Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-03-02
sPEECH OF Mr.. WEBSTER,
- BM Mr.. fbors Resolsfiom-
IN 0ENATE-JAS &c, 1890. I.


IN SENATE-JAN. 90. 1890.
/. :, -. "a. lcoxrtruED.)
-. szAss ~, this y NOT the point OF the debate;
- fue.t bring tho gentleman back to that which
ne rcsl question between me and him, IL where
hes the 6octrnc been advanced, At the South or the
East, that The popuaton Of tho West should be 70.
tse1sdy At least need not be hsstened on account
OF tn eGect 70 drain of the people from the Aenlc
tsaes. Is this doctrine hds been alleged, Of Ess-
tern origin This 10 the question. Has the genue-
man found any thing BY which he can make good his
sccusstions submit TO the Senate. that he has en-
tirely failed and ss far Is this debate has shown,
sogS snsIs" member eis The honorable gen.
tleman has given no answer 70 this; there is none
which can Ne given The simple FACT while re
quires NO comment to enforce it. de6es oil argument
70 rsNts It. could refer to the speeches Of another
Southern gentlemen, in years before, of the same
general character and to the same effect, as that
which has been quoted but will not consume the
time Of the Senate by the reading of them
So then sir, New England is guiltlcss of the po-
lcy Of retardng Western populations, aud of all en-
wy md jealousy of the growth Of the New States
Whatever IieIc be Of that policy in the country, no
part Of il is hers If has local &abitution the
honorable membe, has probably seen, by this time;
where he is to look for it, and IL t.now has received
name, he has himself christencd it.
We approach at length, sir, TO more important
part of The honorable gcnilemans observations---
Since it does not ac:ord with my views of justice g.
policy 10 give away the public lands altogether as
mere matter Of gratuity, l am asked by the hon.
orable gentleman ON what ground it Is, that con-
sent TO vote them away IN particular instances'-
How, no inquiries, do reconcile with these profess
sed sentiments, my support of measures appropra-
ting portions Of the lands to particular rivers, and
particular institutions in the Wen? This lcads sir,
TO the real and wide difference in political opinions
between the honorable gentleman and myself On
my part, look upon all these objects connected
with the common good. fairly embrsced in IFS objects;
he, on the contrary. deems them all, If good at oil,
only local good. This is our difference. The in
terrogatory, which he proceeded to put, at once
plains THE difference "Wlat interest. nsks be- has
South Carulina in Canal in Ohio?" Sir, this very
question full of significance 1t deveiopes the gen
tleman's whole political SYSTEM and its answer eS'
pounds mine. Ii we differ, toto sGio. look up
on a road the Allegheny, Canai round he
Falls of the Ohio, Canal or Railway from the
Atlantic to the Western waters, IS being objects
large and extensive enough to be fairly said to be
erwise and this is the key to open his construction Of
the powers of the Government. He may ask, upon
his system, what interest has South Carolina IN a
Canal in Ohio? On that system, t is true, she has,
no interest On that system, Ohio and Carolina arc
different Governments, and different countries, con-
nected here, it is true, by some slight and i'll defined
bond of Union but in all main respects, separate and
diverse. On that system, Carolina has in
tcrest in a Canal in Ohio than in Mexico. The gen.
ueman, therefore, only follows out his own prnci-
pes Inc does than arrive at the natural
illusions of his own doctrines; he only announces the
true results of that creed which be has adopted him
self, and would persuade others to adopt. when he
thus declares that South Carolina has interest in
u public work in Ohio. Sir we narrow minded pco-
pie Of New England do not reason thus. Our no
tion of things is entirely different We look upon
the States not separated, but as united. We love
to dwell ON that UnioB and on tho mutual happiness
which il has so much promo ed, and the common re
nown tshch it has greatly Contributed 10 acquire.
In our contemplation Carolina and Ohio parts
of the country States, united under the same
General Government, having interests, common, as.
sociatcd, intermingcd. In whatever is within the
proper sphere of the constitutional power of this
Government, we look upon the States as one. We
do not impose geographical limits, to our patriotic
feeling Lr regard; do follow rivers and noun
tains, and lines OF latitude, TO 6nd boundaries be-
yond which public improvements do not benefit us.
We who come here, as agents aud representa-
tivcs of those narrow minded and selfish 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. Sr, If rail road
alSbegianiug in South Carolina, and eIrding in
South Carolina, appeared to me to be of national
magnitude, believing, l do, that the power of
Government extends to the encouragement of works
OF that description, were to stand up here, and
ask, what interest has Massachusetts in rail road
in South Carolina, should be willing to face nv
constituents. These same narrow minded men would
tell me, that they had sent me to for the whole
country, and that one who had possessed too little
who was not large enough, in mind and heart, to
embrace the whole, not fit to be entrusted with
the interest ofany part Sir do not desire to en-
large the powers Of the Government, by uniustiia-
bic construction; nor to exercise any not within a
fair interpretation But when il 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 ofsuch power, the States
are one 1t was the very object of the constitution
20 create unity of interests to the extent of the pow
crs Of the General Government. In war and peace.
we are one; IN commerce, one; because the author
ity Of the General Government reaches to war and
peace, and to the regulation Of comm-rcc. have
never seen any more difficulty in erecting light hou-
scs on the Lakes, than the Ocean: In improving
the harbors of inland seas, than if they were with,
in the ebb and flow Of the tide; or Of removing OBJ
structons IN the vast straem of the West more than
in any work TO facilitate commerce, on the Atlantic
coast. II there be power for one, here is pow
CO also tor the other and they arc all equally for the
country. Wv
There arc other objects, apparently more local, or
the benefit OF which Is less general, towards which
nevertheless, have concurred with other, IN g;ao
aid, by donations OF land It proposed to construct