The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-09-01
From the OIL Dominion.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.

.
for rail roads, canals, &c. We have no
objection. to sach Improvements. In fact.
we are friends to them, provided they can
be, ,Ir.tle without infringing in the least.
upon The rights and liberties of the pco-
pie, which are incnmparlhly more valua.
hle than all the raj r,;;ls and canals on
the face uf the earth.
That the power Of monopoly is leagued
with the present system of Internal i'm
prrvcmpnt, caanol be doubted by any one
whu will give To the subject the slightest
considerations. AT this time most Of the
railroads belong to chartered companies.
anE are eXerting an influence hostile to
the rights and welfare of the sovereign
people: They are rapidly monopolizing
the land transportation business, not ex.
cepting the carrying Of the mails. And
what are the. consequences? Those COM
panips. controlled by few individuals
who have no regard for the equal rights
of the people, are invested with immense
power, which they can exercise IN way
most conductive to their interest. regard
less Of the public veal. But this is not
the worst feature af the present system.
1t unqneslionably exerls an Influence adj
verse to the free exercise of the right of
opinion on subjects of government. That
this right has been inlerfered with in ma.
ny Instances, and attempts made TO con.
troll IL by fear, favour, or money, is no
longer matter of doubt. The recent
elections furnish many well authenticated
and alarming facts of this kind.
> If such are the effects OF this system
during its comparative infancy, what NAV
reasonably be expected from it when il
has reaehedits maturity; when the whole
face Of the countryis checkered with rail
roads and canals belonging to the money
power? Is not the subject worthy Of the
thoughtful consideration Of every friend
10 our free,institutions? Undoubtedly il is.
They should examine it with the utmost
particularly, and if it is fraught with
evils which must overbalance. the good,
they should be destroyed, or else the sys-
TEN Should be abandoned, as it is dictate
Of common sense, that lesser evils should
be. preferred To greater ones.
Undoubtedly those who are deeply in
terested in.the success Of the present sys-
TEN, and whose sole object is seIfagran.
dizement, will spare no pains TO convince
the public that it is the best which human
could devise; but prudence die.
tates that l'eir arguments be carefully ex.
anime. and their declarations cautiously
received, as they are the interested party,
and Of course will use their utmost exer.
tons TO color their side of the picture as
highly and as facorably as possible.
Among the arguments used in favour
of the p esent system Of internal improve
ments, the most common and successful
one is directed tolbe pockets of the COM
mulI!y. The people are told that these
Improvements will rapidly increase the
value of property, give employment to
labor, and facilitate the transportation Of
commodities. But they are not informed
whether they will impr we than otherwise
the dislribuinn Of wealth, which is by far
the mnst ilnporta It consideration. True
national prosperity and social happiness
do not consist in the mere creation Of
wealth, but in its equitable distributi,n.
Even before the wonderful Improvements
az - iaob' -S"' 'hS "'hS'ihC'5' We"Nu was
created with astonishing facility aud in
the creates, abundance. Since that time
its rapid creation has almost exceeded
calculation, and se, the great b,Iy of the
people in every country, and the wealth
creators too, are poor. England affords
striking illustration of this fact. In
that country wealth is more rapidly Great.
ed than any where else, ami vet the mass
OF. her population are miserably poor
Can this strange circumstance be account.
ed5for in any "her way save upon the
principle of partial distribution! Certain.
.ly not, Her laws regulating the distribu.
ton of wealth are as bad as they can b.,
hence the wcalth-crca,ors are rubbed ac.
curdingtp law by the non-creators. She
has .a.(humerous privileged Aris1ucracy,
who livc.iike princes and produce nothing,
that are exceedingly bur'Iensome to pro-
.ductise industry Aside from this i'm.
mense weight. the expenses Of ner gov
crnnent al enormously great, then comes
the interest on hersvast national debt, and
to cap the. summit of her huge mountain
of injustice heaped upon labor, is her
wicked corporation system, Of which the
AriSt0cracyshere nrestbo cony,;.,e and ,,e