The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-10

way from the Atlantic to the Western waters, al
being objects large and extensive enough to be
fairly said to be for the common benefit. The
gentleman thinks otherwise and this is the key
to open his construction of the powers of the
Government He may well ask, upon his sys
tenn, what interest has South Carolina in Ca.
nal in Ohio On that system, it is true, she has
no interest. On that system, Ohio and Carroll.
ma are different Governments, and different
countries, connected here, it is true, by some
slight and ill.defined bond of Union, but in all
main respects, separate and diverse. On tina;
system, Carolina has no more interest in Ca.
nal in Ohio than in Mexico. The gentleman
therefore, only follows out his own principles
he does no more than arrive at the natural con-
illusions of his own doctrines; he only announc-
es the true results of that creed which he has
adopted himself, and would persuade others to
adopt, when he thus declares that South Carroll
ma has no interest in public work in Ohio
Sir, we narrow-m minded people of New England
do not reason thus. Our notion OF things is en-
tiseiy different. We look upon the States not
as separated, but as united We love to dwell
on that Union, and ON the mutual happiness
which it has so much promoted, and the CON-
mon renown which it has so greatly contributed
to acquire. In our contemplation. Carolina and
Ohio are parts of the same country; States,
united under the same General Government,
having interests, common, associated, intermin-
gled. In Whatever is within the proper sphere
Of the constitutional power of this Government,
we look upon the States as one. We do not i'm
pose geographical limits, to our patriotic feel
ing or regard we do not follow rivers and
mountains, and lines Of latitude, to find bounda-
ries beyond which public improvements do not
benefit u.s. We who come here as agents and
representatives ofthose narrow minded and self.
ish men Of New England, consider ourselves as
bound to regard, with equal eye, the good of
the whole, in whatever is within our power of
legislation. Sir, if rail road or canal, be-
ginning in South Carolina, and ending in South
Carolina, appeared to me to be of national i'm
portance and national magnitude, believing, as
do, that the power of Government extends to
the encouragement of works of that description,
if | were tostand up here, and ask, what inter-
est has Massachusetts, in rail road in South
Carolina, should not be willing to face my
constituents These same narrow-mnded men
would tell me, that they had sent me to act for
the whole eountryj and that one who possess
ed too little comprehension, either of intellect
or feeling, one who was not large enough, in
mind and in heart, to embrace the whole, was
not fit to be entrusted with the interest of any
part. Sir, do not desire to enlarge on the
powers Of the Government, by unjusti6able con-
structiOn nor to exercise any not within fair
Interpretation. But when it is believed that
power does exist, then it is, in my judgment, to
be exercised for the general benefit Of the
whole: so far as respects the exercise of such
power, the States are one. 1t was the very
object of the Constitution to create unity of in
terests to the extent of the powers of the Gen
eral Government. In war and peace, we are
one; in commerce. one because the authority
of the General Government reaches to war and
peace, and to the regulation of commerce. |
have never seen any more difficulty in erecting
lighthouses on the Lakes, than on the Ocean :
inimproving the harbors of inland seas, than if
they were within the ebb and few of the tide
OF of removing distractions in the vast streams
Of the West, more than in any work to facilitate
commerce on the Atlantic coast. IL there be
power for one, there Is power also for the other
and they are all and equally for the country.
There are other objects, apparently more
local, or the benefit of which is less general
towards which, nevertheless, / have concurred
with others to give aid, by donations of land
II is proposed 10 construct road in or through
one of the new States in which this Govern
ment possesses large quantities of land. Have
the United States no right, as a great and
taxed proprietor; are they under no obligation
TO contribute to an object thus calculated to
promote the common good Of all the proprie-
tors, themselves included ? And even with re-
spect to education, which is the extreme case,
let the question be considered. In the first
place, as we have seen, it was made matter of
compact with these States, that they should do
their part to promote education. In the next
place, our whole system of land-laws proceeds
owl "a slao hot aIunafinr iS ToR he
good; because, in every division, certain por-
ton is uniformly reserved and appropriated for
the use of schools. And, finally, have not these
new States singularly strong claims, founded
on the ground already stated, that the Govern
ment is a great untaxed proprietor in the own
ersh;p of the soil. 1t is consideration of great
Importance, that probably there is, in no part
of the country, or of the world, SO great call
for the means of education, as in those new
States; owing to the vast numbers of persons
within those ages, in which education and in
struction are usually received, il received at
ALL This is the natural consequence of recen-
cy of settlement and rapid increase. The GEN.
sus of these States shows how great proper
ton of tho whole population occupies the class
es between infancy and manhood. These are
the wide fields, and here is the deep and quick
soil for the seeds of knowledge and virtue and
thisis the favored season, the spring time for
sowing them. Let them be disseminated
without stint. Let them be scattered, with a
bountiful, broad cast. Whatever the country
can fairly do towards these objects, in my opin-
ion, ought to be done.
THESE, sir, are the grounds, succinctly stat.
ed, on which my votes for grants of lands fol
particular objects rest while maintain, al
the same time, that it is all common fund
for the common benefit. And reasons like
these, presume, have influenced the votes Of
other gentlemen from New England. Those
who have different view of the powers o.
Government, of course, come TO different con
illusions, on these, as on other questions. OBJ
served, when speaking on this subject before
that if we looked to any measure, whether fol
road, canal, or any thing else, intended fol
the improvement of the west, it would be found
that if the New England ayes were struck out
of the lists of votes, the southern noes would
always have rejected the measure. The trutl
of this has not been denied, and cannot be de
MED. In stating this thought it just to as
cribe it to the constitutional scruples of The
south, rather than to any other less favorable
or less charitable cause. But, no sooner had