The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-04-18


protection afforded IL mannlaetnrt#F4 liz
the present tafif' the gradual Increase II
nehied eapltal-aad continued improve
meht IN manufacturing SKI. NJ saoal
i4hfieate may altieles Ne thai nns ifnnaft
yet there Il iltlle daaht lhat W. shunla IN
port other ariieles to Similar amonul-1r
shall III short buy IL the same extent thai
we are ahie In srll4iapnrl n much ~ ~
export Aud il the snuthern states could
not prevent lhe late increase Of duties. still
less will they be able lrget them reduced
alter manufactures haye been established
IN ll'e faith 81 legislative protection. Onr
present revenue, Tim, may he regarded ~
permanent rs nnr export lad" Hat as tn
pubic debt eaaY he dl-ehAfge in TIN
tear 1855. and the ordinary rxpehses Of
government will not ihea exceed len mi
hetls there will be after thu p,iIah \
surplus ri TEN mliliphs and UPWARDS M The
disposal Of Tie go,ernmeni-=in he exnen
did "a armies and na,ics, ar roads aud ca
nas.
III these two objects n large mainrity
would pfsfer The expenditure On pnb.lc I'M
ProYemcnis, which would promise IL return
The money drawn fram the people win
foariold increase, To one Which woald MAXI
nn visible return whatever. But, Fellow
Citizens, il hehoves YOU In consider whe
Their consideration Is not paid for those
imposing benefits which mooney cannot
measure and cannot compensate whether
yon do not put IL hazard those political
institutions 10 which, under heaven, YOU
owe yonr liberty aud happiness.
II IS the peculiar felicity of onr complex
sgstem of government That. by leaving The
several states 10 manage their! local Interests,
and the general government 10 manage
their foreign concerns,we n.ite the freedom
oi pure democracy with the strength aud
dignity Of n great empire. But the enati
nuanee Of cur success ~ idently depends on
our Keeping each bianeh OF our Two
fold government lis respective sphere,
aud sgllaniY guarding against dlsnnian
nn ihr one side aud consolidation on the
other Either would be the death II evil
llberty--ior ii could not, on tie Que band,
long exist in states surrounded by Ilyal
states, ndr 90 the otltr IN such ydst ex
tent of country when united under one
government. The>r are truths 81 obvious
~ " i''s' iii' A'iloi Allhl NV az ibA
received AS aAloms.
Bat nothing seems more likely n disturb
the Just eqnpalse than The present fashion
able scheme of mi .rnal Improvement. The
right 10 make roads and canals implies the
right To keep them IN repair by exacting
ioIr; anil the majority have given US AN
earnest that they meant To EXERT lhe one Us
we'll as the other. The eXpedlent NJ coniinn
ally making neW appropriations for repairs
has been resorted In only on account oi the
constitutional scmlples of The late President.
The present Chef Magistrate, and proximity
not one Of his competitors, has any ch
scfnplc4.
The consequence of all this is, that the
general government bias the right, and will
have The means Of constructing roads aud
canals in every direction, with or without
the consent Of the statcs-of ycxing them
with Toll gate"--of creating new tribunals of
justice, aud Of extending their jurisdiction.
The very disbursement uf ten millions an
nlally will be fearful addition IN the
power ADD patronage of the Executive
Il is nearly twice asnneh rs il pad for the
whole of our. military and naval es,
10 lis powers, Legislative, executive and
judiciary, what may the federal go
yerni"ent oct attempt, and what. hat
iog attempted, may ii not accomplish ,
Bat the promised heneiit Of this splendid
is itself drlnsioa. Virginia now
coat,ibgles to thr public revenue upwards
ol two millions annually. THIS sum. il left
10 her own disbursement, would with her
rare snSeeptbilties Of Improvement, IN time
convert her surface into n garden. Dae
half Of ii would make every road anl canal
of importance. The people are thus obe
bribed with their own money 10 sell the
sovereignty Of the states.
The exec,3tion of the scheme, depends
indeed, IN some measure, m our remaining
at pract. and the system # national roads l.
canals retaining IL present popularity. But
after all, New England and New York may
not always be willing To pay taxes on their
sugar, coffee aud salt, Ia say nothing of
wines, silks and linen, for the purpose of
making rad, and canals which They can
make for themselves, and which would also
be made elsewhere, whenever the cream
stances of tllr country justified them.
Should, however, the naion oi the tariff
party and thr roadmakers be found too
strong Ia he shaken, then, it Is well worth
the consideration of every friend tn his
country, how the money expended IN in
ternal improvement can be used with the
least danger to our political Institutions.
Oflhe two ways in which the Revenue If
the general government can BIZ expended
on roads and canals, there is M comparison
ia favor of subscribing In the stock of
Incorporated by the several
states Thr advantages of this mode are
these Il y II aet enlarge the powers Of
thr general government. either executive
or judiciary That Of the Legislature
might BIZ rendered ineonsiarrable by ID
among the states, accoldio
to some a<cd rule. II wonld, moreover,
ri