Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-19

question who shall collect u revenue, and pos
sess the power and patronage attending its OK
penditurc. II will soon be found. that ten mil
lions annually will be required; or PERHAPS 20.
ooo soldiers may be employed in iaakng inter-
nal Improvements. You must greatly Increase
the number of your officers, for the map,,ro-
iucnt and protection of ycur roads aud canals
Hou mus. have new courts Of Justice: an! these,
must be appointed COR life, and have fixed and
adequate salaries. The exercise of this powrr
Will produce d,scori. One city will ask YOU to
make conat-anothci. will oppose il arI Tins
your deliberations Will be asitatcIi bv the conten
tons ofopposing interests. 1t is admitted that
the powers 81! CHS Government are conferred
Tor the general good; but every road or canal
must be OF local concern. Even the New York
canal, the greatest undertaking of the kind that
has been or will be undertaken, is only bcncfi-
ciat to a part of the nation. A fertilization at
Boston, or New Orleans, is for the protection of
the nation. Our feet. wherever built soils for
the nation. You call the Cumberland road a
national road, but, unless you mean that it was
made with the money OF the nation, it no more
deserves the name, than the road which leads
through my district to the Western States, which
has boon made by the hbourug people.
II you undertake this system of internal i'm
rrovcncnt your monay Will be wasted by i'm
providence and extravaganza. Look to the
Cumberland road which has cost ) G00dollars per
mile--i0,00o dollars apiece for bridges that
might have been dispensed with. No money is
thus squandcrei, except the money of the u.
States. You govern this District, wherein YOU
have exclusive jurisdiction, SO we'll, that YOU
ought To assume jurisdiction over the interior
police OF the Statcse You have left these peo-
PIE to be governed by the obsolete laws of Ma
ryiand and Virginia. You have given them no
system of police. You will not be able to arrive
at your lodgings, without being assailcd by beg
gars-and yet you viii take upon you the whole
anterior police of the country.
The gentleman from South Carolina, (NIr.
NicDutfie,) tells us, his State has expended n
million OF dollars on internal improvements to
little purpose. That is to be regretted The
money might have been better laid out, had the
proper means been talxcnto procure information.
Virginia has succeeded better. report of
the Board of Public Works which, have before
me, says, that, s.Whilst the territory of the
"commonwealthaboun with objects ofvaluable
internal Improvement, in every district, the fund
appropriated for chat purpose is adequate, upon
the principles upon which tits funded 10 give
"c!!ectual aid to such improvements to the full
''cNtcnt Of the demand which, can probably be
made upon it," This shewS what any State may
accomplish. Let the States DC convinced OF the
advantage Of roads and canals, and they will
make thc,l-
Sir, this Government rests on the affections
of the people, and tho confidence of the Lc@isla-
turcs.-N hatcvcr has tendency to ALLEVIATE that
affection, ana diminish that confidence, has a
tendency to weaken the Union. These States
are not hell together by the sword. Let gen
tleinen be cautious how they assume doubtful,
a tiiputed power, lest they destroy the harmony
between this Government ana the States. The
General and state Governments have been
found to be happily balanced. But, an immense
increase OF the internal power oil the General
Government will dcrangc tho balance.
And, if we had the power, oar situation is not
f.,C
We have large debt to pay, navy to build,
and Qualifications TO completes. contest is de-
Gliding for the rights of man ana hcindcpencc Of
nations, into which we may be drawn. Is this
2 time to engage in schemes which may req.Iirc
ten or fifteen millions annually? Is this time
to seize on powers, as TO which there is ~ honest
difference Of opinion. inany believing that their
exercise viii be acts OF UsUCpttian 40, sir.
Ih's IS a time to draw strong aEi plain te land
marks OF the constitutions, and t5us t;yugt hen
mutual conidsuca. shall vote IA favor Of ,ao
proposition % strike olt the cnactiug clause Of
the bill