Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-03-23


trine Of Internal improvements would be
defended by the same eloquent voices, and
the same strong arms as formerly. In the
lapse OF these six years, it is true, political
associations had assumed new aspect, and
new divisions. A party had arisen in the
South, hostile to the doctrine of Internal
Improvement, and had vigorously attacked
that doctrine. Anti-consoidation was the
flag under which this party fought, and its
supporters inveighed against Internal I'm
provements, much after the manner in which
the honorable gentleman has now inveigh-
ed against them, as part and parcel of the
system of Consolidation. Whether this
party arose in South Carolina herself, or
in her neighbourhood, is more than know,
think the latter. However that may have
been, there were those found in South
Carolina ready to make war upon it, and
and who did make intrepid war upon it.
Names being regarded as things in such
controversies, they bestowed on the anti-im-
proyement gentlemen the appellation Of
Radicals. Yes, sir, the name of Radicals,
as term of distinction, applicable and ap-
piled to those who denied the liberal doc
trnes OF Internal Improvements, originated
according to the best of my recollection,
somewhere between N. Carolina & Georgia.
Well, sir, those mischievous Radicals were
to be put down, and the strong arm of
South Carolina was stretched out TO put
them down. About this time, sir, return
ed to Congress. The battle with the Radi-
Gals had been fought, and our South Carroll
ma champions of the doctrine of Internal
Improvements had nobly maintained their
ground, and were understood to have achiev-
ed victory. They had driven back the
enemy with discontinue thing, by the
way, sir, which is not always performed
when it is promised. A gentleman, to whom
| have already referred, in this debate, had
come into Congress during my absence from
it, from South Carolina, and had brought
with him high reputation for ability. He
came from school with which he had been
acquainted, ct noscitur associis. l hold in
my hand. a printed speech of this distin-
guished gentleman (Mr. McDufie( i" on In
ternal improvements" delivered about the
period to which 1 now refer, and printed
with few Introductory remarks on Consoli-
dalton in which, sir, think he quite con-
soldated the arguments of his opponents,
the Radical, if to CRUSH be to consolidate.
give you short but substantive quotation
from these remarks. He is speaking of a
pamphlet, then recently published, entitled
consolidation" and having alluded to the
question of rechartering the former Bank Of
the United States, he says =" Moreover, in
the early history Of parties, and when Mr..
Crawford advocated the renewal of the old
charter, it was considered federal measure,
which internal improvements never aUas, as
this author enormously states. This latter
measure originated in the administration OF
Mr.. Jefferson, with the appropriation for
the Cumberland Road, and was first pro-
posed as system by Mr.. Calhoun, and car
ried through the House of Representatives
by large majority of the republicans, in
Guiding almost every one of the leading
men'who carried lis through the late war"
So, then Internal improvements not one
of the Federal hereses.
One paragraph more, sir -
"The author in question, not content with
.denouncing as Federalists, General Jackson,
Mr.. Adams, Mr.. Calhoun, and the majority
of the South Carolina delegation in Con-
gress, modestly extends the accommodation to
Mr.. Monroe, and the whole Republican par
ty. Here are his words - During the
administration of Mr.. Monroe, much has
passed which the republican party would be
glad to approve if they could But the
principal feature, and that which has chiefly
elected these observations, is the renewal of
the System of Internal improvements
Now, this measure was adopted by vote
of lis to 86, of a republican Congress, and
sanctioned by republican President. Who,
then, is this author, who assumes the high
prerogative of denouncing, in the name of
the republican party, the republican admin
lstration of the country denunciation in
Guiding withig its sweep, Calhoun, Lowndes,
and Cheves men who will be regarded as
the brightest ornaments of South Carolina,
and the strongest pillars of the republican
party, as long as the late war shall be re-
membered, and talents and patriotism shall
be regarded as the proper objects of the
admiration and gratitude Of free people %
Such are the opinions, sir, which were
maintained by South Carolina gentlemen in
the House of Representatives, on the sub
ject of Internal improvement, when took
my seat tHeI6 as IneHOer from MdSSdcnu-
sets, in 1923. But this is not all we had
bill before US, and passed it in the House,
entitled can Act to procure the necessary
surveys, plans, and estimates, upon the sub
ject of Roads and Canals" II authorised
the President to cause surveys and estimates
to be made Of the routes Of such Roads and
Canals as he might deem Of national import
ance, IN commercial or military point o.
uie.o, or for the transportation Of the mail
and appropriated thirty thousand dollars out
of the Treasury to defray the expense.
This act, though preliminary in its nature
covered the. whole ground. 1t took for
granted the complete power of Internal I'm
provement as far as any of its advocates had
ever contended for it. Having passed the
other House, the bill came up to the Senate
and was here considered and debated in
April, 1924. The honorable member from
South Carolina was member of the Senate
at that time. While the bill was under con-
siderfs on here, a motion was made to add
the following proviso:-
8. Prouided, That nothing herein contained
shall be construed to affirm or admit power
in Congress, on their own authority, to
make Roads or Canals within any Of the