Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-02
, VIRGINIA., TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1924.


When the Constitution was adopted, the Mis-
sssippi was our boundary, and the acquisition of
that extensive and fertile country west of it,
which is to have SO much effect in altering tue re-
lative weight OF any one state1 was at that time
never dreamt of Mr.. T. here remarked that
New York presented case directly opposite to
that Of Virginia. She had once bpt one-tcnth
! of the political power Of the Union, and she
now has one -sixth. But the last Census shews
that this increase, in her relative strength, can
not So on. 1t has received little accession in
the last ten years, as % members on this floor
bear nearly the same proportion to 1876, as her
present number, 36, bearsto 2l3; and may
venture oprcdict that, ia ten years more, or if
| not IN ten in twenty, the vast and fertile
valley ofthe Mississippi fills up the numbers it
Is one day de 'tincd TO support, her proportonate
weight in the Union will begin to diminish,
thoughher actual numbers may go on increasing.
My colleague, said Mr.. Il. who has Just sat
down, has advcrted to the opposition made TO
the General Government during the late war
and this furnishes me with another illustration.
Sir, if tho State of Maine had been then sepa-
rated from Massachusetts, it can tcarScly be
doubted that her weight, instead of BHing added
to the opposition, would have been tllf&yn into
the scale of the General Government. She
would have operated as an antagonist power to
her parent state, and rendered her effort harm
less.
| Nor is this all. The relative powers between
| the Representative and the Executive branch
es of this government, are of little lessimportance
fthan that between the General and the State Go
Vvcrmnents. The appointment of. so many ofIi-
Ecers and the establishment of SO many courts,
has general system of internal improvement sup
poses, must make very great addition to the
power and patronage of the Executive, and ma
terially affect that equipoise which the consttu-
ton intended. Nothing would be more likely
| to affect the independence of this House, than
the circumstance that every member had in his
district from fifty to an hundred persons holding
lucrative offices, at the pleasure of the President
who would be always ready to oppose him when
he opposed the Executive. Sir said Mr.. It.
to judge of this influence, let us look into the
history Of the National Legislature, and without
wishing to be understood as abiding to the pre-
sent time, or to any individuals, will venture to
say, that the most complaisant supporters of the
fexisting administrations, will be found to have
come from the seaports, where there arc collec-
tors and tide-waiters and others, holding Offices
| at the pleasure of the Executive. There will
no doubt be found exceptions, but such is the
general rule; and if this has been the effect al
ready, whatwiu it be when the President of the
United States shall be the chief magistrate of
| fifty or an hundred millions of people? The
ustre of the Office of President increases, not in
proportion to the increase of patronage, but in
a much higher ratio. 1t is with this, as with
the diamond-double the quantity may give ten
times the value. When the accessions of power
| and dignity to the Executive of the United
States must necessarily be so great, and when
they have such an imposing effect on the minds
of men, ought We not to be very cautious how
| we Increase thema
| But, said Mr.. r. gentlemen seem to have
taken it for granted, that the General Govern
ment is more able to effect internal improve
| ments, than the several States. But l think
the proposed system as unwise on the score OF
national economy, is it is mischievous in its po-
litical tendency. The power of the General
Government to improve the whole Union is not
greater than that of each State to improve its
own territory. Sir, if this system is adopted
the money drawn from the community appropri-
ated to its execution, will be fairly distributed
among the several States, OF it will not. five
suppose unfairly, that will be fruitful cause of
Jealousy and discomfort, and furnishes suffi-
cient objection to the measure. But, if it is to
be distributed in just proportion, there can be
no advantage to the several States, for the whole
can be but equal to all its parts Thus if You cx-
pend half amillion in the state of Virginia, which
| you had previously drawn from the people of
| Virginia, wherein is she a gamer by the opera
ton? Nor can the General Government pro-
cure that minute and accurate local inforrna-
ZION which is required by the system, as easily
as the States. But, MIR. Chairman, said Mr.. T.
consider any plan Of making roads and canals
| by the direct agency of the Government, as IN
wise. 1t takes away the best security against
rash and Improbable schemes of Improvement.
The sagacity of individual self interest, is es7
sentia to guard against the waste of the national
capital. There are several monuments of this
danger in Europe. If my memory does not de-
ceive me, one is afforded by Spain, and another
in the North of Europe in which, after the re-
spective Governments had expended millions in
attempting some improvement of navigation,
the works were found to be useless. Nor let il
be supposed that we are exempt from similar
danger. We may all remember that, after two
Or three hundred thousand dollars were expend-
ed in certifying the battery Of New-York, il
wasdiscovered that the work was of no value as
national defence, and we gave it back to the
State, without being able to get paid for the va
lue of the materials. xSuch an error as this was
less likely to have been committed by State,
and still less by an Individual. FIVE engage in
| this magnificent scheme of internal improve
ment, must we not always be liable to be de-
! ceived and misled, when our local knowledge
| in our extensive country, must be so imperfect,
and when so many will be interested in making
! misrepresentation Sir, let it be known that
the twenty millions, which was the sum recon-
inended by Mr.. Gallatin, are provided for inter-
nal Improvement, and, my life for it, this city
will swarm with hundreds of projectors, with
| their maps and plans, beautifully illuminated,
electioneering for business; and, as they would
succeed according to their address, and means
| Of conciliating favor, the result would be, that
we should have roads without travellers, and
canals without navigation, and perhaps with
out water.