Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-06-27
Front tie Lynchbwg Tirginian.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT BY THE
GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

We demonstrated, in our last paper. bv OK
tracts from official documents, the EaiIacv o
the argument,-not 10 say the hypocrisy OF
those who resort to it, for the purpose of sus.
tanning the present administration, that, if il
shall be put down, Mr.. Clay would come into
power, prepared TO establish an oyersbadowjno
system OF Internal Improvement by the Gene
raj Government. This was demonstrated
first, by the unqualified declaration of Mr.,
Clay, that the States have embarked in This
policy with so much spirit and success. that it
is no longer necessary or proper for the Gen
eral Government to intermeddIe with it-ond
secondly by the fact, that, this policy is 70 be-
put down at all, we can hardly expect it to be
done by an Administration, which, in one geqy,
has expended four times as much money upon
objects OF improvement, as was expended uponI
like objects by the Administration which il su-
perceded, and from the measures of which tbev
infer the re-establishment of that policy should
Mr.. Clay be elevated to the Presidential chair
But we are here met with Two objections. both
OF which we profess briefly to consider
The first of these objections is, that Mr.. Claw
is in favor Of distributing the proceeds Of tbcI
sales of the Public Lands, by which this policy
though apparently abandoned, is indirectiy
perpetuated. Even if this were true. rs il i
not we ask the people Of Virginia if it be not
wiser appropriation Of the public revenue
than that contemplated by the antagonist prom
osltlon OF Mr. Benton, and recently endorsed
by The Washington Globe, the mouth-pece of
the Administration, as BY authority? We ask
them II 1t be not better for them, and safer for
the country, that the proceeds of the sales Of
the Public Lands, over and above the ordinary
expenditures Of the federal government, shall
be distributed amongst them, to be emploved
under their direction and control, in consruc.
ting works of internal provement.-rathor
than, according TO Mr.. Benton's plan, (which
we are warranted, by the declaration of the
Globe an saying is also the plan of the Admin
istraton,) 10 aeorse than 'CaSte it in lining our
inland and maritime frontier with Notifications.
the estimated cost Of which, exclusive of the
sums annually required to keep them in repair,
will not be less than ONE HUNDRED MIL
LIONS OF DOLLARS-and which, when
completed, will serve no other purpose than to
create the necessity Of IA large STANDING
AKIN \, at all times dangerous, and ifnot dan.
gerous,a perpetual canker-worm, eating into
the yltals OF the treasury, and onlarpnp the
limits OF Executive power and patronage. by
ieariully multiplying the number of lis ofiicersY
Between these propositions we cannot hesitate
IN our choice. Nor do we wonder al the choice oil
our opponents. The character ofthe measure
which they propose is in perfect keeping with
the tendency and design of all their acts, As
the Sub-Ireasury system proposes to strength.
en- the Executive arm by placing the PURSE
Internationally in the hands of The President.
and augmenting indefinitely the number of ci-
vii officers,--so this vast scheme of Military
organization arms him with the SWORD, and L
invests him with the additional patronage con.
sequent upon like increase of military off. I
,ers! Every measure Of the Administration. J
indeed, whether perfected or in contemplation
hoWs settled purpose, fixed design, TO en-
arge the sphere Of Executive authority. and
convert the complex system of government,
reatcd by our iorefathers--the more complex Iii
ne better for the safety Of our lbcrties--into 90
lat "simple machine" Qhe very quintessence s.
Dcspotism,) the government of ONE Mamie
but we have said that the Distribution poli. NJ
of Mr.. Clay does not contemplate the per. ur
tuatlon, by indirection, of the system of in no
rnal improvements And why? Simply be- hi
use, after the funds shall be distributed, it ac
u be for the State governments themselves tn,
give to them such direction as they may an
pose. lfthey think it wise to apply them to tht
rposcs of Internal Improvement, they wiIllno
luestionably do so. Nor can there be any ri
ociion to it, upon the score either of const. in
onaIity or expediency, Ii then becomes a loa
tier OF State concern exclusively, and all the suf
uments against the nnwnr ~ The ,,ol;o,, 81 -. 1