Bloomington Post, Volume 2, Number 34, Bloomington, Monroe County, 14 July 1837 — Page 1
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liil!idhrl every Friday morning Office on Main Cross Street, first door West of Mnj. Hili. Volume SJ. KL00.1MrVTOxr, IXDIAXA, V ESI DAY .H SiY If, fl8tf7. A'uiEafeci 31.
EDITED AM) I tl'.I.HHKD CVEltV tlMDAV EV n. I. i a ii. TKRMS. Two dollars in advance, two fifty in six months and three at the e nd of tin; vcur. No paper will bo discontinued until all arrearages are I aid up. (rpAvERrisEMF.xT of eight lines or less, will be published three- weeks for one dollar, and 2j cents for each add i; ion d insertion. All nd vertispntpnts timet he nnrkr I wiih the number of insertion, or they will he inserted till forbid nrid cSu:-g-ed pre nrdingly. The o.vu 'must invariably accompany advertisements from n distance or they wid not rcceivo attention. All le ters and i-oinmueic.iU ions add .-c.ed tothecdi o must le free of postage. No variation whatever need be expected from these lertns. List ol Victim lor ilio l'oi. The follow i tar ueiiufinn t e iv-incstod and autho' heed to act a4: nno.iii: to '.'."-i. -St e 'ii j criplions, Job W ord. Adve using c. andreeeipi for thj s.i.nc. Ti.omas C. Joii), Spc.?cC'-, la. 11. II. Tn;t'.)i:', ?! i ' ; ore, I;1. SA.'.ifr.t. II. s-.tvist, Povr in cert, la. ItAll.l'.ia Mi I. I'.'l-'tlX, 1.'. AYm. 11:: ;o.i, IN o. Cnl !.::.
Jnorcs A. T;'i iM),', .Mo,! ov'; 1 tf. WaVMA.N, .iMr'iOMx' ;
31,: la.
1). A. I! wi.ni', rSew A'oanv, la. J . s. I iiwi.i. Lot'i-i ii e. K .
: j n eoi
V.I.,
2nd. Th'3 Central Canal commencing at some in Icfiiiilc. point on the Wabash and Erie Canal; hence by Munceytown and Indianapolis down the vi!lcy of l"e west fork ol White River, to injunction with the ea-t fork of said river; theme by some indefinite roiUe Jo F.i aesv I Ho, on the Ohio River, wi h a provi-o, howoter, allowing ihe board to adopt a diflbront route oil .he northern section of the Can;).!, but obli nn-r lliem to nuke a navigable feci lor to Mimccytown, coding p.obably 1.000.1)00. For the const ruction of whidi canal ami Feeder s:'3. 500.000 is t-poroin iutod. 3rd. Aii extension of the Wub'asii and Krie Canal f.om ihe mouth of Tippe v one River, down tiie Ivnb of the Wabash R'vc lo Tor e-II. Mile: thence down i 'el
Cen .ml Canal, p.- c-
e v
e
UiVer Jo corn, eel uil'iiik
lOiiio etner i.ii.ie joi.e lou'o to ee ueieiViHcd board, to--o meet v. Mi die Can.ral Can I. fur w a:;iio;i "i . i -: i is made of .$1,300,000. U is said 'iMial, thai ii i j 'mpossibie lo ivi-cine P'-'p d ; io on a pa it of it, high eao.igh pliove i!e iver vent the oh i notion of the . I c r euv i-;.ilinn. lo. A R.ol-IIoad i'roi.) .'dadi-on, b , Coh'iub,
a lapo'is, and C a wfonlsviile to La.'a. e
a o i .$l,.3UO.O0O. ly iiie c li. uci je.r "C I io ! e Lvg-la(iitO, the costs of n.n.f tig , lii i i . a-' liiior-ili Crawfordsvilie, u 111 amo.mt io .he u,n tf .Mid r.'..'9-'V-, more tiuia ihe co-1 of .h : di-etv mute to La'b vc'ue. ro -a-i - i;.'.-'io. y ie.i-oii r.vn be ; -4 jo ' ior the o.ii-h'-in of a si'ni -ociiorai u. i'oi .ie a.-- o.iir.K'i'.uio 1 vC v
bx
of tili . 11'. I lo p. cJ:.!-
A '111! 0;ll i-
P''itV COUO..
