Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-08

vas true Virginia and Maryland had made the
donations refereed to by the sentleman; bot they
had IN view an ample return and they had re-
ceIved it
Mr.. WardwelI inquired whether the sum OF
$40. 900 was founded On estimates, or referred
only to the sum granted by Virginia.
Mr.. Doddr,dge replied that It referred to the
latter. aud he reminded Mr.. Blair Of a bill before
the House granting a vast amount of the public
lands within the State Of Tennessee as a dona-
ton to that State. He supposed the gentleman's
~scruples would not stand in the way of such a
bill
Mr.. Fielder went at large into a very animated
opposition to the amendment, and insisted that the
Alexandria Company had no stronger claims than
any other company in the United States, and even
not so strong. He thought it ungracious to taunt
the Government with the bounty of Virginia. Ii
she wished her donation returned, she should have
his vote. He went into a general course OF retiec-
tons on the debasing tendency of the habit Of
looking to Government for aid. instead OF rely
Ing on individual enterprise and industry. He
considered the application as an entering wedge,
and had too much reason from the past expert
ence Of the government. to appreAend a contem.
plated fraud upon the Treasury. lie adverted
to the instance of the pension bill in illustration,
and dwelt on the facility with which the govern.
mcnt of so extended a country might be imposed
upon. He presumed it would next be proposed
to run a canal all the way down to Norfolk. and
the same arguments might be used in its favor
Millions of applications might be as well found
ed as this. lie denied the right Of the govern
ment to make such a donation. and considered it
as %usurpins the place of Providence, when it un-
| dertnok to water by showers of its bounty the
flowers and shrubs Of the District. The people
of Alexandria, instead of looking to the showers
of government, had better rely on their own indus
try. If canal boats could not traverse the POto-
mac, why not carry the produce in river craft
to Ale xandria? He thought it wrong to re-
| ceive without question, the representations OF gen
| tlemen interested. as conclusive arguments for
different works of Internal Improvement. Such
testimony was excluded from the courts, yet a
man was secuted if he dared to doubt it in that
House. But he knew human nature too wet not
to distrust even his own representations 1t made
under such an influence
Mr.. Mercer was glad the bill had aroused so
much Of the attention Of the House. tie had
hoped that the remarks Of his colleague would
have Obviated any thing like a constitutional
discussion, and was sorry to hear the power
of the government to appropriate for a dis
trict of which it was the only local legislature
called in question. and the people Of Alexandria
reproached as begsars, because they applied to
their own legislature for aid Just as all the peo-
pie of the States did. Ii the people of Della.
ware had pe'itioned the Legislature OF Delaware
for aid in constructing the recent railroad, would
the Legislature have reproached them as ~besgarsg
Were no memorials presented by the people of
the gentleman's own State OF South Carolina to
their Legislature? He referred to what had been
done by the Legislature of Pennsylvania for the
interests of Improvement in that STATE. As to
what had been said about aiding Alexandria to RI
val Georgetown, it was sufficient to reply that a
memorial for this very work had been presented
from Georgetown. He repealed the charge of
interested motives, and referred the opposition
to the bill to that prejudice which existed in all
countries against works Of improvement when
first introduced. The gentleman was opposed to
the tariff, aud earnestly desired its reduction.-
Did not he expect that himself and the people of
his district would derive some benefit from such
a measure.
Yet, if the sentleman's argument was good for
any thing, all he might hereafter say on that sub
ject, was to 20 for nothing. Mr.. NJ. then went
on to explain that the people of Alexandria be-
fore subscribing to the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca.
nal. had employed an Engineer to ascertain the
pract,cability and expense of a lateral branch to
that city, and never would have subscribed to the
one, but with the understanding that the other
was to 90 into effect. They had subscribed $780,.
600 towards that object. and had thus far honor
ably and punctually paid up their instruments,
but unless this scheme went into effect. that SUBJ
s%cription would be the most suicidal act that ever
was performed. Mr.. VI. went into an argument
to prove the national character of the work. as
Immediately tending to lower the price of coal,
fish, plaster, lumber, and other objects OF the Ca
nal trade. A canal substituted the labor of horses
for that of men in conducting boats, and by null
tipIying the force five times. did. In effect, con-
vert five boats into one. He adyerted to the great
cost and Inconvenience of trans. shipment, and
stated in illustration the fact, that of 1873, 900 bar
rels of -four, which had come down the canal last
season.. only 1000 had reached Alexandria. The
waters of the Potomac extended 700 miles above
Georgetown. and presented 400 miles of coast,
all the products of which must be subjected to a
heavy per centage for trans shipment. unless the
canal should give them access To the only DOrt