The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-04-25
WABASH AND OHIO CANAL.

pets uuucE IuiS Hodu, VIII DS SuHlCfeut 10
convince every impartial person that, when
our Canal is completed, the income which
viii be derived from it, if properly applied,
will be sufficient to liquidate our State debt
in a very short period of time. This one
consideration, alone, should be %ali-powerful
with members Of Congress, and induce them
at once to cast their votes in favor OF an APP
preparation of land for the completion of the
Canal to Evansville. The deep disgrace in
to which we We have fallen with other ma
tons, in regard TO our monetary affairs, de-
mands and should receive, the most serious
attention of our national representatives, and
when a measure is proposed which will ena-
bic one State 10 redeem her credit, it should
be adopted without the slightest hesitation.
The twenty six States form but one family,
and stand before the world as one nation :
when dishonor rests upon one, it effects the
character ofall, and all are alike interested
that it should be wiped out. When asper-
siions are cast upon the American character
abroad, which ase not founded in truth, they
can be disregarded or held in contempt; but,
when they are sustained by undeniable facts,
they cling to our name like brand upon a
culprit's brow. The dark stain which tarn-
isles our credit, by the failure Of so many
States 10 meet their engagements, is IN
what of this nature, and must be calling in
the extreme 10 every lover of his county
that our otherwise fair fame should be cleans
ed of this slammed spot . must be the devout
aspiration ofus all.
Several plans have been agitated TO effect
so desirable an object, but insuperable OBJ
l~ections seem to attend each ofthem; among
others it has been proposed that the general
government should assume the debts of all
the States, but the constitutionaIity of this
measure is doubted by many, and the policy
of it may well be questioned, for it is to be
feared that it might be the cause of Undue
ing States to rush again into the same head
long career of wild expenditure, relying up
on the same source for relief. But when the
arm of the general government can be ex-
tended praise up from its depressed condi-
ton any one of the States, by constitutional
means, by means which would not add a
single grain to the burdens ofany other State,
nor take from the resources of the said gov
eminent more than would be doubIy paid
back in another form-when this can be done,
we should suppose that every member OF
Congress, so far from requiring solicitation.
would, by one spontaneous impulse, rush for
ward to the rescue with all the ardour and
a~lacrity Of patriots on the field of battle, when
called upon TO save an important position
from overwhelming defeat, disgrace, and ru
in,
Indiana, in a great measure, is peopled by
farmers owning but a small portion of land
which they cultivate with their OWE hands
and after maintaining themselves and fami
lilies, they find it a hard matter to raiss mo.
ney e~noughto pay their State and county
taxes. The great bulk of the population i:
of this class, and, although they ardently
wish tosee the State debt paid of, and would
willingly contribute to do so, were it in theil
power, yet a long series ofyears must elapse
before much could be expected from them.
even TO assist in paying the interest. TIC
tax them for this purpose is out of the ques
ton, at least for many years, for they are
not in a situation to bear heavy taxation, and
indeed, would resist it to a man, because
self preservation is the first law of nature.-
They however, abhor reputation, and are
all anxious to see the Canal completed, be
lieving that, by the impulse it would give tc
b~nsinessof every description, the State nigh
be enabled TO pay the interest of the debt
but none ofthem have been so sanguine a:
10 imagine that this same Canal would en-
able Indiana TO pay the debt itself. Wher
they see It demonstrated by calculation
based upon what the Canal is even now do
inc. that such will undoubtedly be the case
what must they think of the general govern
ment. what must the world think of that gov