Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-04-09

But they would not nave passed It's u 'ney
had supposed that, TO this amount, they
were to add the sum laid down in the es-
timaes upon our tables, and by which 1t
will be seen that a sum approaching the
eight millions of dollars, over aud above
The amounts already appropriated, will be
required 10 finish this road to Jefferson, IN
Missouri. 1t will appear from the report
from the War Department, comm.nica-
ted to the Senate, 9Th January, lS4o'No.
l22, that the estimated cost for the COM
pleliun of the Cumberland road hereafter,
over all expenses heretofore, is as follows:
in Ohio, S63S,l66 25; Indiana, S.. ID
$50 81: in Illinois, s2,44s,a3S So; in Mis-
souri,, 81 l,664,790 As, and the total esti-
mated cost is 81, ,S96,0l5 "A. Are wepre-
pared for this heavy expenditure? Ihs
amount, added to what has already been
expended, will make Sl4,2l4,7S5 26. DO
you suppose that the trainers of these hrst
laws would have been prepared TO NEE,
such extravagant drafts out of the public
funds? Were they prepared TO such "a
precedent by approprialiug at hrst only
$4,000; Which appropriation they spe-
cialIy guarded by declaring that the amount
should be paid out Of the 2 per cent fund
Would they have suffered themselves thus
to he drawn into a measure which was to
lay the foundation for such heavy appro-
prialions! And il is to be remembered
that the sum of seven millions eight hum
dred thousand dollars here mentioned IS
only the estimate. We all know the char
acrer of these eslima,es-lhat they are The
mere theoretical estimates of gentlemen
in their bureaus-but come 10 The actual
amount, and YOU will find it to be nearer
sixteen millions than eight; for, in every
such estimate, The amounts actually call
ed for exceed almost double The amount
| first euimated. Well may the gentleman
from Indiana NJ. Howard] speak of this
as magnificent enterprze. Well may
the gentleman from New York (Mr.Hotf-
mani call it The Appian way. llmay be
the Appian way; it may be magnificent
enterprize-hut who is TO pay Tor 1t! is
it an enterprise within the provisions oi
the CONSTITUTION! Isl au en'erprize with
in the limits of Republican and econom-
ical Government, involving, as it does, in
all human probability, appropriations 10
The amount of twenty ur thirty millions OF
dollars? And if The gentleman from lndl-
ana is righ, in The bright prospects which
he drew of The future; if that road is final
ly 10 lead, as he says, 10 The shares of the
Pacific, then two hundred millions of dol
lars will moi cover the expenditures. And
this is The species of argument which is
employed 10 induce Republican Gov
ernmenr 10 adopt measures that are 10 in
yolve the country in such enormous eX-
travagance 1t NAV be an Appian way.
as the gentleman from New York says,
bu, [ would remind him that The Appian
way, which led from Rome to Brundusi-
nm, became The great highway of emper-
ors who marched along il, waving the inn
perial eagles over prostraIc slaves, and an
oppressed and ruined country. Is The APP
pian way to be cited here as an example
to u.s. First go and make your Govern
ment as splendid and dcspolic as that of
imperial Rome became in the progress OF
time. What was il that broke down re-
publican Rome? twas This very system
of partial. unjust, and corrupting leslsa-
lion; system in which conquerng sencr-
ais brough back spoils from sacked cities
and devastated provinces, TO he divided a
mong .Roman citizens" and 10 pamPer
an arrogant and agrarian people.
That was the cause Of the downfall of
Rome-il struck deep blow at her purity
and freedom. Aud when The gentleman
asks us TO follow examples Of that kind, let
him first 90 to lie banks of,he Ohio and The
Mississippi. and establish erauarics for the
collection of public corn that ii may be
| given to the people. Let him spread out
his banner and call upon his followers To
come in and divide the pund.r. Make
this Government what Rome was, agrarl-
| an in all its principles, aud hiring The coun'
rrv down to the same stale ofruu, corrup-
tion, aud prnstration, which characterized
the Roman republic. You may make
this Appian way-you may make this
Government, road, hut il will be a road,
that will pass through the very vi'als Of
the Constitution. say, you may make
such road: you may make another III
the South, and another in the North, and
you may call them by what names you
choose; but rest assured, that The prlncl'
pie upon which you act, strikes al that e.
quail justice which should ever be The ba-
sis oil republic. 1t not only strikes at
that, bur at the Union of these Staes.-
There can be no permanent union, except
bv generating those kind and cordial feel
inos between The various sections of this
confederacy, which can alone result from
Government which does actually dis
pense equal burdens aud equal favors.-
And when it is supposed that we oppose
such such appropriations from mere sectional Il
preiudices, injustice is done TO the people
of that prosecuted region which stretches
from the Patapsco TO the Mississippi, and
which has been denounced as particularly
sectional in its views Of public policy, l
say i, is unjust to lha, people. In taking
4 Il. t,ln N H.