Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-01-28

tuasinuch as the present DIN might be passed
without the assumption of any power different
from what has been exercised by this House
for these twenty years. The bill it is true
carries the principle of f1rmer acts somewhat,
farther, but It does not alter the principle. On
this subject, as on all Others, MIR. Webster said
he wished 70 bring TO the discussion right feel
ing, that IS, feeling truly national II mat
| tered nothing to hin, who was TO be immediately
benefited. Tros Tyrilsue. whether an inhabi
tant of the banks Of the AIcrrimack of New
Hampshire, or the iIerrirnack of the Missouri
he cared not: provided he be a subject of our
legislation, lie has claims, said Mr. w. on NV
impartial consideration. II he had been led
since the discussion of 1916, To alter his opinion
on any part oil the general subject then debated,
1t was that which respects an equal distribution
of the public expenditures through the different
partsofth the Union according to their population
lie doubted extremely, the propriety and even
the power OF Congress TO carry on legislation on
the principle of balancing the local interests OF
different sections of the country. If the bust
ness oil Legislation has been Committed to us ALL
the whole subject is in our power and under our
discret!on. He doubted whether Congress had
power to adopt system which should go on the
protested principle of distributing the public
moneys pro ''ata: having respect 10 the different
portions OF the union merely in a numerical
view of them. When Congress les~;siates at all,
1t must iegslate for whole and not for twenty
four parts The idea has been BROUGHT for
wand, as being calculated TO prevent merely
local iegis!atioa; but il was, in truth, itself \
local idea, Such system would rest on foun-
dalion essentially vicious. When going into
system of Improvement, the House was sirnply
10 inquire, where IS the Improvement most
wanted' He cared not whether il was beyond
tue Aieganies, or beyond the Missouri: wher
everlt was most needed, there it must first be
made- RE supposed the House had power to
| decide which of the various objects was most
pressing; out ne denied that ii had the power to
enter INTO The principle of mere numerical cal
culalIon, IN undertakings for the public GOOD.
Ga the present subject it was his oninion' that
the states who had been admitted under the sti
pnlationswhicIi had been stated, had, in fairness
right to expect the Government to proceed
with this road.
IaiSing the different statutes together. IL
seemed to be holden out, that Government
would make a road leading to those states.
congress had acted again and again on this idea;
and, he asked, Where was the difference be-
tween the present appropriation, and those
winch had formerly been granted fer this sane
ROAD. All that can be said is, that the Govern
ment has maie advances on fund which is in
competent 10 repay them, and SO the present
x H.,
been done before' The appropriations for the
Cumberland Road, had, many of Them been
made when 1t was known that that fund was in.
ade 1iate- The case is no worse now The de-
gree oniy Is different. The principle is the
Same; and he thought, that the Western States
nigh larry expect tins object to be effected on
me ground OF their several contracts. The next
question was, IS this fit subject for which 10
ProPfia.e, ltenilemcn say it is not a national
I(,.fI
onlect. i'ut he knew oil, no work equally bene
hciai To all the twenty-fqNir states What asked
nr I" eoster, is a NATIONAL object Is nothing to
be so oenomnated EXCEPT what benefits every
part Of the United States. Congress last YEA,
voted sum TO improve certain harbor, on lake
tIe. was this Of any benefit to Alabama. or
New orieans3 They had appropriated money
Tor The repairs of Plymouth Beach: could This be
any benefit to the citizens of Indiana Works
surely nay be denomiDatetl national, which, are.
OF extensive Importance, although the benefit
may not be strictly universal. The fortifca
tons, for instance, which had been erected on
the Chesapeake are national only because many
have an interest in them. The degree of interest,"
III these works between those who lived on the
shores of the Chesapeake and the shores OF
Lake Michigan, was SO widely different, that the
latter may, in comparison, be said to have no
interest IN them. Yet, certainly those fortihca-
tons were fit subject of appropriation, and il
was the duty of Congress to erect them.
with respect to the present road he asked
how did the concern the General Government
| IN 1t begin! He presumed the origin of that
| concern was to be found in the connection OF
Government with its great territory of public
| lands. This was the idea 1T of which rre,v
the reservation Of the two per cent fund. Ii
was intended, doubtless, as an inducerDent TO the
settlement OF the public lands, and none, surely,
can doubt that Government may rightfuy hold
oht considerations calculated to bring the pub
lie lands to better market. Tie reason for
making the road is still the same. Those lands
are still in the market, and every rod which is
added to this road increases the value, and is
calculated to raise the price of those lands.
Another consideration was, the great accom-
mediation which such line of road would fur
nsh to all the Western states. With respect TO
those states, the object was strictly general
one. Let me ask, said Mr.. w. if government
we're about TO erect fort or an arsenal or to
build ships of war, and it was possible that any
OF these objects would require so small sum
as that now asked for, whether any body would
| then hesitate! IT, then, the object was lerid.
mate, If it was useful to all our citizens, and
| especially to those who now ask it might not
Congress lawfully make it, As to the incidental
advantages accrung from the expenditure of so
much of the public money as was now proposed
to be appropriated, he was confident they had
been overrated. The expenditure of 10000
dollars could be no great boon to any of the
states. For ms own part he felt glad that this
money was to be laid out beyond the noun
talns. He did not hesitate to avow that he
should be yet more glad could more of the pub.
lie money be expended there. Such we're his
feelings, whether right or wrong, and such his
views, whether correct or erroneous.
! And here he would state what he conceived