The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-05-05
ugh al as do, that the members ofthst Court,

that will Justify this insinuation. But to re-
turn to the road provided for in the bill
Is il not such as the present circumstance ed
ofthe country will fully warrant? Is il NOT
calculated to improve the condition Of the
country To strengthen the bonds of Un-
ion and brighten the chain ofmutual inter
course VIII il not confer benefit on the
people at large? Surely the nation is in as
good situation for undertakings of this
kind now, as it ever has been heretofore.
What, then, is the cause of this hue and
cry? Is not our national debt nearly paid
And when paid. are not apprehensions ex'
pressed that the surplus revenue will be
divided among the several States In that
event what is to become Of internal i'm
provements, or works Of q national char
acter? Gentlemen. tell US that the States
must be left TO accomplish these works
themselves; that is, when they agree a
mong themselves that certain work is ex-
pedient and proper. And who does not see
that the will of single Stale is sufficient
to defeat every undertaking of the kind
AS an illustration Of this truth, gentlemen
have only to look at this very road. 1t
passes through seven Of the States farther
South; bnt all their contributions are TO be
rendered void because Virginia, perchance,
is unwilling TO engage in the undertaking,
g. because NewYork will not pay for about
one hundred miles ofthe road that may pass
through her territory. So it will happen
with respect to every national design.
The recusancy, not to say the obstnacy, OF
one or two States will defeat the whole.
The case, therefore, resolves itselfinto this
question: shall the system of internal i'm
provements continue, or shall it not? If
yea, they must be done by the nation in its
collective capacity-the States will never
combine in any such scheme. In still fur.
ther prosecution ofthat appeal to sectional
views, which has characterized this debate,
it has been said by gentlemen from Ten
nessce, upper Virginia, and a portion OF
Pennsylvania, that not one cent has yet
been granted from the Treasury for their
benefit. This argument is surely not a
good one, g. would not be entitled to much
consideration if it stood alone; but it is an
useful one it comes homo to their feelings.
Did those gentlemen withhold their MD to
works of internal improvement, because
they were in other States ? No, sir, we
are told they did not. Has upper Penn
sylvania ever acted on this principle? Is
there one gentleman from that or any 9th
part Of that State, who can withhold his
vote from this bill. Did they withhold their
votes fthe gentlemen from the interior of
that State from the Delaware Breakwater?
So far from it, that an honorable gentleman
through whose district this road will pass
(mr. Ramsey as he now tells me, offered
the resolution which first directed the at.
tention Of the House to a consideration of
that work; then as to the Delaware aud
Chesapeake canal, when the question Of
subscription of stock TO that canal was un.
der consideration, where is the evidence of
the hostile feelings from the sectional in
terests of western Pennsylvania, Tennes
sec or Kentucky. The gentlemen of those
States superior 10 the interest Of mere Sec
tional interest, did not withhold their votes
from the subscription of stock. How many
days ago rs it since bill for light houses,
harbor Improvements, and surveys passed
this House, making an appropriation Of
more than half a million Of dollars In the
common langu age of the day not intend
ing TO adopt it as correction whose bene
fiji OF Kentucky No, sir. Of western
Virginia? No, sir. OF western Pennsyl.
vania? No, sir, not cent for either of
those sections of the country. Louisiana,
indeed.received some partial benefit, but a
great proportion Of the money went TO N
Yorkanb the Eastern States. When that
bill was under consideration, il was not op.
posed by the arguments now used in oppo
sitlon to this by gentlemen from the West,
or any other quarter. And No are called
upon to refuse this road, because the mon.
ey does not 60 TO those districts One gen.
tleman said the design was not national,
and that il would interfere with harbor i'm
and other works which he
called national; but now the harbor bill
has passed, and that gentleman represents
an interest where there are no navy yards,
no harbor improvements-has he, must
again ask him, no pride in the reputation
OF his State? And is not his support due
from ,hat State? o no. Not a cent has
been given to his constituents, not dollar
has been appropriated for Notifications in
his district. This argument gives up the
Union entirely, and we may as well say
so now is at any other time. Sir, again
say that when our surplus revenue sbnll
have been divided among the States, no
object truly national can be accomplished
Instead Of being less there will! be ten times
more local feelings than now; the language
of one State will bel arm in the interior
of the country; the Atlantic States must
take care Of the sea board; and, they. in
reply,will say-.let the West and the States
upon our northern frontiers protect them.
selves, develope their own resources g. i'm.
prove their condition. Sir, do insist that
ifany thing national is to be done,th gen.
ersl government is the power that must do
it. 1t must be done BY the United States,
or not at all. have once adverted to the
operation Of local feelings, even among
gentlemen coming from the West-the
same section Of country. Not session
commences that is not opened with dance
about the western armory. One gentle.
man moves Pittsburgh, one Beaver River,
and another the Horse Shoe Bend. And,