New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-14
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
CANAL ENLARGEMENT.
speech OF Hon. John wnksusOu,

lPhoHogrspkieAly reported, by ). P. Adrews
Gentlemen: In returning you my thanks for
the honor Of being selected to preside over this
meeting, called upon q question, with which,
most Of Us, have so long been familiar, for the
purpose Of favoring an improvement, from which
so many of US have derived the benehsswe enjoy,
! you will allow me TO make few remarks. so that
/ misconAuuciOn may be avoided, and hat we may
rightly understand each other.
We are divided as politicians and perhaps the
ms iority of the meeting differ frOm me IN political
sentiment But whsteyer may be tie result Of
your deliberations, or whatever may be tne resulE
/ Of the measure that is now pending before the
people, our relative positions will be very little
/ changed, presume. IOu srs not seeing . make
partisan Of me, and 70 do 50 TO others, has long
since ceased 70 be my business.
In looking at this question | entirely rep1diste
/ the idea that il IS political one ls cannot be
made partisan question. Applause AN so
well convinced of this matter. and that lt will oc
/ very short lived with those upon either side, who
se,ire to make il so, that have no fear, no sort
/ of fear. What q political party In the State OF
/ New York here in the County Of Onondaga
who shall claim to itself the right 70 sustain and
/ carry forw ard the Erie Canal There can be no
party, that has right TO srrogate to itself such
position, because the good sense OF all business
men, and of all the peole OF this STATE, will not
allow it, They are all the same party upon this
/ and dispassionately upon the matter.
Some of us claim that we belong 30 the party
/ OF Progress, that we are in favor OF advancing
! whatever shall ameliorste the general condition.
/ whatever SHALL advance the largest benefit OF the
/ greatest number. Who does not desire TO belong
/ 20 such party
There is no possible distinction drawn, and
| no man who will look at this matter need fear
the temporary suspicion that may be thrown upon
| his featy to the one or the other party, by the
course he may take No man should lear ~ II
can produce no lasting influence upon any one In
this respect, because the matter Is soon 20 pass
away, soon TO be disposed Of one way or the
other.
would feel bat little present interest in this
matter if | did not regard the occasion and the
time as imminent, as 70 deciding In favor OF the
eDlsrgem ent. ,.
For in looking over the State and at the various
avenues that are being made TO attract the trade
of the east and the west, it is my judgment that
unless the Erie Canal is soon enlarged, the neces
! sity for its enlargement may not hereafter % so
! great from the fact that the trade Will De Drawn
/ from this avenue by others which are being pros
ecuted with great energy, and are drawing the
/ trade il other directions. therefore regard the
measure OF present and great consequence.
In the origin of the enlargement OF the CAnal
| policy, was originally somewhat connected WIKI
the me asure. IL passed a. the session OF the Le'
sislAture Of which | was a member, and at the
the meeting will indulge me in brlet relation
Of its actual origin.
| Won All know that the measure had its com.
| mencement in 1895. The Chairman OF the Canal
! Com was my room mate. Upon no matter,
! during the session. was my attention so much on.
gsged so much attracted, as 10 that 1t engaged
the earnest attention OF the Chairman OF the Com
| mittee Ii was the subject Of constant and al
most daily consideration between as. IL was de-
ayed until nearly the close OF the session before
! il could be brought forward. IL was delayed Tor
| the purpose of bringing forward the reports On
the subject 10 show what would be the future
comparative capacity of the CANA, in order that
those who opposed IL and some such then were,
and who required these reports) might nave ali
the benefit OF them, and which benefit we were
willing snd desirous that they should have
In the progress of this matter those Who "a
vored il became convinced that the enlarged canal
would offer the cheapest mode OF transportation
| in the world. Having had some experience 10
the business Of transportation since, and haVlng
reflected much upon it, | am still OF the opinion
that it will be the cheapest mode oil EransPots'
! ton in the world.
IL was brought forward and passed the Assem-.
| by without much discussion. IL was discussed
| in the Senate amended and sent back 20 the
HAuse, and It finally passed with the general as
sent Of the majority Of the Legislature, which
was largely Of this party TO which belong:
IL became thus democratic measure and was
and they are bound by is Great applause
have stated these things In regard 70 my
! self personally, 10 show that It 10 no new thing
! with me 10 believe that the Erie Canal ought 20
| be enlarged.
When wa came into a period Of enbaTass-
! ment produced, not 80 much by the enlarge
ment nor by any effort 10 carry II forward, BAT
by the expenditure upon other and 10 my Jlds,
! ment NOT no productive canas,-vhen she period
| came that the works were 20 be suspended We
then passed 70 deliberstlon upon the new Con-
| stution. Some Of you, gentlemen, remoemoef
that in the litue meetings which the people neio
! in regard 20 the Constitution, some OF as became
quite familiar with t, and this mattero OF debt vas
thoroughly discussed and examined, and Tor my
! self can say that the Constitution was adapted
to CARY out the policy which have Indicated
! IL restrained the creation OF any debt Tor any
other purpose than 10 complete the canals we
! had except 70 limited amount IL saved us
from the danger Of taxation for future works. that
we might otherwise have entered upon. IL pro-
1 vided that when sufficient should be retained tor
/ paving the debts Of the State. taat the surplus
should be applied yearly to the enlargement Oh
the Erie Cana, and 20 the completion Of the zen
| esee Valley and B ack River Canals |. recelVed
the appreciation Of the people Of tnis state. fney
thus declared by their adoption OF the Conssltu.
ton that the Canal should enlarge itseli, provided
there was surplus, over and above paying the
debts of toe State sufficient for tnat oolecs- Inc
aporOprstion was distinctly thus made and
pledge Of .he people 20 that application vas ratl'
! fed byavery large majority. With taat vas
perfectly satisfied. | regarded il I" distinct
declaration that the Canals should be prosecuted
10 completion. if their productive resources would
1 osy Tor L. At the time Of the adoption Of the
! Constitution. money could not be raised upon the
strength Of the surplus 20 carry out Ehss the PEG.
pie by adopting the Constitution, settled should
| be done. Asthe canal mas progressed, IL has VIM
| dicsted iiBeif and shown that il possesses ca
| pscty 20 carry isself along 10 completion IL nAs
become 30 obvious, that men having the money
are willing 20 advance IL for the completion ana
take the surplus which the people have aop,oPn
| sted Tor that purpose, and . say ina. Ilsy
wiling 10 take IL YEARLY a. il snali be sscertsined
Contractors, men WHO are ready 70 do the ForE,
say they are ready to take IT, relying uP'a the
yearly appropriation 70 pay them ,-.i