The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-15

II ~ ~ Auu1Aw~ 1ssm.
Nsv Yoa3, Fsb. 10, 1851
= Messrs. EprToaa, Your remarks, some time
since. ON The canal systsm n Ibis 6tass. reply 10
the Richmond Enqnirsv, whiAh lahors under very
erroneous imprsssions on that subject. are so
much in UNISON with nay own long cherished
opinions. that must beg permission 70 offer some
additional views Of the subject. II involves so
many important interests a. well a. principles,
that " difficult 70 compass them without encroach-
ing on the columns Of Newspaper But promise
TO Be ~ brief a. possible,
1t has been customary, in speaking Of this sys-
tenn Of internal improvements, to ascribs all the
growth. wealth, and prosperity Of the State to its
agency, when in fact il has been At best, only an
auxiliary in its prosperity. lts fortunate geo.
graphical position, fruitful SOIL admirable rivers
inland seas. and capacious harbors, are nothing in
the estimation Of the admirers of canals and raid
roads, The gifts which God has bestowed for
nothing, the blessings Of Heaven fade into insig
ni6cance before the energies Of man and the mira
ces of money. The natural growth of the State,
arising from the causes have just enumerated,
has been exclusively credited TO the canals and
the bounty Of Heaven, ascribsd to the puny e.
forts of its creatures.
i The example Of the great State of New York,
and the supposed advantages Of its system of in
ternal improvements, have been trumpeted from
one extremity Of the Union to the other, and in
fected every part with the msna Of State and cor
porate monopoIies. Its benefits have been exag
gerated beyond all measure, both in the past and
the future; and nothing will now content the sister
States but system Of borrowing more than they
can pay, in the sanguine hope Of growing rich by
their membranes. They have entered into a
desperate contest for the good graces Of the bounc
ing damsel Of the West. and like rival sutors,
seem in fair way of running themselves to gain
their mistress.
Hitherto, we have seen but one side Of the
question. The devotees Of public Improvements
have had it all their own way, and, according to
custom, the silence Of the other party has been
assumed as decisive Of the universal benefits Of
the system. it, bearings on the habits, morals,
and political freedom of the people, and the great
general welfare short, on all those vital princi
pies on which the permanent happiness and pros
perity Of every State mainly depends, are utterly
beneath the attention OF great political economists
Their only standard of public happinessis money
and when any great political question is presented
for consideration, instead Of reasoning, they begin
cipher, aud il it be proved by the five rules
Of arithmetic, that the public revenue will be in
creased by the adoption Of tho measure, all the
rest is Of not the least consequence. Their great
ma kim is, that figures cannot lie. although they
are perpetually leading TO false conclusions when
made the sole basis of our reasoniugs.
But still nothing is certain than that canals
, and railroads have not only two ends but two
J sides, and that, in almost all cases, the benefits
thew confer on one portion of the country are
neutralized by the injuries they inaict some
other 1t is only robbing Peter to pay Paul
emptying one pocket to fill another 1t is impos.
sibie in the nature of things, to multiply canals
! and railroads to such an extent as that all may
! equally partake in tLeir advantages. The expense
would exceed the means Of any people unde,
Heaven, and their profits would dwindle into
nothing by competition. They must necessarily
be partial in their operation, and whenever Q
. State undertakes them, the injured parties will
not only be obliged to submit to the wrong, but tc
pay their proportion of the cost of the infection.
/ Il is not so easy as our great political econo
mists suppose, to enrich one portion ola country
without impoverishing another at the same time
The body polite is like the human body, which
requires that the blood should circulate equally
through all its members, in order to keep it in
perfect health. A sudden rush to any particular
part is sure to derange the whole system. The
vital fluid must flow equally through all the veins
and arteries, or it will assnredly produce paraly-
sis an apoplexy. 1t is precisely the same with
communities. just in proportion one part is
patled and cocksred by legislative bounty, the
other will decline, and thus the boosted wisdom
+ of men s only employed in wrestling the benefits,
which nature and Providence have bestowed
/ equally on all, to the enriching Of alone. 1t
is, think, greatly to be wished that bet
ter qualified then myself, would take up this SUBJ
ject in a calm, disin,erested point of view. and
discuss it thoroughly, for it is one OF vast i'm
portance net only to the freedom, hut the pros
perity Of the great mass of the people of the
!, United States. But resume the subject of the
New York canals.
A few years ago, having report of Mr.. Flagg,
Comptroller Of the State--and by fur the most
honest and capable we had-before us,
! made rough calculation Of the entire cost of the
New York canals, which it will be recollected alb
sorbed not only all the State funds, which
amounted to, think, five or six millions, but all
the auction and salt duties for many years, to-
gether with debt of 500 ,0O0. 900 besides. The
result Of my calculation was, that if ths monies
thus invested on canals, had been placed out on
interest and suffered to accumulate, the amount
would have been at least twice great their
present value. which 10 estimated by Governor
Hunt, in his late inaugural, at about ~ 900 900
Of dollars. If we are to estimate the prosperity
and happiness Of State by m oney, which is the
only standard recognized by modern statesmen,
, how much better off should have been without
! the canals, and what vast incacuIabIe benefits
might have been derived from the judicious dspo-
sition Of this prodigious sum. among the different
.oft Itatn 81 A..