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

sup AT any point IN the execution, to break il
Vi. or 10 resume 1t, according to the variation
vi Puohc OPINION upon its merits or expcdicncv.
we must act lneilicient'y and unsaiisfactorilv.
we ought, therefore, on commencing it, To- avail
ourselves OF those means most likely TO ensure
IFS hnal completion.
what, then, IS the question nu,v 10 be deter
nihed: Tie question is not, whether il he ,v;so
TO continue this road? On that question there Is
ocheve, no difference uf opinion, EXCEPT ON the
part vi 'hoSe who object To it on constitutional
S'o"i'is. but, ask, what great national cons,-
deration calls upon TO adopt this system now
| rather than three years hence, Are ye .,,, CON
tinuinS tins road, to preserve this Union, Y,s
we are. But, without this road, will the Union
pc az amend IN three years? What reason is there
ior alarm on that score, though this work NAV
not ne undertaken for Eve. six, or ten wears 10
come: All those future evils which we arc re-
CURED TO guard against by making This road, and
shniiar works, are somewhat distaut IF this
road should not be commenced for tenyea the
onlon would not be dissolved by the ieiay. I3nt
am not Ton postponi0g the work for ie,, wears
am Tor commencing ii as soon ne we have mad,.
our surVays--as soon rs we have determined
what SHALL be the general system established for
'ie prosecution OF these objects. As soon as we
commence, sir, am for going or, as rapidly rs
ne more anxious than am that this worl, shouIJ
moi only be done, but done speedily. we shall
accomplish 1t, however, by acting svstematicaI-
~ on Inc general subject, sooner than by a mar
teu appropriation. without previous examination.
tending 10 hazard the final success and at Ie,st
relard the completion of the work
:" itl regard To the arguments in favor OF tlis
particular road, they may be either national or
partly national only. That this road miqh; he =
part OF system of Internal Improvement. Mr..
~ SAID he would readily admit In that view.
ne Should cheerfuly support 1t whenever gene
raj system should be established, and had no OBJ
lection 10 MS having priority in the execution of
the parts OF such a system. But. SO far as ma
tonai considerations called for il, there had been
no argument to shew why this road ought to be
undertaken now, without those previous en-
qtiir'es and Investigations which must precele
ehe establishment of general system In
word, said he, all the arguments that can be
used IN 'avor of undertaking this work nov are
sectional arguments. 1t Is not worth while TO
disguise IT. they are not, why are thev urged
from particular part Of the country? The whole
nation does not call for the present undertaking.
of the work, but two three, or ~ur of the
Western States Mr.. McD here reJIicd TO tbe
argument that the Western States are not to he
considered as more. interested in this road than
some OF the Eastern. II was an erroneous idea,
he argued, that road was only valuable. or
most valuable, to the particular state through
which it runs. The Cumberland Road runs
through three States which derive no atlvan,are
from it. The right Of way over this road is its
only value. a few Individuals residing directly.
on the road, may be benefited by lis passing
through their lands; but the great benefit is to
those who reside beyond its two extremes Are
not the Western States particularly benefited
By the Cumberland ROAD Ii is The Western
States, and the city OF Baltimore-the points to
and from which the road passes, that arc bene
htted by 1t, and not the states through which the
road runs: and, regarded in this light the con-
tinuation OF that road would be road for the
benefit OF the Western States, of MARYLAND, and
very small proportion of the state of Penns;.l-
wanna And, what is the state of the fact as 70
the Western country and the United States with
regard 10 the appropriations heretofore made for
the purposes of Internal Improvement? Why. sir.
with the exception of this road, and other public
improvements III different parts of the Western
country, the United States has never appropriat-
ed one cent worth noticing, for internai improve
meDtln any part OF the United States The idea
which he'd been put forth, that the nayies of the
United States, the other institutions for the de-
fence OF the United States, are to be regarded rs
improvements analogous TO those of roads and
canals, seemed 10 be founded on an entire. mis-
conception. Mr. Med. traced this argument to
its results We are told, said he, that commerce
benefits the Atlantic States, aud that wars for
commerce are wars for the benefit of The At
lantic States. Because commerce is transacted
in the Atlantic cities, is it for the benefit of the
states in which they are sttuateds Notmore than
the cumberland Road is for the benefit of tbe
three states through which il passes. And. if we
are to regard those only as beneittcdbv AM par
hcuiar Incdent who are III contact will, IT. then
the Atlantic cities only, and not the atlantic
states, are benefited rs commerce. Is Ibis ar
guinent correct Certainly not. Ii is 10! those
who prosecute commerce who alone are interest
ed in it.--For, if it were, how FAR wend IT'S in
huence extend beyond The limits of our ports?
The man, who lives n hundred miles from sea-
port has no more interest i'll the commerce car
ried on there than II he were thousand miles
distant. Sir, the back country of South Ca
rotiha has no more interest in commerce than
every gentleman in the western country has
Commerce, from its universal diffusion and in
fluence, is exclusively national in its nature, be-
Netting equally every part OF the country. MIR.
Med. marked the further progress of the argu.
ment, We were told yesterday, said he, that
the patriotism and devotion of the people of
the western country in the last war, was not sur
passed by that of any other portion Of the people
of tie United States. OF the flood of honor
which resulted from the late war have The plea
sure in acknowledging that the western country
was entitled to more than an equal portion. But
sir, had she no interests in the causes Of that war;
five look at the public documents which belong
TO that day, we shall find that the blood which
flowed FROM the savage tomabawk was one ofthe
causes Of dat war. Il way not a war for com
merce merely. The outfages Of the savages on
our borders was one Of tie causes avowcd for II,
and not without fouudaGon---for the agents of the