Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-02-08

whole expenditures of the government,
excepting small proportion given to
the territories, and the payment OF the
western Members of Congress, are made
on this side of the mountain. He adj
mitted the benefits which would result
10 Ohio tiom the extension of this road /;
but as thewhole sum which would be
necessary TOR this object would not equal
the expenditure in the building of sin
gle vessel oiwsr, be thought Ohio was
entitled to such expenditure. He dis
claimed any intention to undervalue our
navy, he admitted its importance as a
protector OF our navigation and COM
merce, its glory and utility in the fullest
extent; but he desired the liberallty Of
the government made more general.
This is the time for the government 10
exercise its power in an evenhanded
manner. 1t is not asked that the money
for he construction of this road be Tor
the exclusive advantage of Ohio. II is
a great national object; it is TO carry in
to effect system dear to great MAORI
ty oil the county. He adverted to the
MEASURE which had been taken by Con-
gress in relation to this road, from the
passing of the first act, on the subject
in 1900, 10 this time. By the frs, act
8 per cent. out OF the public lands was to
be expended on this road, and per cent.
fer making road through Ohio and by
subsequent legislation this fund vas to
be EXPENDED in carrying on this road
through Indiana and Illinois to the Mis-
sissippI The result Of the completion
of this mad would be to bring the western
limits within the reach of ten days
journeyfrom the Capitol, which could
NOT nowbe reached in less than thirty
days. Again, he asserted that this mea-
sure was not local one; it was no: as
signedto beneti, one state, nor section
of a slte; but that it was directed to
he be,eit of the whole confederation.
He hop ed that in this view the present
bill would be considered. ..
He vent on to show that the 9 per
cent. pledged for this object was not
at all sufficient to reimburse the sum ex-
pended on this road. The expenditures
now necessary must be granted on the
principle that they are for national OBJ
lects. 1t would be rem embered that
Congress had passed bill authorizing
survey, in consequence of which the
present road was located. The es,ima-
ted expense ofmaking this road, which
is now about 80 miles in length, is about
100000 dollars. He did not mean at
this time to move for all this sum, but
for so much only that would enable the
work TO proceed, with an understanding
on the part of Congress that the sums
necessary to finish it would be hereafter
He was not particular
as to the sum now appropriated 1907
900 dollars would be The least that could
be asked but twice that amount would
suffice to pu, the work into more eff
cient train. He should therefore move
to i'll the blank with the sum of 100000
dollars. He concluded with moving
this sum
Mr.. Cook, of Illinois, then rose, and
observed, that he should not say any
thing in addition to what had fallen from
the gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. Beecher)
The national expenditures east
Of the mountains. Independent of that
consideration entirely, the western states
had claim upon the general govern
menl, for the road now proposed, and not
only for so much OF it as was now pro-
posed, but for its continuation quite to
the Mississippi. Bot, as the Represen.
taliye OF the state of illinois, Mr.. G. said
he could not consent that so much of The
two per cent. on the sale OF public lands,
as was sci apart for the benefit Of that
state, should 60 to be expended at SO
great distance from it. He would not,
indeed, adop, the principles and spirit of
Shy lock, in pressing the bond of the ge-
neral government to the state he repre-
sented; but, as its representative, he
could never give his vote to lake fund
pledged for her benefit, and lay it out for
SO distant an object, as road Of eighty
miles from Wheeling to GAINESVILLE, in
in the state of Ohio. He would not take
what the munificence of the general 60
vernment (tor he would call it by that
name) had sci apart TO make road to
Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, to be
spent on road, which did not approach
either Of them nor would he consent
that money, granted for the road now
proposed, should be charged on that
fund. Indiana had surrendered her rights
as a sovereign safe, (the right to tax
lands for five years after sale) on condi-
ton that Congress would apply two per