Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-22
Substance IF mr.. CfE2 P.H4.V 70 Y.N.SONrs SDeec
ON Me Sasiy or OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

~
on the 8asiv Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
| The policy of inter ial Improvement, Mr.. Chairman
Is not an invention oil the west for enrchiug tn selve
and inPovei 'shlng their neglbors. 1t is the policy
oi the statesman and the patriot. l. was recommend
ell 10 US, IN Virginia, by the father of his countrv:
ana has found its mott Jealous and DISTINGUISHED adj.
vocates IN the eastern districts. When adverse Cir
cnmstances had thrown it into discreit dark
ened It's prospects,, and darnpcd the spirits of it's
iriends,-who ask, foremost in their efforts
to vindcate its character and relnimate its hppes
Let the meeting at Charlottesville during the past
year answer this question;-a meeting invited nv a
voice from the low lands attended BY few members
ffrom the west and many from the east of the. Rlna
Ridge, whose presiding officer was the DISTINGUISHED
member OF his convention from the county of Orange
once the President of the United States. and amonG
whose most active members were The President of
this convention the Chief Jus ice of the United
5 atos, the gentlemau from Chesterfield and other
very distinguished eastern men, members of this
convention.
Let us look the map of the State and sec what
part OF the country is directly interested in the policy
OF Internal Improvement. LIS narrowest limit will be
found prescribed, by the Potomac on the north the
Ohio on the west, the line of North Carolina on the
south, anil the head of tide t. east Add IN
this extensive district the of Norfolk, Peters
burg, Rchmmn' Fredericks brrg, and Alexandria with
the counties atlionlng them in whclNthe direct inter
est IS quite manifest any other part The State
aud you leave but very sma district, city in,
teresied III this suh ec But in truth, sir the interest
OF internal Improvement pervades the whole commnn-
wealth. The tidcwater country, which REQUIRES no
improve in its roads AMI rivers, an important
ineres; in the improvement of its markets. Whate-
w,lI incre the popuation the wealth The o,n,
camille capital OF their market towns, must cnh,nce the
value OF every acre Of their lands AID pc it me TO
suggest, that under prudent system of Internal i'm
provcuen, patroused by this government. the bere-
ms to the ude-watcr c"untry, though they might not
be great wod he CERTAIN and tive RISK of loss
less, than to the Immediate district which the i'm.
proVemenl might be made. Suppose, fir example,
the government 10 borruY the money necessary for
completing the James irlproy e. MT and 10 D-u
vide by law for on the land or toll on tic pro
he
ON the loan-in tbs the whole RISK incurred by
the Underwater country Isl t"at the employed to
pay the interest the loan may not ectuai-and
TINS risk they encounter, in common with the James
RIVER district aud eYry other part of the Sta.e If the
Improvement should succeed, that would secure the
means OF paying the interest the loan and Law sure
foundation for th@ prosperity of Their ,>riuciDa market
tav;n;a"d thus without paying ane .lolia- for it. the
tide water country connected with Richmond would
MY the benefit Of an improved market.
Ahl what would the james river dis,ric, eni,v;-
Inc heneh OF a improved market, it is true, q!
improved 'rAnsporiaon,-but subject the ne-
c"ssary TO pay tine interest the loan. Il would DE-.
pend entirely the comparative value Of this tax
and Of thssr benefits whether ihe -s river interest
would be promoted injured by the successful i'm
proVement 1t the tax equivalent the diruir,l
ton of freight resulting from the improvements then
the James river interest would have gained noti.ingi
II more than equivalent, IL would be injured; and il
would DC beneod, Only IN the event. that the saving
of freight would be more than equivalent to the ia
imposed. This interest then would incur tloub lie
RISK OF iosshrst, by the failure OF the Improvement
secondly, by having 10 pay for 1T more than 1t was
worth apply this Illustration ~ navi4 able
streams which reGIire inprov ement the towns con
nected with them ana, the country interested in their
markets, and you viii perceive essentially ,he in-
tcresi in veil conducted system of internal improve
ment is interest OF the eaith aud how un-
wise It would he 10 regard partial interest ana
TO excite local aousies concerning it. CONSIDERING,
1t IN this light too, you viii acknowledge the injustice
OF rs gartns as the means ut taxing part of tie
commonwealth for the benefit of the other. Indeed
the very moment you adopt the principle OF malui,
the local districts pay the upon the expendi.
he DaVm
you from those districts the utu!Os! practicable
caution IN all their plans Of Improvement, you make
them as careful il, accepting oans the should
be IN granting them, and You give to the agency of
tao government its true paterna GhAracier, employed
assisting the prudent and solvent members of its ia
my laying the foundations Of ,heir fortune
But it is not to such system that the objections Of
gentlemen on the other side apply Must of them,
doubt not would be its patrons They fear the opera
tons OF ditfere MT system which, whatever might
be its object would result in throwing the expenses OF
every great Improvement u2on the State large,
while its profits would be partially enjoyed. Let us
then examine whether t's would be the probable
sequences of adopting the BASIS of white population,
and whether 1t would be avoided by the compound
basis.
When danger is npPrehended from the prevalence
of local interests against the interests of the STATE
most obvious inquiry rs, whether any local interest,
ay combination Of them probably co Iinand the
power of the government. looking i, divisions of
State with reference the various interests IN the
subject OF internal improvement, YOU Will find the gen
erA interest guarded against the local power,
natural ramIari, tnan created upon face
or any country earth, capable Of half the improve
ment to which Ours strongly invites. 1t is this very
capacity tor Improvement, the nuf,erous objects
which so strongly Solicit 1t, that constitute the real
difficulty in our 81 stcn-and present almost insu-
prrIbie barrier tn any improvement at all.
The country east Of the Allegheny, and above tide
water, is divided three great interests, the Poto
mac, the James river, and the Roannkc, and two
Dor Innate, those ot the RapPahinpock and Appamst
tox, mention the Smaller interest of the IA
munke,. The Trans Allegheny interests migh, b. rs
Spcated IN part With the three greater interests pians
ms t-rt-,r II
Jfcts wa be subdiyided WIN reference to its
nyi5a1ie streams. An inspection Of the map and the
tables "f poPuiairo vii you, that the whole To-
the P1'omac the James, or tn RO,noke, upon any
plan OF improve ncut, however nlasnif cent, will
brace less than One-lhird Of tie white population of
the Saic-aud SO IT must be- forever. Nenher, there
fore, alone, could command the power Of tie govern
memt,-eAch would guard the co.mnonwe allh aEsinst