Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-07

Mr.. MDu6ie's remedy for the 7"iE-ls
will be seen by reference to the following letter,
that, strange as 1t may seem, Mr.. McDUrFIE
in 1928, held the system Of Internal Improve
ments to be The only form in chich the South
could be indelmnifed for the Tariff
WASHINGTON. March 5.
"Dear &r-You were right in conJcctur'ns
that the report of my remarks on the SUBJECT OF
the Cumberland Road was incorrect. Indeed,
it may be said generally OF the reports Of nay re-
marks, (and do not pretend to speak of the re-
marks of others because my attention is not
drawn to the reports of them. )sthat they not on
Iy do not contain what do say, but that they
contain the grossest miss'atcment OF my views,
founded, believe. upon misconception, incom-
peteicy, and Incidence on the part OF the Re
porters. Indeed | have abstained from reading
the reports of my remarks almost entirely, be-
cause it is distressing to look at the disgusting
caricatures.
.sMy remarks in relation tn the continuation
of the Cumberland Road, had reference to pro.
position to extend it beyond GAINESVILLE, BY an act
of the present session. have always conceded
that the Road was prominent part OF national
system of Internal improvements, and have only
contended that we ought to wait until the sur
veys are completed, and the leading Roads and
Canals determined upon, before we carry the ex-
ecution of any part OF it beyond the extent to
which the contracts are now made. The re-
mark that the legislation Of Congress on this sub
iect had been all wrong. had reference to the
manner in which we had proceeded in the execu.
ton of the work Oh the Cumberland Road. 1t
has cost the Governpept twice as much as
it ought to have cost. as 1t would now cost, be-
cause we began premaurely to do the work,
without survey and estimates from competent,
scientific men, and indeed without any sysfema-
tic superintendent of the work itself. While
it was conducted under the auspices OF the Trea-
surv Department, il cost Just as much as the
contractors would ask as am induced to believe
from the great cost and little value of the work
done. BY the estimates submitted from the En-.
gineer Department this session. it appears that 1t
will now cost nearly as much to repair the Road
as it would to make it de noUo.
SIN word. the Cumberland Road, the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Canal, the Canal connecting
Pitt,burg with the lakes. the line of Inland Nav
lpa,ion f,om New Orleans around the coast
through the neck Of Florida, and thence to the
extreme north, and finally the Post Road from
Washington To New Orleans. the principal
national works which have always regarded as
entitled to the patronage of Congress. And
am prepared to carry mem on pari po'su as soon
as our financial resources will enable US to do
it.
Il think the Southern and Western States
! are the natural advocates Of system Of Internal
improvements: aud regret that the constitution
al scruples u PORTION Of the Southern People
should prevent hearty corporation. This is
the only form in wtich the Southern States can
be Unidentified for The tao leciea upon them to
susfa,n the manufactures ofhhe Eastern STATES
enclose you a repart. which will in some degree
convey to you my views on this point.
Yours, sincerely, GEO. MDUFFIE."