Year: 1872




cipitate what seems an impending and most
serious crisis. It will be well if the commit
tee, which has the immediate future of France
so much in its hands. is guided to wise de-
cision. France cannot do better than wait
Until the last centime is paid and until the
last German soldier has left her soil she ought
to content herself with things as they are; and
no man in the peculiar circumstances in which
she is placed is SO we'll qualified to preside at
the helm as NJ Theirs IF France will not
continue to submit to the rule Of NJ Theirs
the next best thing is dissolution Of the As
sembly; but as dissolution might result in
revolution, and possibly fresh German in
vasion we dread the experiment.


Fnternal Improve me nts-Presidcn mt dsaa nf


and Governor Walker.


The opposing views on the subject Of great
internal improvements of two recently issued
public documents-namely, the Message of
President Grant and the Message Of Governor
Walker Of Virginia-are worthy of note. The
President, as is generally known. recommends
an extensive system Of internal improvements
by the federal government, and particularlyby
canals Of great length and cost, with view to
promote commerce between the West and At
lantio seaboard. He mentions among other
projects, for which he recommends government
aid, the James River and Kanawha Canal.
Governor Walker, in his Message to the Vir-
ginia Legislature, does not favor any such
policy. though his own State might
reap the benefit Of it. He does not
believe Congress will give the aid rec
commended. He says 1.-THE government
Of the United States, in my judgment,
will never undertake the completion of the
James River and Kanawha Canal" He is
opposed to the principle Of government
undertaking such works. He advises the
owners of property in the canal, including
the State. to transfer the title Of all their
interests TO a company of responsible gentle
men of established reputation for probity and
financial ability, upon condition that the
work be completed in satisfactory manner
within specified period. He says the argu-
ments in favor of this scheme of internal i'm
provements by tho federal government have





Niagara Ship Canal, the Illinois Ship Canal,
the Fox River improvement and other like
schemes. He endeavors to dispel the illusion
Of such national undertaking, and urges the
people and State Of Virginia to trust to their
own efforts and the capital they can
obtain elsewhere. The Governor is right
on the principle involved, and gives
good advice. To show what may be
done in such great internal improve
ments where the people and capi-
talists of any State undertake them,
without aid from Washington and by such in
cidental encouragement as the State itself can
give, We may mention an important work
about to be accomplished in Maryland and
Delaware. We refer to the Maryland and
Delaware Ship Canal" 1t is to open water
communication for large vessels between
Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, and
thus to avoid the long, expensive and dan
gerous voyage round Cape Charles. It will
bring tho trade of Baltimore, Washington,
Annapolis and all the lower region Of Mary
land and Delaware in close connection with
New York, as well as with Philadelphia, and
would in time of foreign war exempt the COM
merce which is now carried on by sea from in
terruption. Such grand enterprises as this
one is, promoted by private capital and in
cidental State aid should be encouraged.
Capitalists will find out what will pay.
Governor Walker is right in his view of the
matter, and the President is wrong in pro-
posing gigantic and expensive schemes of in
ternal improvement at the cost Of the national
government.