Vevay Times and Switzerland County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 8, Vevay, Switzerland County, 25 January 1840 — Page 2

, y i- —— : ! . 71 tvhrg n/ers.luJiajia has'undertaken on credit, • a system of I il6rn.il Improvement, originally estimated 1 lu cost about jhice.i itilliutu* and now cor.fcsscn.lo icquire nut Irsa than txc:iiy~ ‘ fpr itlcunplction. Even now. when the control ofmiir state afairs is'surrendered. : .lo.iH by our opponents, ire find-that Indiana, Jiasacltully expended cm her plblic works,-(af- '* ter deducting (be probable ialue'of Ler origi- . nat chiiatlauds,J about xtr mnf/pqj of dollars;f nil borrowed from Europe; a debt to raise the interest on which at six or even'five percent./ ‘ her present ad valormn stale tax, : though the highest in the UniotT,f u insufficient. ; • . ' it would h<f amelancJiply hut also an instrue.live las!:, to trace the rise and progress, and exhibit the management., ih Indiana;* pf this I finding and InternalImprovement' System.— It was originally incorporated, Bill, well named the ill AMillOTU, and which resulted in ‘ the ’simuhanooiiy ninedif- > ferent woiks, giving a*specific apprb-. ;• v ,»> V< iihont llifr present, the abi' st fact question, whether it .he, or-‘politic: iu a state to burrow money for the purpose of con si nl cling a system of public. works, or . -. y* helher such a policy be not-amjmli.democfat- *■ is extension of the operationsof. government, heyouil their legitimate sphere,'’ tutu iheuocer* tain region of commercial enterprise; without cxam-niu(; whcchcp thc sagacity o‘f self-iriter» - est can.aluuc safely undertake,or economically manage, such without eQr|iriring, jfiir' - .1 her, whether a.- tax for internal improvements • by a state, can ever in the’.Mature ef tbings, hc otiic’r.lban unequal and unjuit, and whether/ if *t bo eo, such h tax, for in object, opt of ne-, ; ccsaily, can bo approved or jus tilled bysaupd principles df republican poticyj wilhbut cater i«S* at this time. Upon these import as is enquiries, is mint be conceded, thal| theisystein ’which has been adopted is pre-, s; nt wants and moans of I no iana. | Nay/mb re; it is of a magnitude, compaircd to’our resour- >. css, without example in the h is t ory of m an U i m?. Th'e pyramida, wore stupendous,fabrics; .and. - lavishly wds labor and treasure* of 'ancient Egypt squandered, by her rulers; bo these, llu* marvels of a mbderu jvorU/ Ttc Culissium, that, miracle’of .architecture, cost luxurious Home same fourteen millions of dollars, • lint history furnishes no record of a state or a nation lhai ever undertook a system i of public works cos.l e/ie fourth / of all the. wealth, rcal aniT perionaJ, possessed < by her citizens at the .time of.lho- enterprise; - if, indcml, ira except .'cur sister state of.Illinois, wJVoiias rashly-followed in our footsteps/ New Vorli led the way of the modern policy of loaning furJatcrnal improvements, la-Ute sy car 1317, she undertook her great canal, ori-gin-ally estimated.to ahalf ini'|iuns aqtl. which d:d cost about \tteeii millions and a h'd/. JJut at the, time of the undertaking, the cslimalcdpropcrty of UioStatc was (ftrer hundred diid Jour, millions of doljarsV , And yet, with three times our wealth, hpw scrupulously and cautiously did even the enterprising. Empire State veuturo upon a public'Vbrk: not costing one third,as much as our system! Slid wis careful to set aside, even by au express constitutional provision, various productive.sinking fumls—her lecrative salt and auction duties a* mong others—lb defray-the interest oathe proposed .loans, : Sbq. anxiously examined the path before her, well ‘ weighed every slcp slie took and providently^anticipated every earning cxigeflpy. How different’ was tlio hasty and lyialculating conduct of tlnso palatal leaders, who rashly involved bur young Stale .without a single precautionary measure, in a debt of millions auddn enterprise of ten millions! ' . , UuakerStaCe of Pennsylvania—followed by the lead of iVew York. - And as sober people, once thoroughly excited, commonly-.niii Into citromcj, so the descendants of Williapv Pcao, when fairly smitten >wilh the prevailing rage, astonished the world Ify their adventurous Spirit. They . added {o their syslcni one PublicAVork after atuilher,