seat: hil llfs ii un! o 'e in ;,
c oi
Tin: ai)iuk. rfBi.isium r.Y ;:Ei'.:sr. We. llic uiii'ci'iigiii.'d. eommice, by order of i'tc delegates from the cot n.ies of S.n lby , Deavboin, lluili. Cuss, Carrol!, l'arkc, 1 lend kicks, and ur, in con vention assembled, for the p"rpo e of dcliljen 'g o 1 the system of hiLernal Improvements in p,"re-r' in ilie State of Indiana, and for ilie purpose o.'iieu-ing ; j"st and equitable plan of conducting the same, respect fo My submit on be'uilf of the com einion J;e ioliowing iews in relation thereto, to the people of the Stale 01 Indiana: Willi a view of overling the dangers which tin eaten the State from the imprm ideiit manner in which the said system of improvements has U:eti pfjrcied and conducted, the people of the aforenamed comities in their primary assemblies luwe appoi.Ked d-.dcgaie to meet together, consult and dcliboui.e on the aforenamed subjects, wi'h such oilier delegates as might be appointed by our fellow-ci.izens of the Sta'e to es cub e with us; owing to reason i oh ions io every one acquainted with the subject, a very large por.inn f onr lellow-cit.i7.cn3 reradin-i in tlie counties soiMi of hi (:
I liivcr,on the Wabash, an.l in the nor; horn ano o!''i,i parts of the Sta'e, although fiiondly to the oh', .-as which this convention have ussembied to promote.' have failed to appoint delegates to meet us in .hi convention. In many counties it is bjlieed 'hat due "o- . tiee of the time, place, and purpose of thi ; onveuiioii lias not been given, owing to the partial cncu'.alion of those papers friendly to our cause, and (lie peitinaeioiH silence on the subject of this eon volition, of p.l I iho.je newspapers in the State opposed to us in opinion. It . t's believed also that not a few of our friends hnve supinely relied on the hopeoftli.it stu.ngth which ii'nh and justice unall) lends to any cause for it? support in the ensuing legislature. Tlie delegates as'-cinMcd as p fotc aid held it to he their duty (aUhongh lew in numhci e) to hit before those who sent the n to inves ig ite this subject, pud the public at large, a lew of the f.-ets connec;;d wi h the present system of internal imp oveme.us, and their opinion, and conclusions diawo ilieief om. The convention is fully aware that ihisdelilieia ion would hae availed the public more had it been pone into ! thai body which established the syslcm; that many (if not all of the attendant evils of the xys-cm) couseipu nt on the hasty and improvident action of liic Legislature r" this subject might have been pree ited. had the object reccved from that body the investigation which its importance rcijuired. it is welt I.uown, however, thai in that branch of the Legislature in which ihe bill ori
ginated, it wa:J introduced pud i'orced through .He
J louse in the space 01 twenty-lour hour, altnoii',h ihe
constitution icpiired all bills (except in cases of erne -
fency) to be rcrd on three : ee ;l ilr beiore tn-ur linal passage. It, is also I.uown ihf.i the tiill 'uu never
printed, that not one mason was 'riven bv i s friend -
for its passa.''!!, nor one obiec'ion oermioed to bo urg-
Ml by those oppugn to it; an t inn' on ks "-ccon 1 pun third readinis.ii was forced throi";!i under 'no ooera-
fion oftliat most lyranical o, ail t"'es ot' legislation which cJftsoirall ilehale on the mer'ns of die mea-nic.
Kstimates had (it i3 true) been n o-oed ol ihe i-ost 01 Const ructin t the various lines ei 'lii'p'inomeiit iheneon-
;Vnndate.I: but it is eucally true in.'t ihcc estimates
Hithont being read or rel'ei icd io, were sent oil' to the
printer, where they renamed until alter the pa3.sag-e ol tiio act mealing tho system. Thai the LiM'islaJure should have discarded all aid
front the icnorls of the engineer?, Pud should have shut 4 ' (' .' . .... l. . ll.,... ! .
up aii other sources 01 intorma'iou on me men u.-poi-tant subject ofils dclibcatio',-, is believed 10 be a pro ceed'mg wholly unp.-cccdcnic ! in any .hdihoruJivc pssemblyjat all even: it. will not be wondered a', Jna tbn tnciits of ;i svstem, c-tDnii 'no 1 without deiibeiaUou
ehould be iuves'ogalej, even ai thi late period.
