Washington telegraph., 1849-03-14
Mr. O'Neal, in his reply, thinks the

these views, on account of the indebted
ness of the Government. Perhaps so, but
there will be no harm in making the at
tempt. If the Democracy have used up
all the national funds, and so injured the
credit of the nation, that VIC cannot bor-
row as they did, we may probably be foiled
in an attempt to do any good in the way
of improving the navigation of our Rivers
and Lakes but, if they have not, we may
accomplish something. We are not OF
the opinion, that the expenditure of $780,
900 under Mr.. O'Neal's administration,
will render it altogether unnecessary, for
the Government to make any appropria-
ton to continue the work. If he should
faithfully comply with every stipulation
of his contract, still, a few thousand dollars
from the Government, might be advan-
tageously expended in making cut-ofts,
and other improvements i'll the region of
the raft, not provided for, in his contract
We should not object if the citizens most
Immediately interested, should expend
double the amount asked for by MIR.
O'Neal; and the Government a hike
amount, in the improvement of the river ];
but, were we subscriber to as large an
amount, as are some of our Planters, we
would prefer having some security from
the contractor, for the faithful performance
of his duty. The want of security on his
part, is what we objected to in the con-
tract, not to the removal Of the raft. MIR.
ONeal, or Mr. any body, might pull out
the raft-that is but sort of Dray-horse
operation, requiring only strength and
physical endurance-but that is not the
ouestion-will he doit, and when it is out,
can he keep it out? To do this effectu-
ally, and to prevent re-accumulation, re-
uuires scientific, as we'll as practical
knowledge.
MIR. O'Neal charges us with stating that
the amount asked by him, for removing
the raft, and keeping the river open and
free from raft obstruction for years, is
700 much" We said no such thing. We
did say, shat the amount agreed to be
paid" (about 27,O0O) "for the removal
of the drift already accumulated, exorbi-
tantIy high" and we think so still. But
he says, as he incurs the trouble and risk
of collecting the subscriptions, he would
be unwilling to do the work for less. BY
this. we presume, he means that some OF
the subscriptions will be hard to collect,
and that the price must be regulated, so
that the good will make up for the bad.
This is worse opinion than we should
form, but as he is more Immediately in
terested in this part of the contract, than
we are, he has probably given it more
attention. Be this as It may, he has more
security that the mony will be paid, than
the subscribers have, that the work will
be completed. In what article OF the
contract, can we find clause Of forfeiture
save only that of the work-should he
fail to comply with its acquisitions : Show
us this, and our objections cease, AS
we stated before, we wish to see the work
90 on, and that speedily, but we cannot
help thinking, that those who agree
to pay for it, should have some guaranty
that it will be faithfully executed.
MIR. O'Neal says, to enable him to go
on with the work, he will incur consider
able expense. in procuring boat, tools,
&C., with which to operate, all of which he
would forfeit. To whom would he forfeit
them? He might lose something in the
sale of them, but that would not beneht
the subscribers in any way. But, sup
nose there should be another ARTICLE added
to his contract, in which, he should agree
that the Commissioners--who might be
required to give bond for the faithful per-
formance Of the trust--should retain tit
teen per cent, in cash, out of every pay
ment made him by the subscribers, upon
the completion of each section, as speci-
fed in the 4th article thereof, until the
final completion of the whole work. TLis,
on the total amount of the contract, would
be $4,000, sum sufficient as forfeiture
in case of failure. and an incentive to
prosecute the work to its final completion
whereas, as the contract now stands, we
repeat. nothing is forfeited on the part of
the contractor.
The Commissioners, he says, in case he
Eo lie to c4,rn rlu could enter into a cont tract