Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-03-02


mended by Dir. Gallatin, are provided for in.
ternal Improvement, aud, my life Tor il, this
city will swarm with hundreds orproiectors.
win their maps and plans, beautifully illumi-
nattu, elec;ioneerug for business and, as
'hey would succeed according TO their address.
and means nf c1nciliatihg favor, the result
would be- thar should have roads without
travellers and canals without navigation, and
perhaps without water.
oh, said Mr. L. gentlemen may object that
New ork has furnished an example that the
government is not unfit 10 execute these great
undertakings. 1t is true that N. York has a.
chlrveda splendid work at her own expense
but he was not sure that a private company
would not have executed il at a less cost Sir.
SAID Mr. II. wish not To undevalue the me-
rit 10 which N York is entitled for her great
Western CANAL. thank her for furnishing sp
conclusive proof that this bill is unnecessary:
but let not gentlemen from that state he start
led II i yet express doubt whether that great
work was not premature know that it is of
proaigious benefit 10 those who live near il
but still, It may he questioned, whether il was
precisely the most advantageous mode in
winch the capital of the state could be ex-
pended. The cost of the canal has been, 1
understand, about six millions, the annual IN
trrest on which, is three hundred thousand
dollars. Now, believe, the amount at tolls
last year, was but one hundred thousand dol
lars, from which are To be deducted the cost
Of management and repairs, leaving, proba-
bly,, little more than an interest of about one
and half per cent.
And this, Mr.. Chairman, said Mr.. II. brings
me tn notice the remark ofthe gentleman WIG
introduced this bill Mr.. Hempbill,) who. a.
ware of the objections that would arise from
The small profit offered by some Of the pro-
yected canals, said, that canal mas be proiita-
ME to the community, though il may not be So
TO the stockholders. This proposition il
sometimes Irue, but II must be received " ith
much allowance and caution. 1t is true, where
The tolls are not as. great as The saving in the
labor of transportation would Justify But,
wherever this saving Of labor IS not sufi cient
10 yield pr9lit as well To those who make
Ile canal as TO those who use it, we may safe
~ pronounce that country is not ripe for il,
Great stress was laid by the gentleman irons
Pennsylvania, on The canals Of England But,
Mr.. L said, ne lhougbt their example isigIif
have furnished that gentleman with stronger
argument against the policy of the SYSTEM he
recommended, than in its favor. II is not
enough Tor INN 10 rely on the superior cheap
ness OF water over land carriage Sir, the CON
stfuciion OF canal may be good or IA bad
ming accordlng to circumstances. Ii is very ad..
'antageous in Il rich g. lhckIy settled country
tn exchange the surplus products Ofthe differ
eni parts, and to- relieve their reciprocal wants
nut IN country that is poor, and thinly set
Tied, and passing through barren mountains.
W winch there' nothing To exchange, it would
he mere waste of tie northumberland OF
me iour thousand miles of canal of which Eng
land can boast, and the eighty or An hundred
lhnusand miles of road, If she has so many,
"the'e am warranted IN saying, not one n,!Fe
was ever made by the Gu,prnment Their
turnpike roads aud canals are always made nv
l"ni stuck companies, and whene,er one
would he really beneficial. individual capita
ana enterprise are always found ready 10 en-
gage IN The undertaking. And can ii be sup
pos'u' u the system now proposed was 4
good one, that that Government, which so
well understands its interests, especially IFS
commercial interests would not ha,. discover
ed its advantages
1t may, however, he objected that, from the
redundancy of private wealth and CAPITAL. IN
that country, their system of making roads
ana canals,by incorporated companies, is easy
ana proper, while here, rom the scarcity of
capital, II IS inpracIicable. But so long Mr..
Chairman, as your government can borrow
money al per cent and your hank stocks
yield an annual croft Of but or 7 per cent.
there Will be no difficulty in finding men rea
dy TO undertake any road or canal that viii
yield something like the same interest. It's
10 no purpose 10 say that the natural interest
of money is higher in this country than il Is.
IN EBSiand-for, be that natural interest What
1t may, whether you suppose il six, eight, or
ten per cent, if your road or canal do not a(.
forh that profit, II shows that the country ie
not ripe Tor that undertaking, aud that The
money required toexecnte it, will find some
more profitable employment, if left in the
hands of The people. Let, however any road
or canal be proposed, whose profit will fepax
the cost, according to the standard of The
country and, be- assured, sir, there " III he no
difficulty I'D procuring the money TO execute il.
Inc advocates for the system of Internal
Improvement insi,t that the const tutjonhl
power Of the States is not sufficient To execute.
those great works, in which the interests Of
several states, or perhaps Of the whole nation.
are involved. But there is no difficulty on
'hls subject, whether the proposed road or ca
nal passes through one state or many. II has
been repeatedly stated, in the course of tbe
debate, That two or more states cannut enter
mo compact, but the prohibition in the con
siHu'Ion extends only to treaties The Cd
clause ct TIE 10Th section 1st art. Of the ron.
siltuIinn expressly recognizes their right toy
make comracts with the consent of Congress
and II can hardly be supposed. that If they
wished y" enter into a compact for tie pur-
pose oi - Sing canal, Congress would refuse
us foz@-~' Gni, IT you were To- refuse, they
~ ac' independently Of you. They can
"ct thcr object by concurrent acts oftbe,r
"wn legislatures. On this subject, DO MT
~p"ak from speculation, but from actual his
tory. The state Of which am represents.
i've, united with The State Of North Carolina
I" improve the navigation Of the Roar re, AMI
by concurrent legislative acts, without asking
your consent, they Incorporated Joint stock
company, which has lately accomplished i,s
objects. The States Of Maryland and Vir.
piufa have in the Same ruanoer ,,,,;,..,t i, ,-L