Bonus Bill
The
Bonus Bill of
1817 was introduced by
John Calhoun to provide highways linking The East and South to The West using the earnings
Bonus from the
Second Bank of the United States. Calhoun argued for it using general welfare and post roads clauses. It was an early example of
pork barrel politics. Though he approved of the goals, President
James Madison vetoed the bill as
unconstitutional.