Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-02-16
CUMBERLAND ROAD.


We give below a letter upon he subjec, Of tho
National Road, soliciting the CO operation of the
people Of this country in devising some means TO
insure on appropriation upon it. We should be
happy to perform almost any labor in our
power, or devote all the iime we can spare from
other avoca,ions, to carry out my plan which
might DO devised whereby appropriation nigh,
be secured; but the mere fact Of memorializing
Congress has had but little effect heretofore,
and we have no evidence that the present Con.
gress is more disposed 10 listen to tho wishes Of
the. people, or 10 grant their petitions han those
which preceded it; upon the contrary, We are
disposed to think that sending petitions to the
present Congress is perfec. waste Of time, and
If appropriation is made a. all, will be done
through tho influence Of Western members; and
it may he that the increased number Of members
the Yves, has acquired by the a,e appor.ion ment,
they may DO enabled to force an appropriation
from tho grasp of the peculiar friends Of General
Jackson aud Martin Van Buren,, who would have
the States mako ALL works of internal improve.
ment, and at tho Same time PERM, the general
government TO retain in her hands, for the pur-
pose Of corruP,ing tho people, the immense sums
Of money which may be received from the
sales Of the public lands, onc which in Justice
belong 10 the several States.
We are not disposed TO make any exertions at
this time, having learned by sad experience tina,
nothing is TO be expected from that cold and
hear'less party. whose selfish, but distinguished
leader, has emphatically declared "hat the people
look to the government for too much" We would,
however. suggest TO the public who feel an inte-
in the pIotin of tbo, u,ho
no) that in case Congress shall utterly refuse 10
make an appropriation, that an application be
made 10 Congress, asking that that portion Of tho
road lying in the county of Wayne be surrender
ed to company, with chartered privileges, TO
mako the road and be allowed 10 charge a reason
able toll for travel upoo il. If tho general gov
eminent is not willing to grant the charter direct,
permit the State TO take charge of it, when the
legislature may grant charters whereby the road
may be completed throughout The State. 1t has
been tho policy Of the government here tofore, as
soon as any considerable portion of tho road was
completed to give il up to the States through
which it may have been finished, and we can see
no objections that evenVan Burensm could urge,
TO such course, unless the party determined
TO oct upon tho pIrciple ,i la, old fable Of the
"dog in the manger."
Below will be found the letter referred 10, aud
We submit il to the consideration of the public:
MARSHALL ILLINoIs,p
30th Dec, 1914. :
"a public meeting was held a, this place on The
23d inst, to devise means for procuring, if pos
sible, The immediate prosecution and completion
Of the National Road.
Al this meeting, the undersigned were appoin-
ted . Committee to correspond with citizens o!
other places on tho line Of the road for the pur-
pose Of eliciting their views on the subject, and
concerning measures for making one more RICO
ro"s and united eflor, to carry through this geea,
work.
In the execution Of this duty tho Committee
address you, with the hope of securing your couu-
sci and cooperation 10 the attempt to awaken
those who have suffered for the last five wears
from the neglect Of Congress, TO a sense of their
rights and willingness to make some efforts 10
obtain them.
As II cannot be supposed that our government
would grossly violate its good faith and solemn
engagements by q deliberate refusal to finish the
road. We must infer tina, either our claims are no,
properly understood, or that sufficient exer,ions
have not been made,-by those mos, INTEREST ed
Ito press the subject upon the attention of Con
gress.
We therefore propose tina, simultaneous ap>
peals be made to the justice of Congress, By ere
~ indiridaal interested in having The road com
Pis'ed. That meetings be held in every town
and village along the whole iiae OF the road, from
Springfield, Ohio, 10 Jefferson city; that resolu-
lions be passed instruc,ing our Representatives