Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-04

Kentucky and Tennessee. Why, sir, the roads meet at
point where you will have to pass through small portion OF
Tennessee Kentucky the projected road from Mobile to
the Ohio river think it is projected strike the Ohio at
lis mouth, where il, perhaps at Columbia II
will therefore, be continuous line from Mobile to Chicago
wherever may be the northern terminus OF the proposed
Illinois road
Now Icannot think that there be any doubt about
the power. Sir it is impossible, in the administration OF the
great interests of this country that adsbuon OF all adSan-
ages should be administered equally among all the States
Take, for example, the How it in regard to that
Here for instance in the port of New York there are about
eight nine hundred public functionares from whom the
city Of New York derives advantages from their expendi-
ure from their consumption of various articles, and many
other incidental advantages If you go upon the principle
of distribution, Of perfect equality among all the States OF
this Union should have of 10 every other port
eight hundred officers appointed with salaries amount
Ing a million of dollars; and SO all through the
great interests Of the country But establish these Gus
omhouses and officers for the sake Of New York. (Which
incidentally benefited hereby) bat for the sake OF the
whole for the general benefits and this road which pro-
posed to be made in Illinois is not for the sake OF Illinois,
although that State will perhaps enjoy greater local advan
tages than any other Stale from the road but it is for the
sake of the public lands and the and travel between
the people of this great empire who the these facilities
increased and brought operation, the more will they
become united harmonious homogeneous people Ihen
sir, am in favor of this have not had It In my
power to look into this bill with that degree OF care that
ought have done and confess that have some little he
station unless the appropriation put under some proper
restrictions of going far from the road as some Senators
have suggested may be DONE The alternate sections on
three miles each side of the road 90 well enough
But off, where the making Of the road would COM
muncae additional value to the adjacent land, may be
question Of doubtful propey especially this provision is
not placed under proper restrictions BUT assuming that oil
necessary restrictions provided have no doubt whatever
of the general power and regard 10 the second que
on that the power Of this Government however you may
describe it-tustee any thing else say have doubt
Of The pPety of the appropriation OF portion Of the pub
lie lands in order TO increase the value of the remainder
These my and opinions did not intend 10 enter
into discussion of the subject, but thought right to
press these opinions briefly.
Mr. SEWARD. have trouble myself about the con-
uional power Of the Government of the United States to
make grants for purposes Of national improvement, to
roads Of any kind which may serve for the accomplish
ment of great national objects. conceive of no public
Improvement obviously adapted promote the welfare
and prosperity and perhaps indispensable to the secu
y of the United States than railroad from the head Of
Lane Michigan TO the junction Of the Ohio and the Mississippi
rivers That being think that the Government OF the
United States has discretion to the manner in which it
will accomplish, aid in accomplishing, such object and
the funds which will devote to that pur
pose. Them the question before US 80 far the principle
concerned resolves itself into this whether umiDg that
such work is Of national character, ahd will produce
national benefits be which u entitled 10 especial
sdeation on i've part Of the Goys-rnent think is
entitled very Yecia consideration the part Of the Gov
eminent and this win appear her Se look to the particular
financial condition q ne~ $50 cotrased with old ones
Pennsylvania Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia all the
Of the public domain within their limits When it
desirable for them to construct public works they were
always able to appropriate unsod lands or at least the avas
of lands within their respective domains. The consequence
has been that all these States having these very considerable
resources have constructed, directly indirectly very i'm
poan public thoroughfaes, useful and beneficial 10 the
commerce. and the travel and the wealth, and prosperity and
advancement Of the whole country But they have never
been made by unasss.ed individual enterprise for wherever
such attempts have been made, they have invariably been at
tended with great delay and often with serious embarrassment
great and extensive country like this with its population
widely Dispersed always has need Of roads and canals and
railroads. in advancing its complete occupation and settle
ment but there is not sufficient accumulation of private
capital within the States seyeraly to construct them and
upon examination of the Legislation of every of the old
Saes it will be that the Governments of these States
have lent given aid directly indirectly to assist in the
construction Of these great public works which pro-
ductve of profits to the States the companies by whom
thew owned \.
There are many curious facts connected with the internal
improvement system the old States Whoever will look
into the statute book OF the colony of New York will be in
s.ructed to the beginning Of the great railroad and canal
system which nearly completed and from the
connexions between the port Of New York and the Lakes
ultimately be extended the Pacific He will find
that in the time of Queen Anne the Assembly of the colony
of New York appropriated the Of f500 to John Smith
and some other persons for the purpose Of constructing pub
lie road leading from New York the West and the
paton coupled with the condition that within two years
from the time OF the passage of the act the benecaries should
nave constructed the enough
pass from Nyack, the Hudson river TO Sterling iron
works, distance OF twenty thirty miles; and that they
should cut away the limbs of the track,
allow the carriages pass That the beginning of the
internal improvement system Of the State of New York,
which, after the lapse of than hundred and twenty
years, has proceeded further than canal and two
railroads, of which is completed and the other nearly So
from the city of New York TO the mouth Of Lake Erie
regard the work under consideration here extern
sion of that system, and the whole constituting great
rational thoroughfare. With me, then, the question is
whether is wise and expedient devote the public lands
this purpose and conclude that So if it is necessary
for the public interest that this road should be made ae than
have said that all the old States having possessions and
lands within their borders, having also unlimited power Of
taxation, have needed aid from other quarters to prosecute
their operations OF improvement 1t 10 that the
Of the States is essentially harder aud here, entitled
to the consideration of the Government for happens that
these States founded upon Territories belonging
the United States. The United States owns the lands the
Governments OF the States appropriate them The
United States the lands exempt from taxation They
cannot be taxed except fast they sold and these
Governments becoming members of the Conederacy, de-
prved OF the which the older States have enjoyed
for the purpose Of completing their pubic works think,
therefore, that the Government it to itself and TO the
States to make LIBERAL and at the time judicious and
wise appropriation, to extend these great works. railroads. and
canals for these new regions the people and the Govern
men unable to construct them for themselves. think
Senators Of the soundness of the argument by
the fact that all the States which have undertaken
construct these necessary only
for themselves but for the welfare and prosperity Of the whole
Unonhave all found themselves embarrassed and crippled,
and many Of them rendered bankrupt by the attempt
compsh objects which they unable to accomplish and
which the Federal Government had ample power carry
effect is thus that the character and morality the Govern
mens OF the States have suffered The misfortune Of hank