until they themselves shrunk alarmed-from the! prospeclof accoinulatitjg debt, before them; ■ and at last consented to receive within their j territory that United Slate* Bank which | the peopleAmerica had discarded; forj the 1 poor.-sake of a bonus opportunely offered by that institution to relievo her growing'embarrassments. Let us read, in herldo-i ings, a wholesome lessiou! The first slcji to dishonestyiin an individual is a habit of profuse expenditure not justifiable by hj* fortune. The first step to public profligacy id a State is ithc incurring of debts beyond the limits of lierj resources.' 3Ich, and SJtalcsjfdo many things.under the pressure of want, which in days of-bet-ter fortune, they had scorned, oven to think of. In public as in private economy is the surest safe-guard of integrity.; .This U ono of tbe weightiest'reasons against an extensive sys- 1 tem of Public Debt, commonly eventuating iu national embarrassments/ It;* is a prudent praycroot to be led into temptatipnl 'But ttic difilcuUies from which Pennsylvania, by such -expedients, sought to rcUeVo hersejf,wero light, compared to those that await Indiana in the course she has bcco.purstiiog, and under the managementiho has been subjected. fsntiro system of Internal* Improvementis|baidfy, If at all, more* extensive than that whichwehavc projected.. It will be completed foriless than thirty millions of dollars. Add to this, that it is far more’ likely to be productive; inasmuch as the-chief works which' compose it fortn the 'great' lines of commanicatton between'the AtTbnticStales and the Western Country-, i But the 'taxable property of Pennsylvanians uearly teem time*greater than that of Indiana; and lima a scheme of Public works to coslo^p/i lindrcd fin djijiy millions would be smaller"compared to tho present wealth of than Indiana’s system compared to .the resources she can command to day,- . ., la vain /then,-do we look for precedentto,' encourage u*. j U*o find : none. Frrfm.tlio conschpisncss of jour young growing from the elastic Spirit and checkless enterprise of our citizens —from a fast flowing tide of emigration andaij/apidly swelliogfundof taxable wealth—but above all, from a hold and radical reform of onr entire, state policy, and atlior- ‘ biigh and imidediate rctrcnclimcnt of our public expenditures—from these and similar sources alone. may.'we derive a wcll-grctindcJ hope of U19 future 'prosperity of Indiant. . We may furnish, oiir,rash career'of cntcr[ rise, a brilliant example,- bat assli redly we shall; follow 1 done. ■ .■■,'* .. ! -•* '• I 1 J The gtganlie scheme of which we have here (raced the extent, has never yet bjeciyfoadc a 1 strict party, (pics tied .id Indiana. -'Same democrats have contended and 'voted fo 1 iho measure. Some Whigs have .contended and voted against it. Truth-demands -this a Imission.— Ami a party tliatwoujd falter in making it, because U mjglft seem for the time being, expedient to represent it otherwise, would biitid their future hope* on p sandy feuDJatjdnjjthbkwould lose, and deserve, to lose the confidcnCirof the people. •' ■' Wepdmit/then, that the suppartpf. otir system, oven to'lho present day, has hot been exclusively Whig. We admit, that some.democratic*cojmti& instructed their representatives to vote with the Internal Improvement Parly.j Wo admit further, that the views,even of many Democrats, who now sec how clearly, how'rashly \r6 have involved.ourselves, have been essentially changed, and gradually matur-. cdj .as; experience disclosed the character and extent: of the system that basin reived us.— From the severe lessons of experience, our j best and soup Jest principles bf policy have ever hcctfdcrrfJld. V ’■ . But whilc/trulli and justice demand thcsc adrrpssions, tlfey demand-alsp j a further statement of important facts; Thyschcnio Wf Internal Improvement now, (he 'leading fcatufo'in tho Slate was conceived and exccated. and has been carried on,' cvcd

