Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-12-21
VOL. XIII, NO. e.---wHOLE NO. 22o1.

| the Weliare OF lne people, anu accelerate
the growth of our towns by extending
the range of their trade and business.
But the inquiry is suggested, what are
those means of transportation by which
such important results are expected to be
accomplished Our answer may be
found in the language of that eminent
statesman and illusirious benefactor of
the Empire State" De Witt Clinton,
that "every judicious improvement in
the establishment Of roads increases
the value Of land, enhances the price of
commodities, and augments the public
wealth."
In the absence of the natural advan-
tages of water carriage, roads or public
" highways" are the avenues by which
the interior gains ready access TO mari
time ports and market towns, and
through which flow streams of wealth to
the nation, and comfort, competence,
and contcntment to the people. As apt
ly remarked by Professor Gillespie, "thc
roads of country are accurate and GER
tain tests of the degree oflts civilization"
their construction being zone of the
first indications of the emergence of n
people from the savage state !" and he
views them as "the veins aud arteries
of the body polite" through which
&C. flow the agricultural productions and
the commercial supplies which arc the
life.blood of the state"
Acquiescing, then, as we presume all
will, in these premises, the next inquiry
WHAT KIND OF ROADS,
Is the best adapted TO the present wants
of our agricultural and commercial in
terests, the physical characteristics Of
our country, and the circumstances OF
our people? Railroads are unquestion-
ably the mightest means of overcoming
material space, Of producing immense
changes in the condition Of localities
and of linking together remote portions
Of continent with bands of iron, that
the genius of man has yet devised. Fol-
connecting distant and important com
mcrcial points, no other mode OF land
TRANSPORTATION can come in competition
with them, and we feel safe in predict.
ing, that ere the lapse of many years
Wisconsin will be traversed by many o
those magnificent "highways," lessenins
the expense aud shortening the distance
of travel and transportation between The
Great Lakes and the Mississippi ant
facilitating and increasing the inter
course between our southern border
and the northern aud Western extremi
ties of our embryo commonwealth"
But dearly bought experience, exam
pies of which may be found in our ow
brief history, touching Internal improve
ments, have demonstrated the fuillity-
the faial error, indeed--of thrustng in
provements in advance of the business re
quisile to sustain them. individuals, COZ
poratlons, and even sovereign States,
have been forced into bankruptcy, an
driven 10 a humialing repud alton
their debts, by hecdlessly mourning emo
nous liabilities for expensive works, ma
ny of which it were misnomer
characterize as Improvements" an
most, perhaps, burdensome to the OWE
, ers as a present investment, and som
5 even totally proiilless for all future TIM
= And it has become manifest to all ma
4 ter-of-fact friends of internal improve
ment in Wisconsin, that our own pee
! pie do not as yet possess the requisil
capital, that can be diverted from the o
binary channels of trade and commerce
successfully to prosecute public works s
expansive IN their range, and SO cost
in their construction, as railroads; ar
it is equally clear, either that the host
railload and other enterprises at the Ea
absorb the disposable capital there,
that the sagacity of eastern capitals
has failed to detect those latent evide
s ces of ready dividends from that class
= heavy works in the yet infant state
2 our community, of which it is indispe
G sable their minds should be fully sali
a fled before it can be expected their CO
: lers will be opened to us.
r As corroboratlve of their views in I'll
g regard, your committee beg leave to r
mind the Council, that al the last Sc
= sion of the Legislature a charter W
3 granted for the construction OF a ra
: road from Lake Michigan to the Miss
# sippi river, "A route coniessedly the me
IS eligible Tor SO important work tn
+ could have been selected within I
bounds of Wisconsin, and ample powe
J. privileges, and immunltics conferred u
IS OH the company, 10 the full extent,
i believe, that was asked by them al
!, yet, although more than year has
g lapscd since they have been in the fl
It enjoyment of all they sought, so far
= legislative sanction goes, in behalf OF
Y enterprise from which the coolest calc
@ lators concurred in anticipating mo
l. certain success and a reader reaizati'
r of profits, than from any other WIN
j. could be started in our midst, we ha
no tidings of stock subscribed, nor OF
Is hmate steps taken towards an organ'z
. ton of the company under the chartt
l. A knowledge of these facts is sour
r of deep regret TO all the friends OF II
-, n,ovanant IN Wisconsin and The mo