Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-02-04
Notes on transportation.


subject on internal improvements, and
the Governments relations therefor
ViYing the discussions of the past,and
giving fresh interest to old facts.
As early as in the reign of Queen
Anne the colonial government of New
York was agitated by the same ques-
ton that now troubles Congress and
many State Legislatures. 1t was then
voted to appropriate eight hundred
dollars to build road to the West.
From that day to this people have
divided as to the right of the Govern
ment to engage in works to facilitate
transportation.
The people of the United States
(says the author of Notes on New
York have little lust of conquest and
but moderate degree of military am
bition. Physical improveme ent-in
creasing interior communications for
the exchange of supplies and provis
ions for the public defense-are the
objects dow demanding our attention;
works necessary for the maintenance
Of intimate political and social rela-
tions. The progress Of civilization is
always indicated by the condition of
those interior communications. The
destiny of our country seems to have
been opened to the mind of Washing
ton with wonderful clearness.s He saw
that, although the settlements of the
United States had been clustering on
the Atlantic coast during almost two
centuries, yet the region, far more ex
tensiYe, fertile and salubrious, which
lay beyond the proper borders of the
thirteen States would become the hOme
Of the larger portion Of the American
people and if the natural barriers be-
tween that region and the East should
remain unchanged the West would, at
no distant period, refuse political con-
nection with the maritime States; but
| if these barriers could be surmounted
and pierced by canals connecting the
inland lakes and rivers with tidewater,
the wealth and population of the whole
country would be vastly increased
ample provisions would be made for
defending every part of our extended
borders and the States, new and old,
would be bound sin an indissoluble
Union of interest and affection
In 1883, when Washington had pro-
ceeded- up the difficult navigation of
the Mohawk river, in the State of New
York, to Fort Stanwix, now the vii
lage of Rome, and had crossed to
Wood creek, which flows into Oneida
lake, and thence had descended to the
sources of the Susquehanna, he gave
expression to this glowing thought ::
ssTaking a contemplated and extensive
view OF the vast inland navigation of
the United States, / could not but be
struck with the immense diffusion and
importance of it, and with the good
ness of that Providence who had dealt
His favors to use with so profuse a
hand Would to God we may have
wisdom to improve them"
Ideas like these soon afterward en-
gagged the attention of philanthropic
/ minds throughout the States; and it
was perceived that, in thus improving
theinland navigation of the continent
| the route of communication would be-
kcome an object of Jealous competi
ton. The ocean, receiving homage
| through the valleys of the Mississippi
and Ohio, the Potomac, the Susque-
hanna, the Delaware, the Hudson, and
the st. Lawrence, seemed to invite,
through those various channels, the
accomplishment of the stupendous OBJ
lject The comprehensive sagacity of
Washington, as early as 1854, marked
out plan for securing to Virginia the
trade of the regions in the vicinity of
the lakes by connection with the
James river. The repose ofthe Father
of his country was occupied with plans
of internal Improvement; and he did
not deem it derogatory to his fame or
patriotism to be the president of q
canal company after having worn the
highest honOrs of the Republic
The same year Christopher COLES
in New York, submitted plan to the
Legislature of communication with
the lakes by the route of the Mohawk
, In 1900 Gouyerneur Morris first sug
gested the idea of continuous canal
with uniform declension and withou
locks, from Lake Erie to the Hudson
!! In 1907 Albert Gallatin, then Secreta.
ry of the Treasury, in pursuance of {
recommendation made by Presiden
| Jefferson, reported a plan that EN-
braced in one grand and comprehen
{ sive view, nearly without exception
all the works which have since beel
. executed or attempted by the severa
e States of the Union. In 1912 Dewitt
t Clinton submitted his plan of the Fri
e canal to President Madison and Con
gress. From 1912 to 1915 the coun
y try was burdened with a war, and in
# ternal Improvements were postponed
8 The history of the Erie canal is famil
s lar to all and the example of Clinton
n is ever fit study for statesmen.
# In April, 1850, Mr.. Seward said il
: the Senate: ST do not know, but
n trust that the day is far distant whe
we shall have occasion for any roa
for the purposes of military defense
but we can all see that the time ma
come, and we know not how soon
d may be, when all our public roads ma,
J. be required for military purposes.
:, What was said in 1850 may be repea
y ed in 1876.
q Progressive physical improvement
d comprehending the North as we'll {
If the South, the East, and the Wes
y opening every necessary channel an
a. disclosing every resource which N
ID ture has bestowed, is emphatically tn
t policy of our Government.
I'd It is well to remember that the c:
re perience of hnman government AFFORD
a not solitary instance in which Sta
n, or nation became impoverished {
I'd subjected to an irrideemable debt |
ne works of internal Improvement. All
Iy bition, revenge, and lust for extendt
ne terr itory, have been the only cause
is those calamities.
fl 1t is worthy of remark that none
in the distinguished founders of Ame
he can liberty stopped to calculate t
question of revenue when they recor
mended a policy of internal improN
IN mnnts dasioned to incraasa the nro