Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-02-18
RICHMoND, VIRGINIA., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY Is= 1so5


! put ~ ought TO be recocctcd that we were isexpe,
ticnees ans, as consequence of this want ofrax.
! pefience, have probably fallen into na,y errors
"'heil may be permitted to hope in our fuiu,e
P'acuce vii! b. avoided. The number of persons
engaged, and the skill which is acquired must also
.eno stca'y TO cheaper our future ope ations. But
'hg'nia IS not competent To vast AN undertak-
i"g--Nature III her country has denied her tn,
power To accomplish it,. Sir, 1 cannot IwiiI NOT
believe This any other doctrine which would tai
us To SIT here with folded arms and look with +,-
difference upon the efforts which are making bv
many OF our sister States to advance their power
anu Their influence in this Union. 1t was but YES
tetoay, and you were the first in this great con
'e"e''cy oil StateS The last census told i, and in
.he most pathetic way, too, sir, tina, we were loos-
'nS nu' influence; for, while other States have gain
ED eight and ten additional representatives in
the national councils, you have Suffered loss o.,
one. New York, by her system, is rapidly advance
mug Is a bower and influence which puts caicu-
iati'h at deiiance and. although you may not pos
sess tue advantages which New York does in her
! ier%'e western country, and in the trade v,cI,
she VIII command from the great Lakes il does ,,ot
follow that you should improve the a,lvaut,r,s
you may have. Among other results Ia New York
from her canal, it is calculated she will derive much
advantage from canal proposed tn be cut from
LAKE Erie to the Ohio river. Where will this canal
strike the Ohio river'-ccrainIy not at PITTSBURGH,
1T cut, II will probably enter the OHIO below The
mouth OF the kanawha; indeed. it is nearly settled
that 1t will do Your improvements will tber,
approach II, and this canal for your purposes, will
constitute another great link i'll the chain of inland
ayigation which, while it is dispensing its benefits
TO the states of Ohio and New York will con,,;-
bnte also to your prosperity.
= have said sir, that this work. so far as we have
Progressed, has cost us sum much beyond our es-
Inmates. BE it Let us take as the basis of f,,
tuTe cost the sum per mile which we have expend-
ell an which can he demonstrated TO be an extra
L..
place to- the Ohio river distance OF four hundred
miles, wilt cost youa sum little exceeding 5000 600
dollars Not having the late reports upon the
woCk i'll New York, | unable to say what In :
been the precise amount of her expenhiturc; but
sii, taking into view the fact stated in the late mes
sage of Governor Clinton, that her canal debt is
now near seven and half millions; that she has
''tic direct appropriations from her revenue of Il
sum exceeding S200,000 per annum beyond her
loans; and il will seem she has expended sum ex-
ceedimg Sl0000,00O. Size has not vet completet
500 miles of improvement. Thus we perceive
works of this clrilacter expensive we knew
this whenwe engaged in this undertaking. Let US
not Taller on the way, let US go on-let il not b.
SAD Virginia Is incompetent To any great work or
too hckle To prosecute it. Again, Sir, will refer
you TO the example of New York. Would Won
Our country should b. great ana people uros-
porous, Ia tins you must fbln.v beT-course. Whom
she dee 'ed TO act, what did she do' From The
commencement she appropriated annually, till the
year 1921, the sum of SOTO iR'0; aud IN the wears
1881 and !iZ she appropriated each year tie sum
oi Si,6uouOo. would not be understood as Iun-
ing the prosecution of tns work this time a6 OH
gmally pTOposed--in the language of the report
g.,-.'d ss's' aiiil J.7tes s1siy, COM
pleic wsiat you have commenced, and Wait The fe-
suit; upon that result my dete .nrnation would be,
made. Nor, Sid, should We be deferred bv the cal
culation ;'at we are contracting debts which we
shall be unable Immediately To pay. If we can
inf IIci,,l
we are doing all that we ought 70 do, ali that the
warmtst patriot could wish-leave post sity pay
the pfincpal; you abouring for them, aud a
the sane tilse that you beq ueaiI them the debt YOU
give them also the estate which ihat debt has pur-
chased lit is just, it is rg:t, and is only be COM
III wasieful and wicked ways, of in any other man
ner not permanently beneficial to the country. !
ahVe thought could perceive IN. this House an APP
pfoach towards policy in the management OF our
iiHaneos, Which would narrow down our revenue To
the precise point at whic would be barely st,iii-
cient 10 pay the salaries OF our government with
out one dollar to be applied 10 any one object OF
national Improvement, to those institutions which
promote the prosperity aud power Of country;
indeed, sir, bclieye have heard it avowed upon
this floor can never give my assent to such
a policy. j would not unnecessarily impose bur
iIicns upon the people, but | am frank 10 declare
that for national Purposes for those purpose,
winch believe to be for their good, would tax
them. have never yet heard THAT they had COM
planned that the taxing pnwer had been exercised.
II they have complained. il has been when their
treasures have been wanioniy wasted, OF havs been
applied to corrupt purposes. They Will not com
Plain that you have pat ycur hands into their peck
cts TO supply the legitimate wants of the govern
! mcnt. Indeed much of the complaints we have
heard about long sessions and other matters con
nected with the business of this House. which has
spread dissatisfaction through the country, and is
manifested i'm the loud calls made for Convention
to change state constitution, has grown not so
much OUT of your long sessions, of a policy
which frowns down every effort at naonal i'm
provemcnt--whch promises TO cost dollar, al nd
which sends us home with the meagce list session
acts winch we annually present to the people. For
whenever have heard the length, of our Sc. sions
complained of, it has always been coupled with the
other complaints have mentioned. do depfe-
cate this narrow pocy--a policy which would al
most carry us back to state of natUre-which
under the specous gjiise of repubcanism and sim
pcity, refers US back to the time when man was
umirammelcd with the expenccs Of government
the forms of law, the sha Ckles Of society. Aud,
s'r, as am western man, and am apt to reflect
upon western scenes, pc6mit me TO personify this
notion of prosperity in the shape of "A Indie
an at the door Of his wigwam etching his bow and
his arrows for the chase, nd you have government
i'll itsloast expensive and simplest form.
There is another poiut of view in which would
beg to place this subject be fore the House allude
to the effect produced upon the community by la rge
expenditures of money in the execution of great
national works. Iflabour is to be regarded as the
standard OF wealth and money, or the productions
OF industry are the representatives Of this labour,
them STA the country in the possession Of such works
is enriched by the amount of labOur upon them,
while tho money expended, is not loss of capital