The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-30


The character and fate OF the late river and ha thor bill
presented to the consideration OF the last Congress and
defeated IN the Senate opens subject OF the very high
est importance to the public mind and which cannot
be too carefully considered As If to forestall public
opinion already has the wing press opened lis batteries
OF Indignation upon the men by whose fundamentally
that bill was defeated IN similar manner Tor the veto
of the Maysvie road bill. was Gen Jackson denounce ed
with The herces and most vndctve censaTe by the wing
press OF that day.
II is impossible 10 form any correc, and adequate idea
al this time oil the disastrous results under which the
country would now be grooming had not The iron OF
the veteran Jackson nterposed TO the system OF
internal improvements OF which the Msysville road bill
was then part, and which recently sought 10 be
revived under the guise OF the and habor bull
AT That time. when the bill authorizing subscription
on the part OF the United States Tor stock IN the Mays
vile and Lexington Turnpike Company vetoed, bills
were before Congress, reported BY committees, contain
ing appropriations TO the amoun, OF ONE HUNDRED
AND MILLIONS DOLLARS besides those for the
Cumberland road and Tor haTbors and light houses !!
such was the fearful extent 10 which the mama then
for this species OF egaized plumber Of the national
treasury and had there been OF less sagacy and
less nerve in the presidential chair than Andrew Jack
overwhelming public debt, beggared treasury,
immense government patronage, subsidized press to
subserve the ends OF interested SPECTATORS and
politicians would have been among the caamtes which
that monstrous system, like a second Pandora's box,
would have lei loose upon the country IL is useless TO
argue at this day against the expedi
ency OF such system as that 1t is only wonderful that
II could have found advocates even among the enight-
ened and leading statesmen of the wing party. Private
enterprise has achieved since that lime such mighty and
sautary results IN opening the between
the remoest parts OF the country, BY railroads. teeyraphs
and urDpikes that the who would seriously ask the
general government to bscrbe stock to turnpike road
would be regarded with wonder as a second Rig Van
Wrinkle, who had been sleeping away the las, twenty
years OF his existence.
An open and avowed effort then to engage the gov
eminent in system OF internal mproveme could mol
be made with any prospect OF but the private
ends to be sobserved too muatous and loo import
ant TO be given up without renewed struggle, the
result Is sought TO be attained by gradual approaches
FIRST the scheme Is TO be presented under the captivating
title OF bill Tor the Improvement of and
aud we may add, especially western rivers" as the
OF the people OF the Mississippi valley Large bait. are
preparations Tor the Improvement Of that magnificent river
The northern to be dagooned into support by
multitude of appropriations for improvements on the
lake shores in Their respective locaes or forced into
the alternative OF mourning the dspleasure OF their con.
sttuents. Among this multitude OF promises founded
upon neat calculation OF political ambition and persona
corruphb'lity the origin OF The sys,em les concealed
is IN the shape OF appropriations for surveys and
new works Tor which estimates whatever are pre-
scented, but which ask tor further and larger appro-
patons IN future, the ground that the faith of gov
eminent 10 pledged to their completion by making the
original appropriation Thus by degrees is the general
government to be drawn into system which must
very nature from the extent of The county, the number
OF us r,vers bays nlets, and barbors set absolute de-
nance all rules OF equity, all attempts at equality in the
disposition OF the public funds and which would require
national treasury, led by constant stream OF gold
larger than many OF the would comprehend, TO
cary into operation II there is any debt which the