Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1840-02-29

Internal Improcf gseEfs lis . fact ~ inter.
esior assit IL instruc.ivsyft nat he solicituds os
dc Fhshef Of hi. Cuinssy knew no rest after sle
achievement of her Independence, but passed ii.
rrctty from ito cares Of that great stssegls 70
tho greater snd more glorious work Of strength
ching the u~n;onsof tbs States and perpeluaiing
tl,ci, liberties. In 1883, Immediately after the
close Of the war, be proceeded up the difficult
navigation Of The Mohawk 10 Fort Stanwix. now
the sitc of the town Of Rome, and crossed 10
Wood creek. which empties into Oneida lake a''d
affords an imperfect communication With Lake
t)asatio. The noble and patriotic IL.
spired Ivy his obsrI vstions were thus expressed
Taking d commemorative aud extensive view oi
tbs vast inland navigation Of tho United States
could mt but BIO ST, uck with The immense dif1u
sion and Importance Of il, aud with the goodness
Of that Providence who had dealt His iavors TO
~ v itn ~ ~profasc a hu,,d. Would 10 God we
may have wisdom to improve them! The on
ncction Of Lake ln,atio with the Hudson NY
perfect canals, instead Of the difficult and %ohstrt'c-
ted navigation Of The Mohawk and Wood creek,
the mingling OF the waters Of Lake Erie with
tho . Of the same noble river by means oil D Gu
nal, The conversion Of Fort Stanwix into The
centre Of q constellation Of cities aud ~.illasef,
with III the consequent benefits ofthese improve
mrnts, rtaec, SAl1iiional glory upon the fame OF
Washington. aud rfSvVshat the Efforts Of this
State in fuIflmrnt Of his noble aspiration. have
been crowneiI With Tho blessing Of That Great
Being to whom IL was addressed.
His contemporary, Jefferson, one Of The most
ssRacious OF American statesmen, rs well rs one
Of the most ardent soiarics Of liberty .pfonounccd
roads, canals. aud rivers, TO be great foundations
Of national prosperity and union, and recon.
mendej 10 Congress the policy Of applying the
surplus revenues arising from imports upon lux
uries and ftom the sale Of The public lands 10 the
great purposes Of public education, tho improve
ment Of the navigation Of rivers, the c%onstruc.
tim OF ronis and canals, and such Other Objects
Of public improvement rs IL might DO thought
proper 10 add 10 the constitutional enumeration OF
federal powers; operations by which, as be well
remarked, new channels of communication
would be opened between The States, the lines Of
their separation would disappear, their interests
would be identified, and their 'union cemented by
new and indissoluble sizes.
II Is worthy Of remark, that none Of the dis.
linuui.hed founders Of American liberty stQP ped
10 calculate the question Of revenue when they
recommended this enlightened policy, designedto
increase ,he prosperity and cemea, tho onion Of
tho States. The Distinction betwecn ~lnternal
Improvements aud measures Of public defence,
upon the ground that the former cannot rs right
- ~. - A - y II =. /. Et n 4 A.
OF the use Of Ne credit rs the latter, il a refine.
mcns Of modern times. The statesman Of the
Revolution evidently regarded free intercommuni.
cation o. one Of tho means Of national defence.
-COc. Setard.