| taxes! biit with.those who incurred tho debts*! I wliicii render's uch impost!inns necessary, justly rests tbo blame. ( If in .them Jt was rash improvidence lo contract the debts, in us It is but common honesty to pay therm "■ ‘ | There is. one alternative' only bjrxwliicli, without actual violation of thd public ‘failI:, we can now escape high taxes'; and lilat Blteronttre is pregnant with cren vrofsc than dishonor. Wo may piit off the evil day. Those burdens grievous and heavy to be home, which we our* selves scruple to loiich with one of our fingers, ire may Jay on the shoulders of our children.— To them, for whom alone a good parent toils, and s&vcs and accumulates, to* them, to whom we have imparted existence, ’ thereby* incurring a holy obligation to render that (.valence, as far as in us lies, a happy one—lo our children we (fay bequeath,' not the proiid heritage of prosperous'freemen, but the huimitaUng-em-barrassments of tributary slaves. AVoniiy violate. tho.'provision cmhcidieJin oiir Modification Ityjof last session, which declares, that the ox ecu live board "shall never coualeaanpd the. niinoiis expedient of continuity to borrow ad-’ tli.t ion if capital to pay interest on . previous loans;”- \Vu may do all this—that is,if foreign naliens should still ‘he' S c|:i'diiloiis enough to! trust to the honor of a stdto; whose,.citizens shall have basely resalvcd to seek escape from j the consequences.of their own ynpniJcol conI duct, hy cnjailii.g these on thcirhlamcless and [unprotected off-qirjag. j " . •• • v'[ : [ Jjet.ns Td. reminded Jpf an anecdote preser-* I ved;by' an eloquent- rjjlohilijSiiaVy At | the'lime: when the irdni ! l«rent linthin was fiercely; agitated,- a'Tory,, , who kept a tavern ■ al Ainhoy. iii Sew Jersey*,-waj-standing at his door holding 'a pretty Bo£ hv' the hand;. and concluded an argument- in -rtvur of.Ids by saying; ‘.‘Well, la lino have ■peace in iny day 1 ‘’Xot a‘ m a h on the cytuiucal, (such iV|hc. reflection of yho'.writer alluded to) not a nun on the,continent biit be-! licvcd; that a separation mush eventually Take ; place;-atid a p i rent with any pretench to gen-1 crons foclingprnnld ; hate said:!'* Ifthere be iroiihlov' let it be in niy-da'y-i 'that my child may bare peace.’” ’ n * - £. ;. ' ; Hoes not the lesson come home, to oil Docs-

applied inAre forcibly. to her pretest situation. I’l.e peapW of Indiana have as opportunity, at the coming election', to enforce this policy, if they .see fit, by a constitutional guarantee. Thp eighth article of otir StalcConstitulion provides, that every tsrclftli year fromthe period of its adaption, at tl.c general eleclion held |or toivcrnor, there shall he a poll, opened, in. which tho qualified electors of the’ taUte slialj express, hy vote, whether they are in lavar of calling a Convention or not; and if a conventipn he decided on, it sfiall have pow-» pr to revise, amend cr change the constitution, |vlth thistly n-sa.tvalioo, that slavery shall never, by the yote of a Convention, bet jihlnitiiiccdjntoou rotate. ; K All t he next Alignst* elect ion, being Ifotir yearsjpinee the. date of our Constitution, ,lhe appointed iwm coincs round. It nillwot i occur fpf- twelve years. Now, though (prudence fdictates, that a door to, innovation jin existing taws, and more, especially in an cs--l ta hi ijli cd ; Cpm t i 1 1 1 1 i on, should Dot bo opened lor light caiisc, yet