Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-06-21
MIR. CLAY AND THE CUMBERLAND
ROAD

SHOW liil, as soon as Mr. al f'lIfeh approved
as President. of laws maxim. appropriation for
the continuation of the Cumberland Road. Hen
rN Clay turned against them. Ii Is we'll for
men that support Martin Van Buren,, Who voted
IN tho Senate some dozen of times more n
@ainst this road, TO try to throw the odium off of
his shoulders. and 10 ,ako up something adverse
to Mr.. Clay. But they will make nothing BY H.
They might we'll attempt TO provo that Gen.
Van Antwerp, the editor of the Mssouran,
not an abolitonist, when he lived in Indiana.
that Henry Clay is any other than in his nmos,
hear; 4 friend of western interests.
The facts III this are, that on the :d OF
April. 1910. Mr.. Clay did vote probably the first
tune IN his life. against the bill for the continue
ton of the Cumberland Road. But WHY did no
, That the question.
In the National lntclligcnccr of tho 9TH OF A
prll, Is 10. We find his reasons for tho vote which
he said = he felt himself compelled to gWc.-
- He had always believed he said. :. ana still
believed in tho existenco of power in the gem
/ cral government to provide for tho construction
OF works of internal improvement but no had
never Thought it expodicnt to CREATE A NATIONAL.
DEBT in order TO provide ways and means TO
struct them 1t was only whom 1t could be done
without Inconvenience to tho Treasury, that ho
had boon willing to concur in appropriations for
that object"
1t will be borno in mind that at the time Mr..
Clay spoke, Martin Van Buron in tho fourth
year of his Presidency. had involved the nation
| Treasury literally empty and that tho
wheels of government could only DO kept in
ton by tho issue Of Treasury notes, from time
time, the distressed condition of National f.
nanccs was known. Right enough, then, that no
more DEBT should be CREATED for this object.
Mr.. Clay then anImadvcrted on the veto of tho
MaysviIlc Road Bill, and expressed his reluctance
10 vote for appropriations for road through
portion of tho Statcs, hen all such aud was
fused, since that ,cto to other States. He could
not sec why. if 1t was unconstitutional TO make
roads elsewhere. lie assigned this a reason
for his reluctance, not for his refusal ia the pres
ent case.
:" We, of the opposition continued Mr.. Clay,
" have been accused unlusty. by tho friends OF
the Administration. with swelling the annual cx-
penditurcs of the Government, which have GER
tainly reached very cxtravagant amount. If
we concur in the passage of this appropriation,
(thc amount asked $2S5,OOO) contrary TO
what suppose to be the desire of the adnnstra-
toh snail Wo not. SO 1ar as II goes, uc-
cusation TO which havo referred lftho friends
of the Administration wish tho bill passed. thew
have nnjortics in both Houses sufficient to pass
it.
Another consideration operates worry stropp.
ly with mo TO dlssuade mo, at tho present
tino, from concurrng III the passage Of this bill
and that IS tho necessity, which think exists for
q thorough investigation into tho causes of tho
extraordinary expenditures upon this road i'm
those States, and especially in Indiana. | under
stand that the road has cost thirteen or fourteen
thousand dollars per mile. And after all that
had been already expended upon the work, it has
been stated that it will require seven or eight mil
lions OF dollars to complete it rs far as the Missis
supp. Now, sir, this astonishing expenditure
requires a most rigorous examination.
Mr.. Clay then went on to show that tho cost of
this road per milo in Indiana moro than dou-
bic that OF similar roads in kentucky and con
cludcd his remarks follows
Under these circumstances, Mr.. President,
cannot, at this time, vote for the appropriations
proposed in tins bill, whatever might have boon
disposed to do in moro suspicious state of pub
lie affairs | think il will BIO better to remit tho
whole subject to the administration Of President
Harrison. ndcr that, an investigation can be
made into tho causes of tho vast cost of this road
and proper correction Will. no doubt, be applied.
And his identity, throughout his whole life. with
the interests of tho throo States directly in
tercstcd in the road will secure for it u lust and
liberal patronage. Whether this patronage should
be extended by direct grant from tho Treasury,
by division among all tho States Of tho public
lands or by other means, will then be fit subjects
Of inquiry. And VIC may rest in perfect conf
fencc that the administration which, with the aid
Of the people, and with the blessing Of God, will
commence on the 4th day of March, in the wear
If our Lord 1871, will do, in respect to this road
whatever may be demanded by tho interests of
he particular States and Of the whole Union.''
These were Mr.. Claws reasons for this vote.
We do not suppose that they will satisfy tho Mis-
ouran, nor do we care whether they do or not.
Gut would like that paper to give to its readers
he reasons for Martin Van Buren's continued
md stcadfast OPPOSITION, whIle IN the Senate to
Ill appropriations for the continuance Of this
oad will he do it Nous Verrons.-MiIl Bow.
in Casey county .(Ky.) has announced himself a.
candidate for the State Legislature, by tho ps
which he has tackled door OF tina.
suny 'JoHS BaENT has a sickly we and eight email
hdren-is poor. afraid seaI don't like TO work.
gains, the tariff, bu, in favor Of Texss-~ouId
iecsed TO ihe Legislature"
Il heriare. Sally Exclaimed a anfiguated Wing
IA tide" lady after reading the OF the norioees)
nd If q