The following is a summary of l he leading provn
ions of the bill, viz: L he v ; "
Ihorized to 1m const rooted. It commences nt uo w es
branch ofth White Water River, at the cros-ing oi
the National Road, and .crmma es at two pomtson itu Ohio l;iver. viz: a ( bneiima, i and Lawre-.eebn. gh
It h also extended mi the west hi anch of .he W hue
Water River, above ihe Na!i.-al Uoad. io some indefinite point. Also, aconnee ion b Canal or Rail-Road to conmieiice at k.wic vl fi,iic point; and end in fdadl on or IKdawato roun'iex. rt souie suitable poini. Ap
oroni ialioil l I ,dU0,S"O. What mav be the uliima'e
rn;t ! the extension of tlie (' nn', and the connection
of the White Water and centi ;1 Canal cannot even he miesscd nt, as no surveys had been made of ihem at
ihe tin e ofll e t)iia-i;'ge ol the bill. 1 he reports ol the
enciii'-'crs left this matter ns uncertain as were the . "... .0 t!w.ui.;i kes. bo;b of which, bv ih.e terms of the
act, aio left to be lixc.i by a Uoaru 01 lmernai improve Void, who are wholly irresponsible lo the people, hoi
ding their olhres by appointment.
A favor'u' ;ni w li'ch ihe bill
'.; r.o.u! fre-m New- iba-
wmole c'a-'so, ea es 01 un
would In 'i-il us. o '. A .McAdauiizr.' Ten pi
n y tii 1 o, g't t J roe. iv ilie ; the nee by some iuf e.i 01 to route near Fro. e, :-.ks!inrg. i hroi'gh Fn-ili, M.".i.:t ''lea -;;it. and a'hiiig'on, .o iu.-enuvs: mr the con ann-thm ii wi'.ieh l 1 o.'JOO is ap o op i.i r,'. 6.h. 'I'ne l" sa.d o. Fu.-iii -l 1 mprovem m' i n ;thorized io ijo-i-trnct a .Me .,M,f.. 1' l.'oad or Rail Road a to o nu v dee ui ex.io.iii'Cc. ('.., a it t'ersiint ilc throw, h
l.'i'l'OJi 1
.ny, Salem, pud Ciaw fo.dst ilie, for w hich i e l si uf.HJ.000.
tiiou-jli the actual letiings fui nUh liiem; ciioi p h will lh siiown in the scjucl ;.o warrant the same conclusion liom fair premises. A second cause why it is impossible toealcnlr.te what will lie the ultimate costs of the works is the tmeertainty of the estimates themselves. Tliis is shown by the report made to tiie Legislature at its Inst session, on tiie subject of the IctJings with one exception only the let lings have hitherto greatly exceed tlie estimates. A few instances taken from this report will sufiico to snow the great disparity between the estimates and the ;ceal costs of the works. Tims the bridging and grading only of 22 miles of ihe .Madison. Indianapolis, and Lalayotte Rail-Road exceeds the estimates .S'JU.TUu. The actual cost of cun.sli eding 1 1 miles id' the INcvAlbany and Yinecimcs it..i.d e.cced.j the rrfunU:-' S ?.'.- 3:50. '.'o ily a a re these two works, i hey a ; e even ex-ce'-ded I.-v the Jelier.soa iMe au-I Crawibiu vil!o road,
. i:ii. h c.-Js ''O.OUO per in'dc no enecuii'd iiave an-
ticip.iie.i sucli a re
l : tl-Klill-
the bet
wm'tiug tne people uu'H ilie r.p.te wiis io ar ed, iimt it would be 1 uin cither to o on wi h
ill. i no i,i utirriiL.w sum $.)U,UI'U is appropriated for removing oh-; 1 iic.ions in the Waba-'li Riter, bo;wecii ihe moo ihp.nl Vincenue , lo le pppropria'.eu 11- the n.kiid sh ill -ee fit. Li'-i, liiop.iii not lea t, ".n. A Rail-Road or C.o.kiI fo "i some iud.'fuii c point iiear Fori Watne. to Li'.e .Mic-iogan, by an i.iiio iin';o roule, and costing an inticiioite siun, for the 1p'e 111.1 of u mch ihe lailli in' As; S.nto is irre'ocplil v pic.i ; !. The fo-cg.fm'f is a sy nop ; oft'ic bill mal.imj tec 'o'.'l su.il vicjirci lly aip-opi ia'.-d, I'l.OttO.oitrl. Ii i ;i
een come io-', howeer, h the I. tend-, m-. I .oe i oi l-f 1 s f'.n. up 1 , bv its projeeairs, that 1 ! 1 i 'Mm wa w holly ho ii,;l.j,u 11 ojiiipioe! h; work-, au l ihat il was In-
leniH.'il .nerelv as a co iiuiia.'! o. Ur' r.ate lo a luriuer
) 'o-eeuiio.i oi' ilie svsiem. This is obvious f.o.n ,bc
;gh:es;. exauiiiiaiion of the a-;. The very fact dial
bice o! l!i ; works have nc crimen surveyed piciioes o t'm pa--age of ilie bill, a.Vl that ihe ten million ol
' illars annroni i ited i s ex.dn-i vel t" of ilie last mention.