emergencies occur, from tune to, tiirtc in public jifiairs, which renders such innovations not ojgly a prudent act, but an ■ imperative cuty. Should the’ Democracy of Indiana, after duly weighing her present situation; decide, that siichian emergency now exists in citr.ritalc, should they believe that nothing less than a constitutional check can effectually ;rt£ I rain the giant strides of the modern}, vole for a Convc.ruitm , > and then instruct their Dcleg-'ics 10 erect, i:i (he.chape cf-» restrictive amend in cue to the constitution, a fixed barrier against i:.;pro- ■ yidvm public loans; emjh. for instance, as that receipmejiilfid by Tjinucis Jffierfoa, "never to" harrow ‘tVdcilarA vrUfitiu laying a lax :t the jsar.ui instil for payin’ rtio init rc3t"aiinu3!Jy {Hid u» ilijit laitldcdged to the creditors |onri:e pii | b!|rf fiit!i. I j : | Sv-ch■»c-5t:#ti;ailcnil provision as this would |rostrvir,!rria:i appropriate manner, the profligate [system cf i’tihlic Credit, which has btcoruo ;ht» la-dii enable’- roiI cyv of the day. It would act by i!i:brminj i‘qi>Ire Opinion, and ‘bringing that great direclly 10 bear upon the abuse, it would prcvei;I' ihefp iblli ty of contracting a loaji, tyafmtU in.-t uiUy apprising the people, bv a on their ppchciSj of the extent of tho debt ihwrrred, atid the* burdens produced by incurring i t.’ - J t *\vo«y cduse lb e* cdnstqflen ccs of the act; to ,: follow' it, on the moment. The Teapta;ijirdugli,i.he barlpt-box, wi.I do’the rest. . Ari adduioinl argument in favor of such a re-' straiiH, is.I» by found tn thcjnigrilory character . of oiir population. .TimiHaiidsivvho are'here today mah depart for -the Far West lo-mofroVi and thu’s, if .the day of tee flowing ha is distant oneVtchs;pf lluAisrinds wIio were accessory to tho dot'd. may escape its coiurqucnaW But iuctpctuleiilly of these cau>idcr<tl;oi)S, it ;a a', ended ‘ principle .iii imltUcaiIt&urd as in criminal her, ilul tu he effectual, tlnxIJ Ue*d close on ofihe ■ .-The adoption' olVnicIf a restrictive clause vrbuM|bc a filling reply ja the charge ©four pclliieal -cpjioueiits, whehtVy.arraigii us as conspimiors'.igainsljall ordcr and oneniies to the inicfeil olVcoiii.ut’rQC. If*Wwu!d supply the proof. byt’deed? which aye better than words, tJjai we desire to restrain a nf regulate, col to tippcc; and destroy!’-; . y * - r .;. • ■ And, nssaredly, |n private W well as '-public .afTairStV/iry iiiticlidtics our system of c ref it ic- • quire fcEtraini aifd rf guliiion. f In cxc»s.-, tiadlt,; hccoines a social yirment of a character tho most orislccralie. it builiis rp hsb.’ts of pallor.-igp-fchdj creates relations of .'servility;-' Ji encroaches Wit* of action, jr.A cudau- ’ gers'ihe freedom ofEotirage. Wli.ir’.lho xiiiliro %miitgiii(crcsl bVcotne involved in heavy .debts to tfie.Muutry\m'ircitiiiis, there :c luafua-. tion for. these so exeit beyond tiic liicn’s wly&i Ociiiiicruev prescribes, the influcrice of a crcSijtdrV'situaiioiT;.. ‘ * , I '■ .'V - "Noristbis n.csccf sive eystcra of credi' tfi; ii^a fl;iv, hfrirter thalt any (hate tax in tho Uiiicjn cn the iniltisfry-pf the People.- A retail-- ' ing 'iMcilntii ctmM letter'aflord to tail ji»r casli aHnlf liis p:c.-;out profit*,' t{un'io|incur the ile1 ly audii’xpcn-c and risk of » credit .rxirn ling lurotigh avUdIo years,-even 5 at ihe oi:ravig-r.t p r now ecuiuiviily added ib r I he pr.ee of, go tds that are eaifi toithoiradcsman and the farmer. The purchaser, tUea, aefuiliy loses,, under the prercul syateu. of credit,.* ium equal to the entire profit which,under a citsli system,, would uatisfyAhc incrchanU pi obablv on . tliu av’efago, tjrih t\vcuiy : fivo percent, on’the” ainbani prctfcry'Biaie'accduntiltal-is'ruri up, in these Western States, And one important feature qf llio’ System, which ttilf more eirongly tfenionst rates inex pedie n cy, is,* that the responsible and intlusiridcs pay for the idle and improvident.' The,’bad debia4ncurr£d > bV''trfl£tirig • those who never bo made up by an in- ,' Creased price levied upon!those who’, honestly . fuIfiUbeir obligations..’