Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-01-20

most the whole way from Cumberland to
Wheeling. The effect had been, a great ad-
dition to the value of property, and an lmporI
tant increase of the wealth of three states throl
which this great public work had been cont
sructed.
1t has been called, by some gentlemen,
western road, but how could it be westerf
road, when not one foot Of it lay within am
one of the western states, but the entire ROAD
in all its parts, lay wholly in the eastern statef
The direct benefit, and much that was con$
teral, was felt by the three eastern states whef
the road lay: the only benefit to the western
states was mere right of way. Ill they ef.
loved in the road was the right to pass overt
TO visit their brethren in the east, and to CONF
to the metropolis to mingle their counses
with their fellow citizens of the south and cas-:
important benefits 10 doubt-but not such IS
ought to designate this road as western rqd.
In fact, Mr.. C. said, it was neither IN eastern
nor western road, but partly the one ipd
partly the other. The benefits derived ton
it were mutual.
Mr.. C. asked, ifthe United States were ptt
under positive obligation to extend TINS roS'
What was the history of this undertaking. IL
arose out Of a compact between the Unitd
States and the state of Ohio, at the time TINT
state was admitted into the union, by wtEh
two per cent. of the nett proceeds ofthe s4es
of the public lands was to be applied to tie
making of "a road leading to the state of On'.
4 similar provision was also made in the CON-
pacts by which Indiana, Illinois, Missqri,
Mississippi, and, he believed, .qabama, we're
admitted as states. 1t had been contcn|cd
by some gentlemen, that the construction OF
the Cumberland road was a fulflment OF tls
compact on the part Of the United States
This, said Mr.. C.. deny utterly. Igrant,n
deed, that it is fulflmcnt Of the compel
with the state of Ohio The United Staes
covenanted to make road leading to tat
state. They have done so; and Ohio has no
right to demand that the road should be tar
ried one foot farther. But the case IS entre-
" different with the states beyond Ohio
They have right, under their respective
compacts, to demand road which shall ter
inmate at their lmits-a road which sinai DC
brought up to the boundary line of tAose
states respectively. 1t is very true, that con-
gress may begin the road wherever they
please, but it must terminate at the state TO
which congress has coyenantcd that the road
shall lead.
FIN not, said Mr.. Clay, arguing ques-
ton which is too plain to be illustrated Can It
be said, that government has made road to
Missouri, when it has made road which no
where approaches Missouri within 500 niles
or that it has made road 10 the other west
ern states, when it has made one to point
$50, 800, or 500 miles from them Gentle
men say, that road has been made IN that
direction. 1t might as well be said, that the
making of Pennsylvania Avenue, in this CITY,
was q fulflment of the contract, or that the
government might begin a road i'll the remot'
est part of the east, and end it there, provld'
ed it had western direction. lie repeated,
government was not bound to spend more
than the two per cent under the contract
but the road must end at the limits of the
states with whom the compact was made
ind here, said Mr.. C. let me ask my wor-
thy friend from Mississippi, (Mr Rankin, }
whether he would consider road ending at
Wheeling as road to Mississippi, because IT
leads, though obGquely, toward that state =
I ann sure he would not He would say con-
gress had fulfilled its bargain only when the
road terminated at the Mississippi.
1t has been said, that the provision which
pledges the two per cent. fund of the several
western states for defrayiDg the expense OF the
Cumberland road, had been inserted IN all
the former bills OIL that subject. admit this,
said Nh. C. but l shousd never have given my
consent to its insertion, had mot thought that
it was understood and agreed upon, as part
of the plan, that congress should go on with
the road, and carry it to all the states whose
funds have been thus pledged.
On the question Of the utility of the present
undertaking, Mr.. C. trusted he need say no
more. He was happy, he said, to find that
the worthy gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. p.
P. BARBOUR who, to his great regret, could
not, with his views Of the constitution, sup
port the bill, had declared, with that honor
able frankness for which he was so eminently
distinguished, that, apart from that view OF
the question, he should be in favor of the
measure now proposed.
Mr.. C. thought that the principle of preser-
walton itself afforded sufficient argument in
support of the measure now under considcra-
ton. He knew, indeed, that all questions
which glanced at the union of the states, and
the possibility of its severance, should be
touched lightly, and with cautious hand. But
ifthey were not to be discussed in that august
assembly, where might they be l (said Mr..
Claw am not one of those who are in favor Of
covering our eyes, and concealing from our
selves the dangers to which We may be expos
ed. Danger, of whatever kind, is best guard
ed against when it is deliberately contemplated
and fully understood. Itisnot to be averted
by shutting our eyes and ears against the pos
sibiEty of its approach. Happily, there exist
among us many great and powerful principles
of COHESION common origin-common lam
guage-a common law-common liberty
common recollections ofnational glory. But,
asked Mr.. C. have we not seen, in at least one
instance in history, that all these have not been
strong enough to prevent total and lasting
separation. And though causes Of the oppo.
posite kind may not in our case go all the
length of producing this, yet they operate on
every natural tendency to separation. That
such tendencies do exist, will not be denied by
any candid and rejecting man, and they call
on us to look far ahead, and to prevent, if pos,
sible, the disastrous evil which they threaten.
Among the causes which go to increase the
tendencies to separation, in such system as
ours, may be enumerated the lofty mountain:
which separates different parts Of our country
the extended space over which our popula