I Uin!,, shows seficieutlt plain that its projeeio-s
neier supposci! ihai leu millions w onto complete Ine
sisicm sncii a iiua! I sum w ;u on ' v nameu intn a ew
ol hooi
ommi
l;C - "t'Jui, or recede
Il i : i'upo -ib'e io c.'.loula e. with any dog roe ofcer-
lami . v. i'nt will Ik: the vU in in 1: cost of the -1 stem, ,o,
many ica on.s. Tiie lirsl ciu-e which operate to
ma'veaii) vpicma.tioi on ilie :i")' ci once i.un. nai
tne lowers ol the lonid oi lntcin.il Improve. neel 111 con.-,' co in'' ilie Hiiilo me "ciircelv limited. They
;' re, it i n ee, bound lo coit-li i'ct awo.k beiween the
tennmatmg points uaiucd in ihe bill, toucnm, ai v
oftliecomiu mjuH as ihe liogislp.'ura saw M to -I'.nor
at it ewt of million, bni in no insfan'-o dues ihe bill lie
litem down to a iven survey, and ihcV pic wr.i:'ieii
to divc 'ie lothe i"j:hi or led a- thou cariico or mter-
c .t may diclan', 'I'he snnes, therefore, IV rui m
lata Irom which to calcinate ihe inobnhle cos; ol .111
wo k, atiilal norgn piocnrc.l wun a goon deal ol labor
Piiu expense, seem no to liaie been ucilor leiiiu on
In tiie Lesi-dnmro in any tn.oiner
It i not i,,),), obable iha. this di-cre ion mav lie o-
e.ei ed bv t he board of peblie works, in mch a mpmiei'
as t orod 'ce iin iucrea--i in ihe eo-a ofihe f ysteui four
or lite .ime ; the 01 bonal e.i. nates. The I loan' of In
ternal Improvement are constituted by the net whollv
independent 01 ihe people, not receiving da ir olhee-
l.om them, pun not being amenable to Uiem mens manner -or any ot'their uct-; w Idle ihcy p re ive -ieil
wi h almost unlimited power, by ch.'oging a rome, lo
ippropriii e the monev oimc people as ihev ilea-e
()n: iu-Umce of the manne in w b'cii ihe board ha ex
crciacd ihmr powers is sediclent io illustrate what we
mean while it lurnisHes us Willi a iv ciet ics.nm.
tCiichiun; tho danger of s rendering io r.n uhligarcl
of the nine, t lie legishvivc auhority of the Snue. Iv
.be original estimates relumed lo the Logislaniie, Ibe
cos) of construciing the Rail-Roed Ix-iwecn Madi on, and ihe head of ihe inclined plane, was reel.o icdat ihe rami ? 33,205. The Legislaii-ie of nine (. e. Hie boa ,) saw lii. to cii;ui'"e tiie location of die road f,o,ii
the.' chosen by ilie engineers, and tiie same 1 oa uudei
.he new locatio.i has pcluallv lc.i let ai ihe sum ol
sl7or27, or S141.C22, moro ban ike old luonlmu
woi '.t iiave co I. J'lm did the board pclnpuv madis iaiKUo!'3j miles pppropii.-ite o.i: iHKurnm .aad 1'i '?ty
oxr t ;ioe and six rest) ::r.n An tv.:.'iv-tvo uo'a.Attt
of the people's monev,ovor and ahose vhi"u was necc
.-ary to consji uet the woik. Far be it from us to Manic lie board, on the contrary . vc hold Hint they have l me 1 igh' ii showing thus early io . he pcop'e o! the
Suiic, llic danger ol mal.mg any set ol men their mas tcrs.
