Washington sentinel., 1853-10-23

spiri. We say they are the inevitable conse-
auences of human action under the two sets Of
motives TO which we have referred. Indeed, il
has become common sentiment, that the fed
eral government is fair game for spoils-men. 1t
is the result--a necessary evil consequence.
of any government, which an efficient admin
istration may check and restrain-but cannot
wholly prevent.
Now, let this government undertake grand
system of internal improvements--to be man
aged by thousands Of subordinate agents, whose
duty may so often conflict with their interest
to be undertaken By keen and unprincpled con,
tractors whose wants will lead them to exact
all, which limited experience or the scruples
of the Official may permit him to grant-requir-
Ing millions for their consummation, and inyolv-
ing an immense patronage to be distributed
among party misunderstanding hundreds OF
hitherto quiet and unobtrusiye people to makea
grand assault upon the Golfers of the treasury.
And who can estimate the spirit of plunder and
corruption, or the amount Of both, which would
spring from such a system? Once begun, it
would never end for it would awaken desires
which nothing could satisfy but the perpetual
iar9esS of the money of the people, to the idle,
hungry, unprincipled beggars, who would cling
to the treasury as the only source of an ade-
quate livelihood.
Such would be unquestionably the result Of
the entrance by the federal government upon
the internal improvement system. Economy
would cease to preside over the administration
of our atfairs-and in its stead, plumber and
peculation would assert and maintain q per-
petual and unrestrained supremacy.
that the efficiency of such a system upon the
basis of government support would be much
less than upon the basis of individual capital.
None are 50 shrewd, SO interested, SO likely
| to be correct in a matter of investment as the
oarner Of the capital mrested-why? If he is
right, he is the gadae,-if ,crotg, it is his loss.
&lEnterea enioins prudence imposes re-
straints upon the wayward course Of fancy
and gives energy to the Judgment. No motive
Of political ambition-no object of party sue
cess-no corrupt intrigue with greedy contract
ors-can tempt the timid capitalist to venture
his thousands or millions upon u scheme that
| ,cW not pdy---nor to conduct it in a manner
that will bring loss TO himself and disaster to
his project. As far as success may be predica-
ted Of human effort, the principle Of selfinter
est will ensure it, by inducing prudence III the
inception and energy i'll the prosecution of our
schemes .... '..
How different the state Of things, when gov
ernments undertake to carry on such a system
How entangled its conduct becomes with mo-
tives of ambition--of party policy or even per-
sonal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in the official agents
Who gains if It Sueceedsp Who loses if it
fails? Not the agents of the government
Their fidelity is not secured BY advantage from
success, or damage from failure. The people
the scattered-unheeding people "pay the
piper, where there is loss--but they pay in
the aggegatc--each paying too little to make
him feel it keenlv. If there is success, each
receives too little to give. him moments de-
light. Hence, there is no man under the gov
spire desire for success, or disappointment in
failure. as.
Such, in our opinion, are few of the reasons
which make government schemes of internal
! improvement extravagant, inefficient, and cor
rupting We believe that experience justifes
and sustains our conclusions. Where they
have been attempted they have furnished
| gloomy histories Of error, mismanagement, and
| frequently of failure. Where internal improve.
ments have been carried on upon the basis of
| iHdirduai enterprise, success has crowned ex-
ertion, if not invariably, at least somuch ofener
than upon the other principle, as to establish
the reasoning we have adopted.
The application Of our views to the great Pa.
| ciGc line is easy. That the great iron high
way to the Pacific will be made, we have never
entertained a doubt. No press in the Union is
more earnestly solicitous for its construction
than the Sentinel. II will be. an achievement
worthy of our age and of our country But we
trust and believe, when it is accomplished, it
will be monument of that American enter
! prise-a trophy Of that American science,
which, when directed by the free progressive,
and expanding American spirit, have never
| failed to attain their noble ends, in eevating
the character, advancing the prosperity, aud
promoting the glory Of our country. That it
is practicable to individual capital and en-.
ergy, let the immense sum, already subscribed,
let the Improvements already consummated
| answer. We venture to say, that when capital is
wanted for the road--when energy and genius
are required to carry it forward, young Ajneri
ca with its rigor, and old 1Hterica with its
means, will complete this great and essential
link IN the chain of the worlds commerce and
intercourse in manner which shall be worthy
of the American people, as il will be without
the aid of the American gore,nmeW! ..