: different grounds from those to which I have referred. I
30:40
Speaker 1: allude to such as have for their object the improvement
30:43
Speaker 1: of our harbors, the removal of partial and temporary obstructions
30:47
Speaker 1: in our navigable rivers, for the facility and security of
30:51
Speaker 1: our foreign commerce. The grounds upon which I distinguished appropriations
30:56
Speaker 1: of this character from others have already been stated to Congress.
31:00
Speaker 1: I will now only add that at the first session
31:02
Speaker 1: of Congress under the New Constitution, it was provided by
31:05
Speaker 1: law that all expenses which should accrue from and after
31:09
Speaker 1: the fifteenth day of August seventeen eighty nine, in the
31:13
Speaker 1: necessary support and maintenance and repairs of all lighthouses, beacons, boys,
31:18
Speaker 1: and public peers erected place to or sunk before the
31:21
Speaker 1: passage of the Act within any bay, inland, harbor, or
31:25
Speaker 1: port of the United States, for rendering the navigation thereof
31:28
Speaker 1: easy and safe, should be defrayed out of the treasury
31:32
Speaker 1: of the United States. And further that it should be
31:35
Speaker 1: the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to provide,
31:37
Speaker 1: by contracts, with the approbation of the President, for rebuilding
31:42
Speaker 1: when necessary, and keeping in good repair the lighthouses, beacons, boys,
31:46
Speaker 1: and public peers in the several States, and for furnishing
31:50
Speaker 1: them with supplies. Appropriations for similar objects have been continued
31:56
Speaker 1: from that time to the present without interruption or dispute.
31:59
Speaker 1: As an natural consequence of the increase and extension of
32:02
Speaker 1: our foreign commerce, ports of entry and delivery have been
32:06
Speaker 1: multiplied and established not only upon our seaboard, but in
32:10
Speaker 1: the interior of the country, upon our lakes and navigable rivers.
32:14
Speaker 1: The convenience and safety of this commerce have led to
32:17
Speaker 1: the gradual extension of these expenditures, to the erection of lighthouses,
32:22
Speaker 1: the placing, planting, and sinking of buoys, beacons, and piers,
32:26
Speaker 1: and to the removal of partial and temporary obstructions in
32:30
Speaker 1: our navigable rivers and in the harbors upon our great lakes,
32:33
Speaker 1: as well as on the seaboard. Although I have expressed
32:37
Speaker 1: to Congress my apprehension that these expenditures have sometimes been
32:40
Speaker 1: extravagant and disproportionate to the advantages to be derived from them,
32:45
Speaker 1: I have not felt it to be my duty to
32:47
Speaker 1: refuse my ascent to bills containing them, and have contented
32:51
Speaker 1: myself to follow in this respect in the footsteps of
32:54
Speaker 1: all my predecessors. Sensible, however, from experience and observation of
32:59
Speaker 1: the great uses to which the unrestricted exercise of this
33:02
Speaker 1: authority by Congress was exposed, I have prescribed a limitation
33:07
Speaker 1: for the government of my own conduct, by which expenditures
33:11
Speaker 1: of this character are confined to places below the ports
33:14
Speaker 1: of entry or delivery established by law. I'm very sensible
33:19
Speaker 1: that this restriction is not as satisfactory as could be desired,
33:23
Speaker 1: and that much embarrassment may be caused to the Executive
33:26
Speaker 1: Department in its execution by appropriations for remote and not
33:31
Speaker 1: well understood objects. But as neither my own reflections nor
33:35
Speaker 1: the lights which I may properly derive from other sources,
33:39
Speaker 1: have supplied me with a better I shall continue to
33:42
Speaker 1: apply my best exertions to a faithful application of the
33:45
Speaker 1: rule upon which it is founded. I sincerely regret that
33:49
Speaker 1: I could not give my assent to the Bill Entitled
33:52
Speaker 1: and Act to improve the Navigation of the Wabash River.
33:55
Speaker 1: But I could not have done so without receding from
33:57
Speaker 1: the ground which I have upon the fully consideration taken
34:01
Speaker 1: upon this subject, and of which Congress has been heretofore apprized,
34:06
Speaker 1: and without throwing the subject again open to abuses which
34:09
Speaker 1: no good citizen entertaining my opinions could desire. I rely
34:15
Speaker 1: upon the intelligence and candor of my fellow citizens, in
34:18
Speaker 1: whose liberal indulgence I have already so largely participated for
34:22
Speaker 1: a correct appreciation on my motives in interposing, as I
34:26
Speaker 1: have done on this and other occasions, checks to a
34:30
Speaker 1: course of legislation which, without in the slightest degree, calling
34:33
Speaker 1: in question the motives of others, I consider as sanctioning
34:37
Speaker 1: improper and unconstitutional expenditures of public treasure. I'm not hostile
34:43
Speaker 1: to internal improvements, and wish to see them extended to
34:46
Speaker 1: every part of the country. But I am fully persuaded
34:49
Speaker 1: if they are not commenced in a proper manner, confined
34:52
Speaker 1: to proper objects, and conducted under an authority generally conceded
34:56
Speaker 1: to be rightful, that a successful prosecution of them cannot
34:59
Speaker 1: be reasonably expected. The attempt will meet with resistance where
35:04
Speaker 1: it might otherwise receive support, and instead of strengthening the
35:07
Speaker 1: bonds of our confederacy. It will only multiply and aggravate
35:11
Speaker 1: the causes of disunion. End of Section fourteen