The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-16
HE REPU BLIC.
WASHINGTON:


The Evenisg Post perpeauates q Islander
against the Wing party in tho following para
graph:
'.The Wing journals seem to expect that the
project of Pacific railway, which has been es
Democratic party, will restore the Wing ascen-
dancy in Congress. If the door can be opened
wide enough to let that scheme through they
fancy that that whole host of plans of internal
Improvement which they have been broodng over
for the last thirty years win rush through with it, !"
The doctrine of internal improvements and
of the protective tariff, as laid down by Mr.
CLAY, and adopted by the Wing party, was
this: The two measures were deemed essen
tial to national independence. The want Of
experience, Of foreign credit, of resources, on
the part Of the States and people of the United
States, rendered it important that Federal aid
should be extended in the infancy of these en-
terprises. 1t was charged upon the Wing party
that their purpose in advocating the protective
system was to legislate for monopolists, and that
the surplus revenue accrsing from this source
was to be expended in splendid system of in
ternsl Improvements, for the purpose of subsi-
dizing the States to the support of class leglsa-
ton. These imputalions have been indignant
ly denied by the Wing party, and they have
proven their sincerity by abandoning these
measures of policy as soon as it became appa-
rent that the States were competent 10 the con-
struction of works of improvement within their
own limits, and as soon as manufactures by the
protection of the past and present tariff, as
we'll as by the transfer Of European skill and
capital, and by the success of American en-
terprise, have become an established institution.
During the whole period Of party conflict,
however, there has been scarcely party d.
vision upon the power of the Federal Govern
ment to construct certain works of improvement
which were local in their position but national
in their employment, or which were undenia-
bly, necessary to carry out the obligations of the
Federal Government. To this class belong the
river and harbor improvements. We say there
has been scarcely party distinction, because
politicians have advocated such measures, as
they have also voted for duties on coal, iron,
or sugar, without regard to party association.
While the Wing party has been charged
with the unworthy motives above referred to, it
is. protected from injustice by the doctrines Of
honesty, accountability, and economy in the
administration and limitation upon the powers
of the Federal Government, which have formed
the basis of its published expositions Of opinion
If we are correct in affirming that the Wing
party advocated system Of internal improve
ment by the Federal Government for the pur-
pose of promoting the general welfare, and thai
it had no purpose Of adding to the power or in
creasing the expenditures Of the Federal Gov
eminent, itmust follow that there is a limit with
in which Federal appropriation and ownership
in this respect is judcious, and that the Whig
party is under no obligations to insist upon the
construction of all works Of internal improve
ment by the Federal Government. Exercising
this discretion, we have chosen to say that We
do not deem it necessary or expedient that the
Federal Government should construct and
Pacific ocean, and if we can demonstrate our
objections to this work to be well-founded, it
will follow that Wings may, at their discretion,
advocate or oppose the execution of work Of
internal improvement by the Federal Govern
ment, and are under no obligation to support all
the ground that the Federal expenditures will
thereby be increased. If however there be
any Wing who is of opinion that the Federal
Government should have constructed all these
works, let him reflect upon their extent.
There are within the United States perhaps
mil of nh
than 900 miles of incorporated dirt, plank,
and stone roads, perhaps 5000 miles of canal
To this let us add a Pacific railroad, with
disbursement equal to that of the Mexican war,
an income equal to one-fourth Of the national
revenue, an army of operatives numbering
during construction more than one hundred
thousand, and requiring for its constant opera
tion and repair of not less than twenty thou
sand. Let us imagine it the proprietor of
grant of land equal to the area of States. The
common carrier and the controller of the pro-
auctions of thousands Of citizens, each commu-
nifty Of whom would be as completely de-
pendent upon the rates of fare and freight
for the value of their property or products
as st. Helena or the rock Of Gibraltar
upon the facilities of commercial intercourse.
Let us suppose the administration of this
road to enter upon political contest, or to be
bestowed as reward OF political services. The
Hon. Mr.. Milldollar having brought material
aid to the party at a critical moment, enabling
it to secure the services of the Hon. Mr.
Smasher, who had been on the point of hiring
his invaluable adherents to the opposite party,
is an applicant for the Presidency It is true
that he cannot tell Il rail from trombone
or an "inside connexion" from dead reckon