Litchfield enquirer., 1830-12-16

fhese cannot be great rom NInlteu anu SuNlI | nmunber of investments, because experience in 1 other matters tsaches us,s and we are not at liberty to disregard its admoniti0ns, that, un- l less an entire stop be put to them, it will soon | he impossible to prevent their accumulation, 1 until they are spread over the whole country, | and made to embrace many Of the private and NnorODriate concerns of individuals.
 The power which the general government would acquire within the several states by be- coming the principal stOckholder in corpora tiOns. controlling every canal, and each sixty or hundred miles of every iMpoFtantFoad, ,and giving a propOrtiOnate vote in all their elec- tious. is almost tincOnccivable, and, in my view, dangerous to the liberties of the people.
 This mode Of aiding such works is, also, in it's nature, deceptive, and in many cases con- Clucve tO improvidence in the administration ofthe national funds. Appropriations will be obtained with much greater facility ,and grant. ed with less security to the public interest, when the measure is thus disguised, than when definite and direct expenditures of money are asked for. The interests of the nation would doHblless be better served by avoiding all such indirect modes of aiding particular objects.-- Tn gOvernment Iike ours, more especially, should ail public acts be, as far as practicable, simple, undisguised, and intelligibls, that they may become At subjects for the appreciation or animadversion ofthe people. The bill au- thorizing a subscription to the Louisville and Portland canal affords a striking illustration of the difficulty of withholding additional appro- priations for tho same object, when the first erroneous step has been taken by instituting a partnership between the government and pri- vate combanies. It proposes third subscrip- ton on the part of the United States, when each preceding one was at the time regarded as the extent of the aid which government was to render to that work; and the accom- panying bill for Lighthouses. &c. contains an appropriation for survey of the bed Of the river, with view to its improvement. by re- moving the obstruction whichthe canal is de- signed to avoid. This improvement. if suc- csssful, would afford free passage to the riv- CT, and render the canal entirely useless. TO such improyidence is the course of legislation subject, tn relation to internal improvement on local matters, even with the best intentions on the part Of Congress.
 Although the motives which have influenced me in this matter may be already sufficiently stated, | am, nevertheless, induced by its im- portance to add few observations of a gene- ral character.
 In my objections to the bill authorizing sub. scriptions to the Maysville and Rockville Road Cpmpanies, expressed my views fully in re- gard to the power of Congress to construct rOads and canals within state, or to appro- priate money for improvements Of a local cha Tacter. at the same time intimated my be. lief that the right to make appropriations for such as were of national character had been so generally acted upon. and SD long acquies- ced in by the Federal and State Governments, and the constituents of each, as to justify its exercise sn the ground of continued and un- interrupted usage but that 1t was, neveFthe. less, highly expedient that appropriations, even of that character, should, with the excrp. tion made at 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 estab- lished.
 These suggestions were not necessary to the decision of the question then before me; and were, readily admit. intended to awaken the attentio1, and draw forth the opinions and ob. servations, of our constituents. upon subject ofthe highest importance to their interest, and one destined to exert a powerful influence up- an the future operations of our political sys. fem. know of no tribunal to which pub lic man in this country, in a case of doubt and difficulty, can appeal with grester advantage Or more propriety, than the judgment of the people; and although must necessarily. in the discharge Of my official duties, be govern. ed by the dictates of my own judgment, nave DO 0eeIfe tO cOnc0Ab my anxious wish tO conform, as far as can, to the views ofthose for whom act.
 All irregular expressions of public opinion are of necessity attended with some doubt al 10 their accuracy; but, making full allow. ences on that account. cannot, I think, de. ceivc myself in believing that tho acts referred to. as well as the suggestions which allowed snyself to make in relation to thei. bearing ,,u. on the future operations of the Govern rSent. have been approved by the great body of the people. That those whose Immediate pecln iafy interests gre tO be affected by proposed expenditures should shrink from the apnlica. tiOn Ofa rule which prefers their more gener. al and remote interests tO those which are personal and immediate, is to be expected. But even such objections must, from the na. tuFe of our population. be but temporary in their duration and Sf tt were otherw isc. our course shonld be the same, far the lime ia yet, hope. far distant, when thoso entrusted with power to be exercised for the good ofthe whole, will consider it either honest or wise to purchase local favor Ut the sacrifice of princi- pIe md the general good.
 SO understanding public sentiment. and thoroughly satisfied that the best interests of Our common country imperiOusly require that 1he course which I have recommended in this regard should be adopted, have, uDon inc most mature consideration, determined to