Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-08-18

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particular constructions ofthc constitution,
on doubtful points" Was ever the acquic-
scence Of any people more certain, steady
and uniform, than that ofthc people ofthe
United States in the exercise of the
power of the general government over
internal improvements Every congress
ortwenty odd years has exerciscdit, with
the public appreciation. The president
himself admits that " mo less than twenty
three different laws have been passed
through all the forms of the constitution,
appropriatng upwards of two millions
and half out Of the national treasury"
towards the Cumberland road alone.
After repudiating power which had
been so firmly and 50 long settled, it was
unnecessary for the president to assign
any other reason for refusing his appro-
baton to the Maysville bill. But he
con'cnds that that is not a national but
Local road. What is a national road, he
does not deign to define, and acknow-
ledges that it is extremely difficult to de-
eide. Must a road to be national, lead
through the wholc nation? Then there
is no such road, and never will be. That,
therefore, will hardly be contcnded for
The fact of a road or canal being con-
fined within the limits of a particular
state cannot destroy its national charac-
ter. The Chesapeake and Delaware
canal is wholly within the boundaries of
the state of Delaware, and is not in its
length more than one half of the extent
Of the Maysville road, and yet it has
been regarded as a national work Con-
gress so considered it, and appropriated
large sum towards its construction
General Jackson, when in the senate of
the United States, voted for an appropri-
alton to that canal. 1t was deemed ma
tional, because large portion of the ma
ton was interested in it, and because it
was an important link in a chain of ca
nails stretching along the Atlantic coast.
The Maysville road was also section
of great road which has been long pro-
jected in connection with the national
road at GAINESVILLE in the state of Ohio,
and leading to Florence in Alabama, OF
to the Mexican Gulph. OF all that ex-
Ienslve route it was the most essential
part. The greater portion of the whole
route had been surveyed under the ad-
ministration of Mr.. Adams. Though
the section of the road from Maysville to
Lexington is local to the state of Ken
lucky, its utility is not confined to the
citizens Of that state. Few roads in the
United States are so much travelled
1t is great thoroughiare for travellers
passing to and from all the states west or
south west of Kentucky. The mails for
the state of Kentucky, the western part
ofTennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and
Arkansas are transported in stages over
this road, and these stages are compelled
to be taken off three or four months in the
year, on account of the impossible con-
dition of the road If, as is believed the
character of road does not depend up
on its extent, nor upon its locality, but
upon its use, then ought the Maysville
road to be considered as national, even
if its limits were no greater than those
stated by the president But it is ndis-
putably national when taken in connec-
ton with the Cumberland road in its
eastern direction, and with the proposed
south western continuation of it. When
the president was carefully collecting
from the files of the two houses of con-
gress bills pending before them, making
appropriations for objects of internal I'M
provement, the bill providing for the eX-
tension of this road enthusiastically from
Lexington, could not have escaped his
researches.
The president assigns, as further
reason for Withholding his appreciation
from the bill, the motive of paying the
national debt. If this reason had been
employed to curtail other expenditures of
government in other instances, he would
at least have been entitled to the credit
of sincerity in urging it. But it is be-
lieved to have been applied to this mca-
sure alone. 1t did not prevent the pres
ident from recalling, at great expense
to the nation, our foreign ministers. Ii
did not prevent his recommending the
Indian measure, by which half million
of dollars is placed Immediately at his
disposal, and millions are to be hereafter
expended. 1t did not prevent the csta-
blshment of numerous new officers. Ii
did not prevent, as will be presently
seen, appropriations for internal improve
ments in other states. 1t in short pre-
vented no measure but internal improve
ments: 1t was applied for the first time
to the state of Kentucky.
The payment of a national debt is
laudable object. The president may be
desirous to effect it during his admins
tration. But it is of little consequence
to the nation whether the last dollar of II
is paid in his term of service, or in the
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