Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-11-14

OF the federal and representative princi.
ples.-'Ehe approximations which some o.
| The wisesi statesmen entertained at the
| iorH alton Of the constitution, that the
state governments would constantly en-
croach on The powers OF the national gov
cfnment, appear not 10 have been realized:
The practical tendency has been in the
! opposite direction. The power of The
general administration has increased with
the extension of lis patronage. And If The
officers ander IFS appointment shall see
tii, a. an organized and disciplined corps,
o Interfere IN The state elections, trust
hat there will be found a becousiug dis,
| position IN the people TO resist these
alarming attempts upon the purity and
independence OF their local governments
| Tor whenever the pillars which support
| the cdliice Of the general government are
undermined aud Frustrated, tile whole
| fabric OF national freedom aad prosperity
will be crushed in ruin. | have consid-
cred it my solemn duty 10 protest ID
gainsi these unwarrauiabe intrusions %
exiraneous influence, and hope that
the national Legislature will not be re-
gardless OF lis duly on this occasion.
III the ingenuity OF man had been ex-
ercised to organize The appointing pow
er III such way as to produce consRIued
none could have becu devised with more
effect than iiIc present arrangement. We
hate seen lis pcruiciouS influence in the
! co : AMI cOmmOiipbs whtsh sGiiate US /:
and we can never expect ihai the com
muniy Will be iranqii, or that The state
vii maintain us dTe weight IN ihe Goa
fedcracy. until radical remedy is APP
piled. Under Ibis impression, | nav
heretofore proposed the calling OF Il con
vcntiOn the cOrsiiiulion contains no pr O.
vision Tor lis ameadmput.-lu lsct tn,
legislature snbm'iir'i tao specific points
TO convention o: delegates chosen bl
the people, which met and agreed io Ger
tam menIs.-Attempl have been
made al various Times 10 follow mp this
precedent, which have been unsuccess
iul, not only OH account OF IA collision at
opinion about the geaeral policy of the
measure, but also respecting The objects
10 -" proposed 10 the convention. These
d'ih uiiIes may he probabi, sur,noumiph,
either by submitting the subject OF IL
mcndments generally 10 convention,
and thereby avoiding controversy about
The purposes tor which II is called or hy
submitting The question 10 the people in
the Il ST Instance, 10 determine whether
one ought 10 be convened and in either
case TO provide fer the ratification by The
people IN their primary assemblies, OF The
proceedings ei The convention. This
ioubie check will he admirably calcuIat-
ed to carry into effect The sovereign au-
itorliy of He people 10 guard against
dangerous interpretations III our iunda-
rcntai charter; 10 check spirit of per-
niclous annovailOu, aud empirical pre-
eruption, and 10 ailay The approximations
al some oi our best and wis,st fellow CT
tlzcns, "io,aircaGy satisfied with The sig
nal prosperity and high dcsinits Of Ime
state, are unw Hing, for the sake OF sOmr
Improvements, 10 encounter the rI.k oi
changing materially The features of con
siIiuiIon, viich, IN lis general coz fnrma-
lion, is admirably calculated to promote
the happiness, 10 elevate The prosperity
AMI 10 protect the freedom OF the com
| A;unItN.
Ii affords me the hi.hes, saIisfactiou
renew ia! congratulations on tho sue
| CcSsiui progress o. our internal Improve
"tn's. Up"a Dis Cf 81 miles OF lre ca
nal between the Grnesre river and Mon
teznma, including fifteen locks. are under
contract. and the whole Gislance of sixty
oiiies and quarter, WIKI 'wO additional
locks, can lie easily completed BY the FIRST
day oi September next. The contracts
made during the last session, were on bet
| tfr Terms for the slate than those on the
middle section and during the present
year, they are from thirty TO forty per
ceni. lower, iuclwding Tie siason work.
lhiriy miles Of The section east from Uu-
ca, are also under contract, Including
Twelve locks, and will he completed the
next season.
Ia The progress Of these operations.
rocks have been czcayaied at the Lille
Fails III seventy or eighty days, which it
was originally supposed would have Ia
| ken two years. The Improvements in the
| Hudson river, and by canals, to The die
| lance OF iWcniy@eisIit miles south from
| Fort Edward, will be Effected the next
| season aud Il is hoped that the rrnlaiI,.
! In@ ten miles 10 Waterford, which viii h
! nlsh lbe hole operation OF The inland pa
! vIGailon of The north, can also be a,com
! plished within that period. There will
| then remain about one hundred miles on
The western, and about sixty eight on III,
eastern section, in order to realize OUT
whole system OF internal navigation. The
| iImitSilon OF The annual expenditure has
hah tendency to pr0CTssIimatr The com
| Fleiion al thus great work and under a
tuii persuasion HAT the whole can not ONLY
be accomplished, but we'll accomplished
! - three years al the utmost, from Tie pre-
sent period, earnestly fecommendihr =
| dopiloH 81 plenaIy and elcciuai mea- u, =,
fer this purpose. Tie advantages 10 be
gained by ,hls course vii be great aud
| striking. The faculties Of tic stale ate
aii' adequate to the operation, and all
| CcnircNefSS .Ci-i Tie order ~ compile
uOn viii be- avoiAed.-The civilized worlo
IS no" ~ s'aie ri peace; but the svmp-
! toms OF great ard extensive convuisicns
| beg" 10 2pa a. iu tr opc. sud IT wars
stall unfortunately afilci that portion Of
The glo6t, We VIII perhaps be compel, a
10 assum defensive a,iiiud, against az.