[2] On August 3, 1846, President James K. Polk vetoed a Congressional appropriation bill for river and harbor improvements, most of which were slated for the Great Lakes region.
Polk argued that since the proposed improvements did not pertain to national defense or foreign commerce, their responsibility lay with individual states, not the federal government.
[3] His decision enraged many politicians and commercial groups throughout north and west, who believed that it was a federal responsibility to help maintain the safety and viability of waterways.
The states officially represented were Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
[1] Many absent politicians, including Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren, and Thomas Hart Benton, sent letters that were read aloud on stage.