New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-07
CANAL ENLARGEMENT.
VIEWS OF GOVERNOR HUNT.
Letter from Governor Hunt to the Mayor Of
Rochester, ON the Enlargement OF the Erie
Canal and the Completion of the Unfinished
Canals.

From tie LocIpor; Courier
LocYPoRT Thursday, June 8, 1852
SIR: The proceedings of the meeting
of citizens of Rochester, over which you pre-
sided in which / am requested to convene the
LEGISLATURE in Extra Session, for the purpose OF
"submtting law to the people at the next gene
era election authorizing loan sufficient to con-
tinue the work on the Canals, with provision in
the act, and also in the proposed amendments to
the Constitution, that the State tax to pay the
interest on such loan shall cease at the expiration
of two years and that such interest be chargable
upon the surplus revenues of the Canals and the
similar recommendations which have reached me
from other quarters have received my earnest and
impartial consideration. In my deliberations upon
the subject have endeavored 10 examine the wnoie
question in a spirit of candor, independent Oh all
party influences, and with a sincere desire to CO.
operate with my fellow. citizens in the most Ju-
dicious efforts that can be made to rescue an I'M
portant public measure from the embarrassments
which have been thrown around 1t by recent oc-
currences. 1t can hardly by nessary for me to as
sure YOU that the opinions expressed by the meet
ing in favor Of an early completion OF our I'M
finished canals are entirely in accordance with my
own views Of public policy. During the entire
period of seventeen years which has elapsed since
the Legislature of 1895, decided to enter upon the
Enlargement
ceased TO urge vigorous prosecution OF the I'M
dertaking. TO the best of my ability, have sus-
tanned and advocated every feasible measure for the ad
yancement of the work and have resisted the efforts
which have been employed with too much success, 10
retsrd if defeat its execution. In every u:uaton
of policy during the dismal years OF suspension and
utter abandonment my faith Ia the enterprise as well in
the beneficial results tO flow from 1t as In the ability OF
the State TO accomplish IT, has been firm and constant
After CONNER cling Improvement SO honorable to the
State and so advantageous to all our public interests It
sppeAred TO me as important that should be finished,
as that il should be begun have always commended
that The generation which commenced the work. was
capable vi completing it, In my judgment Il ought to
have been completed some years ago. ana VINO can
doubt that 1t would have been II the measure could have
been rescued from the OF party spirit which has
lowered it and around it at every step like bird
of evil Omen asssng the public ear with dlscordant
sh1ieks Of debt bankruptcy and eternal taxation.
You are aware that large proportion OF the Enlarge
ment was put under In 1888 under the proy
sons made by the Legislature of that year. pursuant to
the contained In the message oil GOv
Marcy As citizen, dissented from the policy which
csused the suspension OF the work aud the abandon
ment of the In 1872 Standing the gen
eral derangement which then existed in the monetary
affairs of the country it appeared to that those
tracts might have been gradually carried forward, by
prudt energy and perseverance, go TO have ensured
The early completion Of the Improvement and the
advantages it was Intended to secure, at the same
time saving TO the State the enormous waste
of money awarded TO contractors for the DAM
ages produced by arrest9g their oPsersu9 ,hs
suspension of 1912 and all the subsequent opposi-
ton to the Enlargement must have proceeded from
visionary want OF confidence in the future growth and
progress OF the country and an inadequate appreciation
Of tie and capabilities An interval OF ten years
has wrought a wonderful change IN the Views OF the
most scephcsl During that period the business and
revenues Of the Canals have nearly doubled We have
seen more difficult works, requiring larger expendi
uie than is needed to finish the Canals, accomplished
by the enlightened enterprise of private citizens acting
in voluntary association ia future times II VIII seem
incomprehensibe that the State OF NewYork, with its
redundant revenues, with population OF three millions
Of people and taxable valuation OF eleven hundred
millions Of dollars should require a quarter of
century 10 enlarge channel which was
constructed originally in Six or seven years,
while more costly mpi oyements are consummHe1 oy
individual efforts In the short space OF three or four
yetrs The real solution must be found in the tact that
Railroad propetors do not seek to parsyze each other
and hwat their own plans by raising pery issues pc
tween themselves in regard 10 the time mode ana man
ner going forward with an undertaking In when tney
have embarked. political controversy among the
owners of the NewYork and Erie Railroad concerning
the construction of a double tack would be about as
wise as the contests which have agtated the people
In relation to the completion OF our canal improve
ments. -,
I'm reviewing our past legislation on the subject of the
Canals il is evident that public sentiment must have
made considerable progress in the interval between the
suspension Act of 1872 and the adoption of the Cont
tuition OF 1916 There can be no greater mistake man
to suppose that the Constitutional Convention had rs
origin in apr Extensions, arising from the magnitude OF
The State debt, that its primary object was to erect
eternal barriers TO restrain the people from finishing
tAeir internal improvements 1t was Intended Tor wiser
and ssutaIy purposes, having reference to the dis
trbuon political power, and the extehson Of popu
lar principles in the choice of public agents But so far
as the pubic works concerned, II must be reuen-
bered THAT they bad been at dead stand for four long
years Scarcely ray OF light had dawned upo1 the
unfinished improvements since the total darkness Of the
stop.aw sas stretched over them Mo money had been
borrowed srce lsi2-not dollar had been expended
upon the work. except for the p1ipose OF arfestng
IT, and half finished structures abandoned decay gave
frf evidence
fallen upon the nobest enterprise OF the age
That the people should have considered necessary,
under such state of things, 10 create additional saie-
guards against further expenditure upon the CsGa is
impression VIII Oh viii hardly bear the test OF hstor
zeal Tesearch. ltis well known, however, that vide
difference of opinion existed In the COnveI i0n in re-
spect 10 the M anca system and future canal policy Of
the State The Delegates were almost equally divided
on THE subject On one side IL was urged with great
energy and ability, that the enlargement unneces
sary snd that all Tue Canal revenues should be applied
70 the support Of Government and the payment Of the
existing debt On the other, II was contended with
equal force and sincerity, that, after sufficient allow
sLee for the payment OF general expenses and the
interest Of the debt the remainder Of the tolls should
be expended upon the unfinished Canss until they
completed The contest terminated Ia n compromise
by which asrge proportion OF the Canal revenues
set apart for the payment Of the State debt and the
msindcr of those revenues was appropriated In such
manner the Legislature shall direct 10 the compile
ton of the Erie Canal Enlargement, and the Genesee
Valley and Black River Canals, until the said Canals
shall be completed"
This provision was not all that the friends Of the Ca.
nal nterestdesired yet considered al the
circumstances substantial and valuable Triumph 1t
put end 10 the long night OF total Suspension 1t
rescued the unfinished improvements from the utter
hopeesness 10 which they had been consigned by their
opponents. Il secured the ultimate completion Of the
Enlargement The friends Of the Improvement &C.
eepteo this compromise the best that could be made
At the time intending give it fair and patient trial
They believed that the increase Of trade and
would soon induce the whole State TO consent with
voice, 10 whatever measure should be deemed most
economical and feasible for expeditng the completion
Of TIE work.
AT the meeting Of the Legislature in ISL, deemed il
my duly after the maiures deberation 70 recommend
such change OF policy experience had shown 20 be
necessary tor securing the benefits of the enlargement
an carrier period than they would be obtained BY
fning the expenditure to the actual surplus from wear
10 year.