Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-10

GUY! ons ~ Is gross deiuslon To suppose thar the
sum expended in making surveys under The act
oil lS24 Is the true measure of the influence,
which is derived from the power Of directing,
here, and OF what objects these surveys shall
De made verify believe that this power, prIc.
ficdfiy considered, is of more value 10 the Ex-
ecoive than all the rest of it's patronage put
! together.
As a source OF influence, and a means Of ope-
rating on the hopes and interests of the commune
~, thirty thousand dollars expended in surveys
Is equiv TALENT 10 thirty millions expended in the
actual construction of the works surveyed. What
is the real modus operandi of this system. A
rurvey ordered by the President is promise that
the works surveyed, if found practicable, shall
be executed, so far as he may have any agency
or influence in determining the question. Being
authorized 10 cause surveys TO be made of such
objects only as are Of national importance,
| ne must be presumed, in The very fast OF ORDER
Ing survey, TO have decided thai the particular
road or canal 10 be surveyedis national object.
The principal purpose OF the survey is to ascertain
| The practicabiiiiy OF the projected work, and it
happens in these highly favored times of science
and invention, that every thing 10 practicable. To
assert then, that the Influence acquire the p es
ident by this discretionary pow of ordering
yeys IL limited by the sum expended IN making
them is to say, in effect, that if execute my bond
In pecuniary negotiation, the amount of the con-
sideraion and the infaence il exerts upon the
ted % &c paid but by the of the pen ink,
aud paper, with which he bond is written But
1 may be said that these promises, when not &C
companied with tull and complete power TO per-
form them, will have no effect. The whole his
tory OF the human mind con,radicts this sugges
ton. The eagerness Of hope excited and
stimulated by the splendid prospects spread before
u. descends TO no calculations. When we see the
officers of the United States among us, coming
IN the name OF the Tn tied States, naturally
associate With the the idea OF the vast fiscal pow
eT and resources OF this government, and in the
arcour OF our desires, embrace the mere ph0n-
toms u hope with all the confidence we would re-
pose on the obligations Of a contract.
II Is apparent, then, that the Influence which
the power In question gives the President is pro-
pcIiioned, not TO the sum expended In making
Veys, but 10 The whole sum which would be
quiIej for the execution of the works surveyed.
"A nd even this sum may be ndefn ely multiplied.
Such IL the wonderfll fscundity OF this system,
hat tor every project of road or canal, divers
routes are surveyed, and all o.: them are equally
good Eight dtferent routes have been recently
surveyed, we learn from document jus, laid
upon our de'ks, Tor the post road rom Baltimore
to Phadelpha the national road so lately con-
ceved, from here 10 Buffalo, has its painted post
route, and It's Pine Creek route, besides its east
ern and western routes; aud lie elder brother, the
great national road to New Orleans, IL a perfect
Briareus, stretching its hundred arms in every
direction. There is the Atlantic route, the middle
rou'e, and The western route for this royal high
way each route has its upper and lower sec don,
and each section, for aught know, has dozen CT
more ramifcations. By this happy continuance,
the number OF persons bI ought within the sphere
OF Executive favor, il indefinitely augmented.
Each route of every road or canal, has, Of course
It's ineses ed advocates, anxious TO have it sur
veyed, and its pre'enslons set forth in the most
favorable view ALI are kept IN eager 6 pectancy
OF the promised boon, alike sanguine and alike
BATTERED. The influence, then, which this power
gives the President, may be stated mathematics
! ~, TO be in the compound ratio of the whole
sum necessary Tor the execution u: the W orks pro-
Jeeted, multiplied by The number OF routes propos-
ed for the several works
said, 81, that this single power was worth
more to the Executive, than all the rest of lis
patronage put together. think the statemen,
already made has rendered this apparent. Bu,
there 10 farther and most important advantage
attending the operation of this power, which
should be taken into the account. By appoints
ments to office, and the disposal Of profitable con.
tracts, Executive patronage exert4 its force on
znd1rtdHaks only. But, through the medium of
national surveys, IL acts on immense masses AT
once counties, districts, and states LIE, US pause
for moment. and contemplate The unfair division
OF the functions of Government, which this sys.
TEN makes between the Legislative and Exeeutiye
"a
ordinary and regular operation Of the government
the obnoxious task OF drawing money from the
pockets OF the people by tsxalion-to the Execu-
tive Is assigned the more pleasing and gracious em
pioymeni OF Disturbing il. This allotment, so
dIsadvantageous 10 the Legislative Department. il
greatly aggravated In it's Effects BY the operation
oil the system nov uuder consideration. The mn.
ney, placed at the disposal OF the Executive for
making surveys, Is expended in raising the ex-
pec'aiions, and haitering the hopes of the people
innuisersole routes Tor roads and canals are err
Neysd, 10 crafty The wishes of those interested in
them, and the reports of the Eng neers are in eon
ersi so ingeniously framed as TO afford arguments
OF nearly equal weight, TO the psrtisans Of every
route But roads and canals cannot be made alono
all the Tontes surveyed Whenever particulsf
road or canal comes TO be located with view TO
us actual construction discrimination must be
made among the several routes proposed tnpoIvi,o
me disappointment of many nf,1tDus erpectanfS
ano this Inv'dious duty is thrown upon Conaress.
HOW, Then, stands he case? We are called on
~ me hTst insiance, to perform the unpleasant
once OF raising money, by exsctions from ih-
people The Executive has the pleasant task OF
usOlr"InS It, They disbUrse it 10 exciting hopes
Whicn can never be realized, and then we are call
eu upon again to dsappoini those hopes Is it no,
ths OBVIOUS tendency of this state of things, to
| oeget feeling of dependence toward the Eve.
cutIVe, and OF aversion from the Legislative De
PaItment; aud thus 10 impart to the former moral
~ well as political strength, which, in republican
: OF The latter?
I have, heretofore, spoken Of this power in il,
I iee"mste exercise upon national objects. and
have endeavoTed 10 shew, that even when con.
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