Litchfield enquirer., 1830-12-16


 cedent by which that authority denies to itself the exercise of powers that bring In their train influence and patronage of great extent, and thus excludes the operation of personal inter- ests. every where the bane of official trust. l derive, too, no small degree of satisfaction from the reiiectiOn,. that, if have mistaken the interests aud wishes of the people, the Constitution affords the means of s0On redress sing the error, by selecting for the place their favor has bestowed upon me citizen whose opinions may accord with their own. trust, in the mean time, the interests of the nation will be- saved from prejudice, by a rigid appi- cation of that portion of the public funds which might otherwise be applied to different Ob' jects to that highest of all our obligations, the payment of the public debt, and an opportu- nily be afforded for the adoption OfsOme better rule for the operations ofthe Government in this matter than any which has hitherto been acted upon.
 Profoundly impressed with the importance of the subirct, not merely as it relates to the general prosperity of the country, but to the safety Of the federal system; Il cannot avoid repeating my earnest hope that all good cit- I zens, who take proper interest in the slc- cess and harmony of our admirable political institutions, and who are incapable of desiring to convert an opposite state of things into means for the qualification of personal ambi. tion-will, laying aside minor considerations, and discarding local prejudicrs. unite their honest exertiOns to establish some fixed gen. eral principle, which shall be calculated to cf- feet the greatest extent of public good in re- gard to the subject of internal Improvement, and afford the least ground for sectional dis content.
 The general ground of my objection to local appropriations has been heretofore expressed 1; and shall endeavOr to avoid a repetition of what has been already urged-the import. ancs of sustaining the State SOY ereignties, as far ns is consistent with the rightfnl action of the Federal Government, and of preserving the greatest attainable harmony hetween them. will now only add an expression of my con. viction--a conviction which every days expe. rience serves tO confrm-that the political creed which inculcates the pursuit of those great objects as paramount duty is the truO faith. and one to which We are mainly indebt. ed for the present success of the entire system, and to which we must alone look for its fu. ture stability.
 That there are diversites in the interests Of the different States which compose this ax- tensve confrteracy. must be admitted.- Those diversities, arising from situation, eli. mate. population. snd pursuits, are doubtless, as 1t is natural they should be, greatly sxag- gerated by jeal0usies, and that spirit Of rival. " so lnsel'arable from neighboring communi. ties. These circumstances make it the duty of those who are entrusted with the manage. ment Of its affairs to neuiraliss their effects as far as practicable. by making the beneficial operation of the Federal Government as equal and equitable among the several States, as can be done consistently with the great ends of it's institution.
 It Is only necessary to refer 10 undoubted facts. tO see how far the past acts of the Gov. erninent upon the subject under consideration have fallen short of this object. The expen- ditures heretofore made for internal improve nsnts amount to upwards of five millions of dollars, and have been distributed in very un- equal proportions amOngst the Statcs.- The estimated expense of works of which surveys have been made. together with that of others projected and partially surveyed, a- mount to more than ninety six millions of dol. lars.
 That such improvements, on account of particular circumstances, may be more ad- vantageously and bsnefcially made in some States than in others. Is doubtless true but that they are of a character which should prevent an equitable distribution of the funds amongst the several States, is not 10 be con. 1 ceded. Tbe want of this equitable distribution cannot fail to prove prolific source of irrita. tiOn amongst the States.
 We have it constantly before our eyes. that professions of superior zeal in the cause of in. !ernal improvement, md q disposition to Iav. ] isn the public funds upon objects of that char. acter, are daily and earnestly put forth hv asp'ranls to power, as constituting the highest claims to the confidence of the p.onle.-l would tt be strange, under such circumstan. | ces' and in times of great excitement. that grants of this description should find their mo. lives in objects which may not accord win the public good Those who have moi had occasion to see and regret the indication of sinister influence in these matters in past ti,ncs. have been more fortunate than myself in their observation of the course of public aE fairs. F- "'
 It to these evils be added the combina. l ""ns and sngry contentious to which such [ course ofth things gives rise, with their balrfu in Auences upon the legislation of Congress tSucnng the leading and appropriate duties of !ne Federal Government, it was but doing justice to the character of our people to ex. pect the severe condemnation of the nast which the recent exhibition of public scn,i. ment has evnced. T~ ''""'
 Nothing short off radica! change in the ac. ion Ofthe Government upon the subject can. 'n my opinion. remedy the evil. if, as i, would be natural to expect the States which nave been least favored in past appropriations