Suppo-e wo aMemnt lo caletda'e from ibis instance
w dial w ill be tlie ulit.ua e cost 01 the w hole svsiem
The sum should Im sl.i'ed in this way; as ,35,205 is io
S'176,327, so Will the estimated cots of the works be
to their penal cosls; or we mighi state it in this wnf
If ihreo nulca and a halt ol the system co3t &170.C27
what will one thousand miles cost. A very etmple arithmetical process will give us as an answer to either of thee sums the following, lo witr RUIN AND
bankruptcy to tiih state, and recgauy TO THE PKOPLi :. Wo do not, however, insist on
J the foregoing data as the basts of our calculations, al
interest. This project actually assumed the shape of a bill, mid had some zealous advoca'cs ;oio;i ,,nc Deicit Clintons, and the fable of llic milk-maid, an.l her culculiitions w iih regard to her unsold milk, an 1 imhatched eggs, w-as likely to be reuli'.ed i.i the JState Treasury, 'i'liu friends of the sysle.'n. aldioiigh tiiey ie fused to adopt this wil I project, still insisted that the .system w on! 1 carry itself en, and that nixuiiou would be unneces.sP.ry. Rut, by what ari!im't;cil ptocess the conchisic!! was arrived a', or by what magical means all this waito be i-ffcclcd, we haves never heard. Tlu fact, h jw ever, has now ik.v-. lope 1 itself, that that interest 0:1 theh'tatc debts must bo uaid with i ..., and
itiiultie i: is -uey must be rare-! by taxation. Our taxes l ave a-.vordin-.lv been increase 1 tw- hum'rvil jer cent.
. 1 . -
1 tie sy.-!-. in c inteii.l t:iat tins 1?,
ary to raise them; ai. hough
nit fio.n icudinir the oii-ii.ial
miiies oUlyo engineers in relation to the two iir.-t
el wru ks. 1 he
named work was such as .should h.ne deterred the Leg. hue re from any attempt to construct a l! 'ii-R a I on the rou'e. Ti ,' ilfrd cause why the Ultimate co:-t of t networks eituiiot beasccitaiucd, is. that home of the wvu ks have never been servcvid or estimated; as is ihe ca-e wi'.li the Canal leading iniin ne;ir Foil W ayne to lake .M.ehi -j;an, and ihe lu.al connecting the W hite U a: or and F.rie Canal, pu. I the Central Canal. T'ne routes are bi t indis-iuctty dc fined, and their teiufmaiing points ;i e in t marl.e I ;it all. Thus giving to the P'Oard of Internal liiiiit'vnmeiit p.i imlimi ed disc otioii. lioih as to their d.iicciion, and the cost of their const n uiion. The ;iet creating the sys'eni pledges ihe I'aiih of the rotate for tiie completion of the uicat noi ibcrn I 'anal, without iis l:ing known what will lie the co.-t ul its const ruction, and without its being as crtaiued w bet', er any such canal was practicable, Sj ague is the huiguage of the act relating to this matter, that it is seaierh pu-siblc to say whether it on-'ht to be construed to mean that the Heard of In'ernal Improvement should be authori.ed to construct the woik, on whatsoever dan or route they neght deem liitimr.
or vv betber tbev are auiboi lzed to const met it at all.
It is iind'-i-lood, however, that the Hoard have adopted the ino-t dan: ernes of the luiliiv diiieient Collstruetions.
f which this part of the act is sueen; ible, and ai e ;i''-
tually pro. -ceding to locate the Canal, wiih a view,
..-.lot less, ot making on tlie route they may select, cine two or more Uut-oiim ctcd drv ditches in confor
mity with th- polic) they have adopttd In con.sti ucting the other w 01 ks.
