Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-12-15
NO. 81.

s!ant!y exposed to lnputatons OF iavorit-
! ism and oppression. Direct prejudice
TO thc public interest, or an alienation of
the affections and respect Of portions Of
! the people, may, therefore, in additionto to
! the general d4crcdt resulting 20 the gov-
ernmont ilom cmbarking with its constit-
ucnts in pccuniary speculations, be loDi-
ed for as the probable fruit OF such asso-
ciations. 1t is no answer 80 this oblcc-
ton 10 say that the extent of consequent
4 ccs like these cannot be great from Inn
Itcd and small number OF investments, be-
I eau Sc experience in other matters teach
cs us, and we are not at liberty to dsrc-
gard it's admonti0ns, that unless an en-
tire stop be put to them, it will soon be
impossible to prevent their accumulation,
until they are spread over the whole
country, and made to embrace many Of
the private and appropriate concerns of
individuals.
The power which the General Gov
crnment would acquire within the sever
al States by becoming the principal stock
holder in corporations, controlling every
canal and each sixty or hundred miles
of every important road, and giving a
proporlionatc vote in all their elections,
is almost inconCeiyabIc, and, in my view
dangerous TO the liberties Of the people.
The mode Of aiding such works is, al
so, in its nature, deceptive, and in many
cases conducive to improvidcnce in the
administration Of the national funds. APP
preparations will be obtained with much
tnI
security to the public interest, when the
measure is thus disguised, than when def
mite and direct expenditures ofmoney are
asked for. The interests of the nation
would doubtless be better served by
avoiding all such Indirect modes of aid
ing particular objects. In a Government
like ours, more especially, should all pub
lie acts be, as far as practicable, simple,
undisguiscd, and Ineligible, that they
may become fit subjects for the approba-
ton or ani,nadversion of the people. The
bill authorizing a subscri ption to the Lou
isvilc and Portland canal affords strik-
ing illustration of the difficulty of with
holding additional appropriations for the
same object, when the first erroneous
step has been taken by insttutng:a part
nershp between the Government and pri-
vatc companies. ltproposcs third SUBJ
scription on the part ofthc United States,
when each preceding one was ut tho
time regarded as the extent Of the aid
which Government was ia render to that
work; and the accompanying bill for
light houses, sc. contains an approprla-
ton for Il survcy Of the bed of the river,
with view to its Improvement, by re-
moving che obstruction which the canal
is designed to avoid This Improvement.
if successful, would afford tree passage
to the river, and render the canal entire
ly useless. 10 such mproyidcnce is tho
course OF Legislation subject, in relation
to internal improvements on local mat
tcrs, even with the best intentions on tho
part Of Congress.
Although the motives which have in
iucnccd me in this matter may be already
sufficiently stated, | am, nCv rhc!ess,
induced by its Importance to add alow OBJ
scrvations of Il general character.
In my objections to the bill authoriZ-
ing subscriptions to the Nlaysville and
Rockville Road Companies, | expressed
my views fully in regard to the power OF
Congress to construct roads and canals
within State, or to appropriate money
for improvements of local character
| at the same time intimated my belief
that the right to make appropriations for
such as were of n national character had
been so generally acted upon, and so
long acquicsced iii by tho Federal and
State Cove nmcnts, and the const tIcnts
of each, as to Justify its exercise on the
ground of confirmed and uninterrupted
usage; but that il was, nevertheless, high
" cxpcdicnt that appropriations, even of
that character, should, with the exception
made ut the time, be deferred until the
National debt is paid, and that, in the
mean while, some general rule for the
action of the Government in that respect
ought TO be established.
| These suggestions were not necessary
TO the decision of the question then be-
fore nc, and were, | readily admit, in
tended to awaken tho attention, and draw
forth the opinions and observations of our
constituents, upon subject of the high
est Importance to their interests, and one
destined to exert powerful influence
upon the future operations of our politi-
cal system. | know of no tribunal to
which public man in this country, in a
case Of doubt and difficulty, can appeal
with greater advantage or more proprie-
ty than the Judgment of the people; and
although must necessarily, i'll the dis
charge of my official duties, be governed
by the dictates of my own judgment,
have no desire to conceal my anxious
wish to conform, as far can, TO the views