The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-30
ae OF an implied pledge OF pro,

their all upon the virtue OF implied pledge OF pro-
lection.
What then, should be the policy of government AMI
"hal "ouM best subserve The general welfare Expert
ence has proved that the which dictated the rs
grants oil land 10 the States for internal improvement
purposes based upon practical vie VS. and an snxht
ened forecast We alude TO the grants in aid Of the great
Ohio and Miami canals and 10 the Wabash and Erie ca
nal by which the waters OF the great lakes were con
necied al three different points with those OF the OHIO
To these may be added the grants in aid of the Michigan
and Illinois canal, and OF the slack Improvement
of Fox and Wisconsin rivers. by which the waters of
Lakes Erie and Michigan connected with those Of
the Mississippi E.
This species OF Improvement. it is true. is rapidly
giving place 10 different system; but the policy
and expediency which prompted the nnexion OF great
water courses, and the consequent development OF the
great resources OF the Interior have been amply vadca
ted by experience, and sill remain of equal force with
regard to such sections havs not been similarly bene-
hied or provided Tor The grant for the Illinois Central
and Mobile railroad looks 10 the result, and was
doubtless based upon the views of policy. .
Most II not ALL the grants here alluded to- and others
which might be named, with the exception OF the rail
road grant were. il mistake not absolute grants free
gils OF millions OF acfesgovernment reserying TO it,
sell ho'hhg Whatever, but parting Internationally with
the lee simple 10 the whole. In the grants sought
10 De obtained Tor railroad purposes, it is proposed that
government shall to itself the alternate sections
price. BY the adoption OF such course government
could lose nothing, while the reserved lands would from
the impetus impaired by projected improvements, be
brought much earlier into market and be made more GER
tainly available a revenue "
II would SEEM then, that Congress had but little 10
determine. excepting TO fix upon the praclicabity of
proposed routes, to guard against competition with its
previous bountes and TO protect the boon against
the Encouragement OF irresponsible corporations
The great object TO be accomplished in view OF inter-
State interests is The connexion OF the seaboard with all
the great waters OF the West and South thus vastly ia
ctatng the of the whole country developing
immense and as yet untold resources inducing popuous
settlements throughout all the great plains and valleys of
the West and tending with inevitable certainty 10 the
early reclamation and settlement Of the whole OF the
magnificent territory lying Immediately of our From
her States, and extending from the Red river of the
South to the Red river of the North series of roads,
commencing on the west bank of the Mississippi with
connexions eastward already assured) following west.
ward the great divides of Nature and penetrating the
frontier al points some hundred ms or more apart pre
sens system which would seem TO be pregnant with
the most important benefits, only the present gen
eration but to future Ones pointing to- if not greatly
precptang that happy event in history a nation
when the connexon Of the Atlantic and Pacific by
of iron track coursed by the iron horse, will no
longer he regarded the baseess fabric of VISION"
FRONTIER.