Another reason whv it is Tn-possible to approa. h te
my thing liKe cetiaiuty in estimating ihe actual co-!s
. the vvoik", i, that no cuguiii r c;m fores.n: what i f-
b ct the obey of coinieei.eing all thewoiks at cnee, in
lavemraisir g ihe pi ice of
labor and provisions. Although it is i,.ipossilf;e to es
timate with prccission, the ultimate 1 o.-ts id' ilie svstem,
enough has been a set. rtained to warrant us in tne be
lli f, that tiie cost of the whole svstein will not be le.-s
than XoU.tKHi.iKiu j iiueipal. In making this conclu
sion tiie tuteiest n not taken into the account, and but
ivei v small allow am 1: is made for the occasional
changes in the dan nf operations, w hiih we have ul-
rcauv -hown mav make the cost ten fold. .Such bciti'i
the case, we call uiioii our fellovv-citizcns to natise and
relleet, and (iusjead ufbrandm'.; us as disoriianizers,
and deriding us as demagogues) to take il sci iously inlo consideration, whether it would not lie boiler for the
Slate Legislature to resume the ruins of the govcrment;
and in.- lead of squandering the funds of the IStute in constructing dry ililches.and short embankment, K
or 20 miles long, (as our Legislature composed wl nine
men has done) would it not bo licttcr to direct our ener
gies to the completion of someone or two works, if, ns
we arc told, the works will be profitable, dues it not behoove us to avail ourselves ol' the profits likely to ac
crue from them in as short a time as possible; to assist
us in del raying tho interest on our immense Mate debt.
Our whole annual revenue is only about 60,000.
I low is this sum lo pay the interest on ft60.000.UO0 f
I iiner the present mode ot conducting the system, con
traits have already lieeu made to the amount of JS'2,6OU,0U0, and yet il all the works were completed, as
lar us contracted lor, there would be no communication opened between any two commercial points. Nothing would be cHeeted, and the time when the people would be relieved from a burdensome taxation, bv the
profits aeci ruing from the works, would be as icinote as ever. If, on tbeother hand, the two millions live
hundred thousand dollars, had been applied to one work, it would have completi d il at once, and the prof
its to accrue Irom it would be al once available in de
fraying the Flate liabilities. Our ordinary tftaio rev
enue is barely sullicient to pay the engineers and llieir
assistants, for superintending thb structure of the pub
lic works. 1 be whole sum appropriated lo this pur pose last year was goO,3C3. This expense Vvtis great
ly enhanced by undertaking all tho works at once,
making it necessary to keep a whole army of engineers
lo superintend their structure. We would ask those
who oppose ihe policy of classifying the works, or who advocate t lie contrary policv of carrying ihcm nil on
at once, at w hat ieri.nl oftitue they expect the works to be completed ? 1 )ocs any thinking man suppose it
will be less than twenty yours? e thin t not. am during this twenty years, by what means fo they cx
poet the scmi-unnual instalments of interest w ill be
paid. With an annual revenue of 00,000, how is il
expected that the Stale can pay St 000,000, the interest
on ten millions only, on the six percent bonds. In 01-
iler todclray this amount the taxes must be raised ten
lold. lut a twelve month since, ll tho probable in
crease of taxes was mentioned, it was called a bugbear. Those who advocated the system held out the idea that the woiks would pay for themselves, In the Oocnors Message it was said, that tho State could safely employ ten millions of dollars in Internal Improvements, wilhoutculling upon the present, or future generations to pay any of the principal. Not one word, however, was said of the interest, which at live per cent would amount to $500,000 per annum. The friends of the system, however, invented another method of defraying the Interest, by which two millions were to be borrowed, and funded, and collected, and funded again, (all at 8 percent if they could get it) until a fund should bo provided sufficient to defray tho
it be paid, but like all honest men, wo should occilall v fnrii our t!ioU"hts to ihe i.l'ima'.o redemption
Hat still the friend-; ol a.; high as it w iil be 1,
tbev inu -tknovv that S-j 1 50.000. or NlCO.OOJ is insuia-
1 ii.nt fo pay the interest on y'l .500.000, the amount of the 1 ie.-viit contracts, besides defraying tho expenses of ihe government. Htit w hen ten miiiiuns of dollars shall have ba n borrowed, the interest will amount a 5 per cent, f 1 v .;,t"'!.r!:jJ), and w e ask how is this sum to I.-e j aid by the present amount id taxes? Not otdy ought we to lo .k forward lothe time when the interest
ii.ikI t,r. i.-o, !..,!
i- '.
