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

AZ near 70 each other IS the two former. dnd
is il not the solemn duty of this house, TO
strengthen. by every means in its power, the
principles of cohesion which bind us together
TO perpetuate the union of these states, ana
TO weaken and diminish, to the utmost OF It's
ab;lny. whatever has an opposite tendency
Can the imagination Of man conceive policy
better calculated than that of which the pre-
sent measure forms part, to bring the opPo-
site extremities of onr country together-to
bind its various parts to each other, and to null
tiply and strengthen the various and immune
rabie ties of commercial, social, and literary
intercourse-in word, to make of the various
and wide spread population Of these confede-
rated republics one united people 1t is true
that no efforts ofthe government can altogeth-
er remove one effect of our local situation,
which causes one part of our country to find
its commercial vent in one ocean, and another
in another Yet, even this, may in part be
corrected, and one great advantage attending
the proposed national highway-the formation
of part of whichis contemplated in the pre-
sent bill-will be its effect upon the COM
merce of the country. And here, said Mr.. c.
let me state one fact. If, at this moment, the
alternative were presented to me, OF totaI
exclusion of my state from all use OF the Mis-
sissippi river for commercial purposes, or the
same exclusion from the Atlantic states,
would, without hesitation, prefer the former,
and believe that the commerce, that now
passes the mountains from the west, to seek It's
outlet on the Atlantic coast, is of greater value
than that which passes down the MISSISSIPPI to
the Gulf of Mexico-and this will be ihcreas-
ingly the case, if, as hope, we are to have Sc
yeral different outlets, like that which IS now
proposed. beg gentlemen not to be alarm
ed. 1t is not my intention to ask tor any fur-
Their appropriations for this purpose, Il least
for some time 10 come, but We shall live,
hope, as nation, as long as any other nation.
I speak not of the works CT one year or OF
twenty years, but of those to which we may
look forward, should our present state ofpeace
continue. An appropriation of half million
of dollars annually would not be felt by
country ike this, and yet it would effect eve
nv object which the friends of internal I'M
provement propose to themselves Or to this
House.
But it NAV be said, Why should the general
government make road for the state of Ohio
Sir, if this were road for the benefit OF Ohio,
would not ask an appropriation OF single
| dollar. Ohio has no such peculiar interest IN
| this measure as would ever induce her to I'M
dertake to make this road. It is not State
road, but a National Road, that is contempla-
ted. 1t not the duty of the state, it IS your
duty to make it. The route for the road pas
SEES through one of the poorest parts OF the
| J,la w
runs through as poor country as ever saw
Let me ask of the gentleman from Pennsyiva-
MIA, had this argument been used with respect
to the Cumberland Road, would Pennsylvania
have made that part of the road which now
passes through her territory!
Orwould MARYLAND or Virginia have made
what passes through theirs No sir So tar
from it, that am well satisfied, if that road
were DESTROYED tomorrow, part OF the po'
pulation of these states would heartily re-
| loice. The resources of Ohio are scanty, and
she will not do that which you ought to do
Ohio will certainly be benefited by this road,
Just as Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Mary land
are now benefited by the Cumberland road
But these incidental advantages, resulting to
Ohio, are not to deter you from performing
YOUR duty to the union, any more than the III
cidental benefits of fortification in any par
ticular state should prevent the general 60
venment from making the fertilization.
| Without troubling the committee with any
further observations on the first branch OF the
subject, Mr. C. trusted he was authorized to
say, that the present is an object of such i'm
portance as to be worthy the application Of
the national resources.
He then proceeded to the second branch Of
the subject, and inquired, in this object fit
one to be pursued at this time +? IFS an OBJ.
lection, it had been said, that this was an anti.
| cipation of part of the system of internal i'm
provement devised at the last session, and that
the execution of that system ought not to be
| begun till the whole has been considered. :
But in the first place, said Mr.. c. | do not
know that any general system Of internal I'M
provement has rs yet been devised. The act
of the last session was intended merely to col
lect information, but did not give any author.
ty to use or applyit in any general system OF
measures and if gentlemen are to wait till all
the objects which may be proposed go on
together, will venture to say that the sys,
TEN Of internal improvements will be post
poned indefinitely. If any thing is to be done,
we must select some object on which to be-
gin. But even on gentlemen's own ground,
contend that this measure is not in the least
inconsistent with the act of the last session.
What was the object of that act To obtain
facts and collect information respecting objects
of Improvements where that knowledge was
not obtained. But, with respect to this OBJ.
iect, the information is obtained the facts
are known, surveys and estimates have been
made. The length Of the road proposed by
this bill is eighty miles. Its estimated cost is
$50, 900 dollars. The work is already begun
1t is still in progress. A momentMy pause
has indeed taken place, but it is ready to pro-
coed and to be continued on the other side Of
the Ohio, as it has been finished on this side
But we have been told that it is to be the
policy of the next administration to pay the
public debt; that it must be paid with as
much expedition as is at all practicable, and
that no part of the public resources are to be
diverted to any other object. Sir, there is NO
member of this house more DESTROYS to see the
national debt paid than am. Inevor was one
of those who believe that public debt is a
public blessing. have always considered il
as mortage, dragging on our finances, and