The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-02-23
.xenBURG. FEBRUARY %, 1896.

=. which has taken place during the
-, session oi Congress, occurred in the
at. On the 9Th inst. ON bill in'rodUc
All, Mr.. Johnston, OF Louisiana, 10 au-
.,o IAN accurate and minute exarnina.
ofthr country south of the ST. Nary's
- and including the same, with a view
..r,ain the most eligible route for a
AL admitting the transit of boats, to
.aaoect the Atlantic with the Gnlfof Hex-
-. and also, with view to ascertain the
nr,ctieahility of a ship channel To thus
r., ~ amendment WAS appended by the
c.,,;,,e. of Roads and Canals. extending
49,. .,,,yey "to the country between the
,...lachic-ls and Mississippi ri,ers, with
,;a. to ascertain the pracicability Of an
.,,,od navigation bet the same" The
..c,,eabily and feasibility of the scheme
.,t.nded by the amendment, as we'll as
immense benefits that would necessarily
accr,e from its completion, were clearly
frustrated in letter addressed to the re-
,orting committee of the Senate, by Gen.
White. the able delegate from Florida
rron his statement, supported both by his
prrsonal acquaintance with the county,
.o1 an examination of maps aud charts, IT
,o,.ars that Canal on the contemplated
,o,,e would reqlire only 2 miles cutting
On nrocor. an inland navigation of $50 miles,
,hrongh country whose trade forms a
principal source of our national wealth.
Resides the great advantages winch would
,esuIt from this single circumstance, our
,pameD would no longer" be exposed TO
Oh, miracles Of the West-India seas, or the
10 less dangerous casualties of shipwreck
of the Florida Cape" There is still
stronger consideration which should urge
us to adopt this measure. Several of the
sneakers in the Senate, made it manifest
that its completion is nationally important.
We are aware that Cuba is called, and light
~ so called the key of the Gulf Of Mexco'
and that, 10 the hands Of a powerful nation
powerful on the ocean and.on the laud, she
would be able to control the commerce of
thp Vest India seas. As Mr.. Johnston OBJ.
served, "Cnbs is to America, what Eng
hud is TO Europe, aud Gibraltar to the Me-
dterranean" By this canal we nenlraHr
BORROWER, BY diserting onr trade from the
channel where she could alone make it
hear iuto another, where II would b. i'm
potent. yin fine, lin the wo Dis Of the
speaker wh@m we have just quoted J wine
,her we take commercial, political, ~
military view of this subject, whether in
state of peace or war, whether At the pre-
sent or any future time, we shall he con
WINGED of the advantages it will give, the
security twill afford, and the power ii will
CONFER"
Mr.. Randolph opposed the whole scheme
both the original bill and the amendment
On the ground of it's uuconstilulionality,
mounting his old hobby ROziudnte. but re-
fising to WELD the lance Of Don Quirotte
against the wiud-niIs, particularly as they
were i'll foil operation: wind Nv The
distinction, however, between the bill,as in
the survey within the boundaries Of the ter
r'toty of Florida g. the bill as amended by
the Committee OF Roads s. Canals, which
authorized an extension Of this survey,
through some Of the states, although pro
bounced by Mr.. Randolph to be without
difference" was sery lucidy drawn by
Mr.. Johnston, M Rowan, Nj Branch Il
Mr.. White. Congress has certainly mower
10 Iesslate for the territories. Ii not, we
would, with AL humility, enqriire, where
does the pnwer reside? II must be some
WHERE: and, Is the constitution explicitly
says that "i'ongress shall have power 10
Dispose of, and mike all urrifI rales ADD
regulations respecting the Territories or o.
'hrr pr"prrty belonging In tpr u. Strtrs :
snd ds this is certainl, "ueehful" ma
shre, WE cannot conceive where hr Ran
uoph found ga loop on which tn hang
u"u6t.' We agree tn in the states, Coz.
b'eSs has not a constitutional right H. ex-
"'"r TINS power, without the c"nsent ~
soch states he given. This is a power
winch We have lways been induced. fon
CONVECTION, t" deny 10 the general govern
"eh' and we expect tn adhere 10 i as long
" we tve. Ii 10 an opinion which we
nYFer with our earliest perceptions it
hN' grown with our growth aud strength
s'ed with oar strengthened every days
experience furnishes us with additional
ur0nls IL IL IL. e IL