Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-02-06

one of the most holly disputed incidental
powers, the Presiden, s~uperadded the fol-
lowing acknowledgment of other of those
powers : I" Among the means of adyan'
cling the public interest, The occasion Is q
proper one for recalling the attention o.
Congress to the great Importance OF es'
tablishing throughout u country the
ROADS AND CANALS which can best be
executed under the National authority.
No objects The continues within The cir
Gle Of political economy so richly repay
the expense bestowed upon them there
are none the utility Of which is more unit
yersally ascertained and acknowledged /;
none that do more honor 10 the Gopera-
nasnt whose wise and enlarged patriotism
duly appreciates them" II the reader
discovers some discrepancy between these
opinions of the most illustrious of the Lee
g~islstors Of our country and the conclu.
Sims of the honorable Secretary of the
Treasury on the same subject, 1t IS no
fault of ours. Whether il be Mr.. MApI.
SONS or Mr.. WoonRuRy's, let every one
decide for himself.
Finally, Mr.. MADISON, in his last an
nuai Message december, 1870 again
invited the attention of Congress to the
exercise Of their cristiag powers 81 or.
der to effectuate a comprehensive system
of Roads and Canals"
The invitation, thus renewed, and un.
der circumstances favorable TO its pur-
pose, was responded to by Congress, on
the motion OF Mr.. CALHOUN, offs Carroll.
ma, (now a Senator of the United States,)
who introduced into the House of Rep
resentutives, on the 10Th Of December,
1916, the following Resolution:
"Reso7ced, That a Committee be ap.
pointed to inquire into the expediency OF
setting apart the bonus and the nett annu.
al profits Of the National Bank as a per-
manent fund for Internal Improvement"
In introducing this Resolution, Mr..
CALHOUN said cit was not his object at
this period to discuss the Importance Of
national Improvement. 1t was sufficient
to say that il was Of such importance us
to have been annually recommended TO
the attention OF Congress by the Exc.
CutiNts nat ~ ntd nOt UGH UNiGh'i'fI
acted on, was not to be attributed (Mr.
c.. sadly to any impression derogating
from the importance Of the subject. 1t
arose from the wan: Of funds, from the
state Of our finances, and
from the critical state Of our foreign rela-
tons, which demanded all our attention.
We had now abundance of revenue, and
were in a state of peace, giving leisure TO
Congress 10 examine subjects connected
with domestic affairs /; of all which, inter.
nal Improvement was not exceeded IN m
portance by any. He hoped, therefore,
the resolution would pass, and the inqui-
ry be made as proposed"
Without further debate, and without
opposition, the motion of Mr.. CALHOUN
was agreed TO.
On the 23J Of the same month, Mr..
CALHOUN, from the Committee appointed
under the above resolution, reported a
bill "to set apar, and pledge as a perma-
nent fund for internal improvements the
bonus of the National Bank and the Uni.
ted States share Of its dividends"
This bill came up for discussion in the
House Of Representatives on the 4ih OF
and a most able and interes-
debate upon it was opened by "A
speech from Mr.. CALHOUN, which at the
drew from Mr.. Clay a tribute Of de-
applause. We wish we had room
to insert here the whole of that speech.
This being out Of our power, we must
fain be satisfied with two brief extracts /;
the one relating 10 the policy, the other
10 the constitu,ionaIiiy, Of the proposed
measure.
/. AS to the policy ofInternal Improve
ment, Mr.. CALHOUN thus happily express
sed himself:
Whatever (said Mr.. c. impedes the
intercourse Of the extremes with this, the
Of the republic, weakens the Uni
on. The more enlarged the sphere Of
commercial circulation I; the more extern
ded that Of social intercourse; the more
strongly are we bound together-the more
are our destlnies. Those
who understand the human heart best
know how powerfully distance tends to
break the sympalhies Of our NATURE
Nothing, not even dissimilarity of lam
guagc, tends more 10 es,range man from
man. Let as, then, (snid Mr.. ca bind
The republic together Nth a perfect system
of roads and canals. Let US conquer
space. 1t is thus the most distant parts
of the republic will be brought within a
few days travel Of the centre; il is thus
that a citizen Of the West will read the
news Of Boston still moist from the press.
"The mail and the press (said bel arc
the nerves Of the body polite. By them
the slightest impression made on the most
remote parts is communicated to the whole
system; and the more perfect the means
of transportation, the more rapid and true
the vibration. To aid US in this great
.un.L Ia nnaLntnin tLaa iniauriIu Of ihia re-