Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-10-12

tel, ar Investigation will take p,ace nj
those obIecls most entitled TO a,,er,;sn.
which wilt IA most inst ances be prr c.rred
The enquiry VIII be. no, so rnucj, wbeib.r
q proposed road ar canal will benr6,
ms orihat spot, as whe.h her il will bene &,
esther The unien generally, or a great dis.
t'ct o. II. Those Improvements will be
hrst eiected which combine the widest in.
ierests.
Under the individual safes, improve.
meu.s would be conducted without regard
to that system founded on considering the
Whole uniun as possessed OF one interest,
and consequently much OF the treasure
+, and labor embarked would be lost as 10
the execution of thi. great object; where.
as, under the general government the
wisest' system might be expected, from
which the greatest results would DC ac-
complished at the least practicable ex-
pensc. The universal and predominant
motive would be 10 open and facilitate in-
tercoursc from one part of the country TO
every other part; wiile the operation Of
improvements condu:ted on a smaller
scale would be generally limited TO The mar
row interests OF lhost whose immediate
benefit was likely 10 lie effected by them.
The necessary effeSt of the former mea-
sures would be TO inCease intercourse, to
bring more commodities to market, to en-
Iiy.n competition, ard ultimately to pro.
mole in 4 particular district the growth
OF the PRODUCTIONS nlost congcnial to the
soil, the climate, sni the pursuits Of its
inhabilants. The efiect Of such measures
III aogmenting the sto,k OF national wealth
would be almost incaeulabie. J. o,hing
comparatively would he lest: The gene
raj government would, u the first instance,
form the best plans, and would afterwards,
by engaging the ablea superintendsnts,
stand the best chance OF having them we'll
executed. The abundance oftheir resour-
Ces would likewise eDabe them complete
]y to accomplish what they undertook, in
which the states or suboriin,.s corporate.
ons have hcretoIore been so frequently IN
successful. The work executed would be
fitted for perpetuity. By these means
moiety, al least, OF the ul;lmale cost would
be saved, IN addition 10 the vast benefits
derived from the super!orit! of the i'm
proSsmenis.
Let us illustrate our idea, by facts.
Were particular state to cut canal ne
cessarily ciTcususcribed in the n power by
their pecuniary means, they would effect
the objection anarrow scale, would be chief.
ly if not exclusively governed BY regard
TO state inseresis, would execuieit in such
rnanasr as la admit but an occasional
navigation in short distance in small
crait, and SO imperleetly as 10 require con-
stast and expensive repairs. The e.fe els
OF such operations would be so limited,
their benefits would be- so partial or equi
vocal, the advantage OF the water nayiga.
ton would so hc;le transcend land CARR.
age, tia, il MIGHT a6Vait of question whe
thers apon The Whole, good was The gene
raj result. Lei. hpweser, canal be con.
s;rueted by the United STATES upcf ,ru-
pifcent scale. Instead of being conduct.
ed few miles, lei it be run rs u1ny hun-
dyed. Let it not only unite few large
streams, bu, lei it receive tribute from nu-
merous small ones. Let it be so wide
as TO admit boats OF considerable burthep
and the work be done so we'll as to require
ii,ue repair. The effects ofihis operation
would be so extensive, The benefits would
be so general and manifest, and the supe
Tiori,y CT water over land conveyance
would be so decisive, that the advantage.
derived from IL would be more an obieG
OF sensation tran reflection.
To De continued.