Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-04-09

changes Of commercial intercourse, in peace,
as well as in war-the simple effect to be pro-
duced on the value of the property OF the u
nited States, both in the District of Columbia
and m the West, presents an argument in IA
vor of the earliest possible execution Of these
interesting works. peculiar to themselves and
not to be resisted
To the next Congress then we look with un-
hesitating confidence, for some efficient step
towards their immediate accomplishments and
as both the road and the canal are to pass, tor
some considerabl extent, within the limits OF
Virginia, il is important for the people OF that
state to determine, at once, whether, in accor-
dance with the general sentiment on the SUBJ
iect of internal improvement, they Will Parti-
cipate in the blessings it offers; or, yielding 10
the fanciful doctrines ola party in Richmond
will suffer their legislature to throw difficulties
in the way of measures, not only interesting 10
the nation at large, but pregnant with the
most important consequences to themselves
ofthe principles which prevailed in the last
legislature, on this subject-and of the effort
which is now making to perpetuate the pre-
ponderance of these principles ;there can be
no doubt. The grounds on which the cleo
ton of Mr.. Tazewell to the Senate of tn" q.
States was urged, and the repeated declar'-
tons of his supporters, from the lower country
especially, that his talents were necessary to
resist the alarming Entertainments ofthe gene
raj government, and in particular, the spien-
did schemes of internal improvement it was
projecting. show that with that Legislature at
least. neither the road to New-Orleans, nor
the contemplated canal between the Potomac
and the Ohio, would have found any favor,
and that an effort, vigorous effort, is making
to keep up the same state of public feeling;
needs no other evidence than the continued la
mentation of the Richmond Enquirer, and
the late very modest and very profound reso-
lutions ofthe Richmond Common Council,
To the people ofthe state, but more espe-
cially to those in the northern, the western,
and the middle parts Of it, it becomes an In
teresting inquiry on the eve of an election,
how far, and in what mode this effort ought to
be resisted. The opposition to the projected
system of internal improvement, is attempted
to be justified on the ground of the alarming
extension which that system is calculated to
give to the patronage of the general govern
ment, and the still more alarming latitude OF
constitutional construction which it requires
to sustain it. Ifthese objections be any thing
more than the idle fantasies of distempered
brains-if they have any foundation in sound
political principle, they ought not to be dis
regarded. But if, as We shall endeavor to
show, they have sprung from that unnatural
and overweening jealousy which has given
birth to the feverish opposition of the last
eight years, and are sustained neither by rea-
son nor experience, we trust that the state OF
Virginia will pause before she assumes an at
titude of determined hostility against the
wishes of the nation, and her own most impor-
tant interests.
There is no more fruitful theme of invec-
tive against government, than what IS called
its patronage The term itself is unpopular,
and therefore furnishes a very convenient CO.
yer, under which to assail many Of the most
important and most interesting operations of
an administration The real considerations out
of which measure may have grown, are to-
tally disregarded; and it is contemplated only
in connection with the offices it unayodably
creates, and the expences it as necessarily In
wolves. Does change in the condition ofthe
world require an extension Of official inter-
course with foreign na,ions'-A jealous oppo-
sition looks to nothing but the increase of pa
tronage and the expenditure if begets Are
the ranks of the army to be filed, or the de-
fects ofthe navy to be supplied'-The press
ing demands of the country arc disregarded,
in the groundless apprehension of populari-
ty to be acquired by the distribution of few
miserable offices. But, above all: Are the
leisure and resources Of peace to be applied
to providing against future wars The wisest
principle in the whole system of political eco
nomy is to be abandoned, lest the ephemeral
administrators of the law should be enabled,
by official bribery,to rivet themselves too firm
ly in the affections Of misguided people,
E, cry thing, in fact, becomes patronage; and
patronage itself is encircled with all the hor-
rors which gloomy imaginations can conceive,
or disappointed ambition can invent.
An intelligent people however, will be eau
tious in permitting themselves to be misled by
the influence of terms perverted from their
actual meaning. Against measures whose
real design is the extension of executive pa
tronage, the whole force of their moral and
political power will be successfully directed
But they will not be driven from an honest
support of systems, calculated to insure ex-
tensive benefits to the country, merely be-
cause they place at the disposal of the 60
ornr,ant q little additional money! or few in