Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-12-20
ROADS AND CANALS.


Mr. Speight being entitled 10 the floor
Resoired That there shall be appointed for the present
session. and hereafter az the oeach session
oiCongress Committee OF seven ebers of this House,
to be styled Committee Roads and Canals whose du-
" shall be TO take into consideration all such petitions
and matters or things relating to Roads Canals and
the improvement OF the navigation Of Rivers, shall be
presented or may come in question: and DO referred
them by the House, and to report thcreupou, together
with such propositions relative thereto, TO them shall
seem expedicnt.
Mr. Spcght remarked that he felt his duty TO oppose
the passage OF the resolution lie understood tho gentle
man from Virginia yesterday saw that the adoption
oil the resolution would imply expression of opinion
the part OF this House 10 its legitimate scope in relation
to Internal Improvement For his part, he could
conceive of no possible way in which this House could
express ITS opinion OF the Legitimate power il had
roads ana canals but by the appointment OF Standing
Committee on that subject He had never heard it
tended for that Congress had the constitutional power
tax the people to construct roads and canals But,
tended Mr. Speght this resolution and what TO be
the inference Why, that this House claims the right
over Vie soil ct the States to canals
Why is that you have in It's House Standing Commit
tee on Foreign Relations SC. Sc Because ihosc sub
jects belong legmatcy 10 Congress c regretted that
this resolution had been brought forward If il passed it
would seer to imply 10 disposition the part of this
House to relieve tho people from the unjust buhen of
was anSiousy looked to, the which is TO do some
thing to relieve the country from the burthens that
hang over them. Fhis feeling did only exist in tho
agricultural States but all over the counry and if the
vehicles OF information important in the North az
the South should hear OF but general sentiment of
disgust But Sir in those States for whose benefit my
constituents taxed, have OF knowing the
general dissatisfaction which prevails among the poorer
class OF the community He hoped that tho present sc.
sion was not TO pass off without materially reducing tho
Tariff. Should that be donc tho gentlelan's system of
roads and canals would of necessity STOP because we
should have no money 10 give him. He considered the
two systems as one, and whenever fell, the other
would of follow He had very recently read in
most oil the public journals which favored the pretensons
oil certain individual and who might with propriety be
considered as the father of this SYSTEM that that individual
had never advocated system OF taxation for the purpose
OF Improving roads and canals He had read with much
pleasure, because he thought il of better times
But see-we are met 1t the threshold with propositions
which threatens TO rive the system OF taxation us
Mr. y said there another objection he had to the re-
solution The President in his Message at the opening OF
the session. had said nothing Subject of Internal
Improvements. Ono gentleman on his left had said eli
should be there u it noi." The gentleman from,
Virginia had stated ON the floor that mention of tho
subject was made in the Messages and therefore il was,
the gentleman had introduced his motion He should
not impute any thing like improper motives gentle
man, but he would speak oil the effect of the gcncmans
course 1t would be to hold the precedent his In
ernal Improvement friends opposed TO the system
When in fact and in TRUTH no such thing existed The
President had very properly omitted say any thing
his disracng subject; but Department of The Govern
ment had in very delicate manner, brought it to tho
view oil Congress Upon the whole he thought the reso-
luton as wholly unnecessary, and that it would at this
time be highly impoper pass it, He rejoiced that his
friend from s. c. had yesterday met such an able man
Mr. Doubleday said in the few remarks hc was about
10 olcr ne would cndcavor TO he brief Inexperienced
as ne was III Legislation and debate, il became him not to-
occupy mucn oil the time and attention of the House.
When this subject before them Yesterday he spuort
ea inc several motions intended postpone considera
uon because he deemed it question Of great decacy
and importance, which ought be hastily decided
After due elaboration, he found himself compel hy
sense OF duty, oppose the adoption of the
He hoped the question of national local. internal improve
mehts was so lar put at rest rcqare us 10 adops
any new measures for the despatch of this description of
business But if pass this resolution he conceived
that these results would follow: Ii would be understand
by the public (and perhaps it intended by gentle
men who supported the resolutoD) that we considered
works OF internal improvement within the scope of ourIe
climate powers and duties, were about 10 en~aoo in
i "orss on scale more general and extended than
au pSeh heretofore attempted Hence, considerable I'M
easiness and alarm would be excited in some sections of
the country This of ITSELF evil to be seriously do
Precatcd and at this crisis ought to be avoided If possible
But, further, should hold out encouragement which
would cause our table TO be loaded with petitions solicit
ing appropriations for local and sectional objects Then
olr should Standing Committee, favorable TO such an
preparations be appointed, may expect, before tho
close Oh The session. to have propositions before for the
expenditure oil some fifty hundred million of dollars
ana combinations OF local and sectional interests would be
formed, which would press with such force as to
impede the independent action of this House. Sir said
mr. r. ts resolution may appear TO be harmless but he
apprehended mischief was concealed in it,
Mr. Mercer in reply TO the gentleman from North Car
DINA, said that the resolution embraced no new prncnI
For fifteen or twenty years. have had Committees ON
this subject. Since 1916 The subject H. always been act
ed upon within the first four days the session On tho
presentation OF the first memorial, Select Committee on
Roads and Canals has always been raised to which CON-
mee, whatever related TO the sdbect was referred The
subject had not been referred in the Presidents Mes
sage oT which, however, he did not under all the cir
cuInstances the PresdenO and no reference of
e SUBJECT could be made in the disposition of the seye-
raj topics OF the Message. IL the House committed
by the appointment of Standing Committee than bv the
appointment Of Select Committee, with the same duties
Tor ~ years pas There advantages i'm Standing
committee, though they were perhaps, inconsdcroble
he resolution does not commit the House. for only CONT
nuest the usual action Of the House another form What ro
te mscbies which the gentleman from NJ Y apprchendl
He had anticipated these apprchensons and could no wa,
sure show the House that they were groundless We
shall have our tables loaded with petitions saws What
then! Are not a National Council? And have wo
not uniformly repudated local projects Of Inproyenents
he combinations which the gentleman breads for effect
ing such projects will receive cncoura gcment Bpt
IT Is said that reject the resolution shall intimate
TO the public that do not intend appropriate any moro
money to Internal improvements and that we intend 10
cOnciate the South? What is this Cancellation! surrcn
der oil the whole power OF appropriation for works of bic
improvements; pledge the part of the House that we
have done with them? We have laid taxes TO sun
port Internal Improvement They charged on spe-
cifIc andspubic funds &c But is said we shall bv
this resolution, claim jurisdiction the soil of the
States. Is this doctrnei caiml Have wo
not power to tax the lands otbc States and sell for taxes
The resolution did not contemplate tho enlargement Of
this principle. IL did not embrace that principle In
ternal improvements should be carried upon priu.
cipes short Of the powers possessed by Congress Bur
are gentlemen disposed, at this period Of the session
TO go into the discussion Of this subject and Of the Tariff?
never voted said Mr.. Mercer, for original Tariff
measure; but do say that will for the re-
peal Of Tariff will not put to hazard the interests
which have taken shelter under the Of the Govern
mcnt. But there principle on which the Tariff
opposed which applicable to Internal Improve
ments Gentlemen attempt to render Internal Improve
mens odous by connecting II with ideas to themselves
odous II had no necessary connection with the Tariff
He objected to the attempt TO destroy the system Of Inter
nal improvements by This side blow ON question 50 lin.
ted u we are to perish let us perish in fsr field, after