Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-05-18
SPEECH OF MR.. ARCHER, OF VIRGINIA,
In THE HOUSE, RErRKsENrATIvEs,
Ca the Bill proposing to construct National Road
from Buffalo TO New Orleans.


IIc Ind been led Mr. A. said into this OF,
Incidental remark, IL the way of illustration. Hsv
ing personal interest 10 serve inlure, II was no
merit that he spoke with unreservr aud w'h entire
indifference to whom he might give offence. The
proposition he wished ucate, was this: that CO.
aton among special interests, embraced by our WIDE
extending system. 10 obtain ascencancy at the OK
pensc of here the general interest, wns an inhc-
rcat evil Of the systom--rhe qualification to Its other
vice transccndent excellence. In the theory. the
strength and counse.s of all to he combined for
the safeguard ofeach but the operation did not cores
pond to the purity of lie theory 1t was this c!rcum-
stance that flu nsed tho key to incidents, which had
given much occasion to surprise, IN our proceed
ings here. The smallest sum, OF money would sumo
times be denied to the most Essential public service,
and the most prodlsUl grants made the day, III
lands or money, to schemes having obviously only
doubtful or inoonsidcrablc claims toiavor The so.u
t"n was no secret 10 persons familiar with the scene
The disbursement in these furnished the
tive-was the benei, contemplated not the nominal
oh, to be effected. lie; the pension systen be
example. This system a. regarded the selection of
subjects, in reference To Indulgence merely, sad
(ae believed truly, TO hove mad its origin in Tnis.a
ken estimate OF the numbers II would comprehend
Upceasing eJr,s were msda of late, Notwithstanding
iis fact. enlarge its comprehension Had ;hess
efforts any couneXIon the aspect imported, Wi,h
Soa to provide reward uni relief for revolutionary
servccs No imposed by prc,ence Of
tins kind here The real inducemeut was known
stand in contrast 20 any impulse OF enthusiasm or
generosity 1t was simple principle ~ rccunary
ca culstion. The purpose to transfer u heavy
which tho tu.ihen pressed uncQualy il each sas-
ia ned Its fair proportion; and then b. o.
the principle, to augHeu; TO the utmost the benefit
from the disbursement. There Of coarse eX-
CsptloGs, aud E, Xture Of motive, Lnt this was TIE
leading bill hui passed one branch of the
Legislature AZ tts very session, to enlarge the Inn
II o. indulgence, cIti'ling TO relief TO 1000 dollars
sum which would be regarded independence fer
the body III The population any where else though it
cUnsi itutcd tsgai tigece with U.s. II the extension
bad been proposed rger gum, within uny bonn
dairy that would not threaten couniGacti. from CUB
lie Indignation and shane, the success would huye
been no less uneQu!vocsl.
The expenditures FOR Notifications illustrated the
sane course OF remark They had amounted to
large sum, say mae millions Of dollars; yesterday
very moderate addition the appropriation fog n,ra-
Ing that 10 to say rendering really elective and rsa-
dy for usc such had been complei ed. had tccu e.
fused by a large Vote There no extensive IN
erest engaged III the founding Of CANON. The ssn-
cit from the disbursements for fort,ica icrs lad been
widely ditiused, and The ground therefore was ade-
quaie for sus aiming t.,am.
What, then, Inquired Mr. Archer was the real
evil RPlaeipe of our Con. raj Government? 1t wos
TINT the National Treasury came unavoi 81 bly, To be
regarded in foreign, rather than domestic aspac-
Us something different from he State Ireasuris and
that combinations would be in prrpctua! neneratiop
activity to subject II to contribution HIS col.
league mr.. Barbour) had opened this view He
would take occasion TO give 1t expansion udd develop
nent 1t was inevitable, that the disbursements Of
the GoscrnnleDt shoud BE- distributed with great IN
equality The largest grew out of the public debt
The debt would accumulate with the Accommodations
OF capha necessarily, that rs ~ III tie g.an of
seabon- d. The naval ess,Dendi-
ares, and those purely commercial follow tie
same courso The same frontier presented The ouur
ter most demanding preparations OF ds4eice. The
disbursements OF military character, Ieteto,e, who
Their for foTtlEGatons ile Inasinrnauos Of eooDs
must iarge portion OF them. sack tie came Jssc-
ti"n. The seabourd must the scene of the lsr,er
expenditures of tie Government; he reIiou TO Dro
tit by their GiIect ntlu. noes. Not tie whole sea
however, 10 h.
South OF Norfolk IN Virginia, porls DC. uFred at se
mote distances, ana not ~ cIcusanos f. ysTlbe 60
the attraction OF Government Disbursements The
direct henef ct these disbursements, must, there
fore, be realized uBegaaly !oW even on The seab, I'd
confined tn the North. The interior and eur,m.
Vest were nearly excluded from participation o. il,
Did he stale this in any way of censure or arragn-
MEM! Not atau Tins course Of things BQs insy-
liable. The revenue, however. presented yery diff
terent history, regarded the source OF its supply
The great mass OF 1t derived from The duties on
Imports. The exports iurnLAhed the imports. Ar.
ricuItu-e furnished the great OF the exports 1t
was taxation on agriculture therefore that supplied
nearly the cntIre amount Of tho revenue. Il vyas In
pecuiar degree, too, the character Of agriculture
10 Consume the whole Of lis productions; and
the market fr 1t being ch.eay foreign with U.s. the
gTeat mass vi thus production paid contribution 10
thove Dment IN the du;ies the returns procured
by It's expectation. much larger proportion of the
revenue of agriculture sustained this buIthen thau
OF any other occupations. Much of that comucrc Co
was derived from further charge Oh agriculture
ana eHeUlptedj and Manufacture Laj vet obtain
cd external markets to considerable C%taDt and
therefore, paid nothing IN this way. Whilst. then.
the commercial portion Of the community const,u-
ted chiefly by part only of the seaboard, received
tle latgeT proportion OF the revenue Of the nation
the agricultural aud interior paid nearly the whole /
Could this inequality fail to be felt with sensibty,
Ihai was not to be supposed and this sensblity was
Decomihg The germ OF the most Inenacinp evils I
The quarters which received Literally from the
pubic disbursements had the appetite for them r,hu
led, not gfatihed The paris which received nothing
or the least anXously sought Indemnify. How was
bls 10 DC obaincd' by swelling dir burecmenx ntlnir
own drectons and neigborlood beyond occas;on
o. creniiCng them, whcn not required. Sympathles
oi artificial Character tended IN this man.er 10 dIs
'ehd ana multiply the expenditures Of the Govern I
neht disbursement became a thing rood in itself
per Sc Not one. but many Interests were engcn
uered in,o public prodgaliy and what was worse.
these interests ran inevitably into combinations for
mutual susteatstioD that is 10 say, into that state in
winch Fictitious strength acquired. and rcsrrain
ing shame was removed! Profsion on The part of