01 uie 1 i mcipul. How is tins io be clactcdf Huso who advocate the system point to the works as the means w herew i'.h this is to be accomplished. The I'eople of ihe State having ul ready been deceived by tin: calculations of ihcse gentlemen, it is hoped they will examine the subject for themselves; and when tho advocate::; of the .system as it is, are unable to explain how this i-,to lie acconiplir hed, and content themselves w i t U citing the State ; of Nevv-Yoi k. Pennsylvania, and .Mai viand, as examples, it is hoped that the ipiestion w ill be asked then : pvc the works of any of these S ates paid for themselves f The Governor of New Ki k, in his Message to the Legislature in 1C3P, treated the idea as absurd, that the Slate could enjoy the U'uelitsof a sy stem of Internal Improvements, w ithout providing for the redemption of tho debt incurred in construciing them by taxation. Neither the .Maryland or Pennsylvania works keep down the interest on the sum it cost to construct them. T he great Ohio Canal, forming a connecting link in the commerce of the ea-t and west, does not keep down ihe interest. All these works are suported. not only by the productions of the country through w hich they pass, but by the importations uf the other States. Not so with our vvorks.they icly solely on the freight to be derived from transporting the productions of our own country to lnarkclnoj one fifth of which is yet in cultivation, llach : tate work, too, has some rival work to compete with for the
trade of the interior. Tims tlie Centuil Canal, has no
fewer than live rival woiks intersecting it, viz: lThc
Wbde Water Canal, the Lavvrcnceburcrh Rail-Toad.
the Madi-ou Rail-Road, ihe New-Albany and Craw-
lordsvillc Rail-Itoad, and tin; New-Albany and Yinconiic;j road. Maeh of which parallel work, tends to "i-miiti.-h the business of the other. Few, (if anv) of the
oaf tern works cost as much by one half, as Ihe Madi
son or Ji llersouyille, and Craw lordsvillc Rail-Ror.ds.
W ith thus facts before us, can we doubt the wisdom of
that policy w hich teaches us to' husband our resources.
and concentrate our energies upon some one work, and to abandon for n time, at lest, the prosecution officii
works as are least likely lo be profitable to the s afe, when completed. We hold this to bo not only tho true policy, but the only policy, other than a total" a-
Kindonment of the system. c will notice lor."- a
few of the objections which havo beeii Urged ngaWt ii
classification of the works; and think we can show that ihcy are not only untenable, but not even plausible.
1 lie nrst and strongest ot tlice objections 15, tha . ,lhc
Statu has already commenced tlie system on tli2, rlarr
uloptcil bv tbe Doard of Internal improvement, V thtit
it would be disgraceful to recede Is it (we ask) fr-org
disgracefully for the S'ate to complete some of ,bcfj
w orks, and dolor the completion of the rcsiduo untu
she is able to finish them, or to go on as she has dor.5'
m commencing works at so many points, that none c them can ever Le finished! Is it more disgraceful tr.
abandon apart than the whole of the works? Andisr it not better, if we must recede (which wo think " not.
only demonstrable, but demonstrated) to recede w bili
we can, than defer it to that time w hen we must no
only recede, but absolutely stop, and lose a!l that wt
have outlaycdr 1 hese questions we conceive must !
answered in favor of the position vvc have assumed. One great advantage which classification possesses -e-.
vcr the other policy is, that il at anv time tho systsnv
should be obliged to Lc stopped, something of lcstln and permanent benefit would have been accomplished?
W e should have iunshcu nt least one or two State woiks, and the Staio would havo the worth of ita money. P.y the country policy, if the system is broker, down, or fails for want of funds at any time within twenty years, we will have nothing in return for cut immense 00! lays, but short sections of half finished Rail-Roads and Canals, hundreds of miles npail, r?r ving no other purpose than to mar the face of nature. It is said also by thorc w ho oppose a classification of the woiks, that the friends of those works which arc post poned, will immediately endavor to break downthe system. This is admitting (what we do u 1 charge) that Ihe system itself is now supported by those interestid in the works, not on account of intrin.icV merits, hut only on account of direct benefits wh"c they derive from it. It would prove that tho system originated in a spirit of plunder, and was suj ported solely through selfish motives motives which derived.' their force from immediate benefits to individuals, a. nit from the hope of any ultimate good to the State. If tlie friends of ihe system arc unwilling to support it when their w orks are postponed for a short time only, by what principle of justice do they defend ihoin elves in compelling o' her sections of the State, having ro interest in llic system, directly to contribute to its support? We feel well convinced, however, that the j catplo of tho State are willing' to sustain a more liberal enlightened policy; that none will be found so selfish. as to be willing to destroy the system because their fovoritowork docs not happen .to Le in the first class, and that the people of the State will adopt that policy (which although it way not suit hind speculators) w ill sustain the credit of the State, cany out ihe sye:.: as speedily as our means will permit, ami preserve im shaken that confidence iu our government, 0.1 whi:h w? must rely for its support.