* . , .11-t again: truing aside mere pecuniary censidcratioas, IioivcvcrlrappriaiJt Jjho shall ejti- '■ mate the injury to tW moriU afaTeoplc, .who coni ract a habi t of carelessly debts, on ■ remote aud uncertain chapcp^ffinally discharg- ' iiig thcral—lVoiDiscj^Miiftfinally renewAl are coatinually most conEcictitiods are. forced, by want of panclhality in their neigh-. bors, tJ*becorae’tmpunctaal themselves; until the livts, even;of responsible men, become a solies of temporary fihifu and daily expedients, , . Ainoogf tho pioneers ofan, iufsnt _ settlement, such . a systciu, perfiaps,' is unavoidable; and in . all newepuntrictf credit is more .urgently required ihtut lit older Stales.-—Every where, a moderate degree of credit has its advantages. Cut with usyatoor.present stago of progress, an ex- * cesah’O credit system is becoming daily more injurious and less necessary. ■ At the liberal prices nhw offered for prod nee and labor, there am few-of.our citizens who arc not.independent' enough.in their circumstances, or by a year 1 or l wo Vprude tit management may readily become so,- to obey the injunction;, which bids us owe no man any Umig save only xcigbborly friendship; instead of’becoming, year by year, more hopelessly pnlhrallcd'byiaccumulating debt. At the same time, then, that w:c suggest, as- a democratic measure, a constitutional curb to a system of I’uhlic iX’Jbi, we reccommcnd,axa coni comitaiii reform, nut less important nor less democratic, a gradual return from our system of Unbounded private credit. This is -the, more necessary, os it will rcquiro.caroful economy and . strict management in oil our business relations, to enable us to encounter the heavy taxes, and the hard times, which an opposite system has al,- 1 ready entailed upon us, ‘. - . .. ; .

it not apply to our own ease, evermore strict* ly thab that of the oppressed .'colonist's!./The threatened war was not'of their seeking.' 'll

: iraV brought about by no imprudence or mis - I conduct or'lhcira. : if ij was llioi’r duly'tosnvo ! ilicir offspring from iisimpendingevils, far stranger is (lie obligation ih in | our children’s stead, .the df oiir otrn Tallintarjr act, V lf have';been' blindly imprudenl, L let us not Id : addition, selfishly unjust'.' „•' ; :■ ' - I; ..}• - . i.el us opeitbur eyes, tbcnilfpbri quf real situation. What a'man soira, that, alsqjhiist lie reap, Our statu '.lias - engaged. in a'prdj cct, of. uncertain profit. She has borrowed millions and spent a doubtful she perscvcrc-tn ihatcnlcrprisc, to sender any. considerable .portion of it ”productive, .she must borroir and spend millions; more.jytlvcn‘ then the rett/rnV niay'-bb slow; and.thc jmifilislcndcr.' If they should bo, s&o mutt like otber unsuccessful projectors,' pay the.penalty.of her imprudence.-' - ■ ■* •

Ifdoes not tbo purpose bfan address like. to cnquirfi by-what immediate expedients' the demands of the public creditors, may l/csalisfiod,riurtu lie'Side' betirccntlic varimii plans that [iavobccn: r to raise funds for tiycpnrjMpps nf ihc moment. These ami. similar qusMfonsf it .is the peculiar ijronnco of thq Icgislatofo.fo discuss.and determine. 1 ‘ t j. . ." V*-. ■ ' •■BuLandllicr enquiry‘of btoaacr import and cUaractor.sfill tcmpyvs to be, sol* red. It is lliivHowt|ialbwb ilfoctually prevent a rcpcliljoa olVlho evits under’’which we arcBiifienng to-'dayj : j :< ■ y. ■ \ r Perhaps wo-caraiot better Or.rtorc forcibly reply to this qnes t ion thap in the following. extracts from the messago, reccn t ly ’ iMivcTe J by our Chief' Magistrate;- Ihat.man ' for wljdinyiu November noxlr wo pxpcct to cast «:r votes Prcsidcht-Vanjiureii says; * - : y\ . i . . I ‘‘Onr pcoplo.'wiU.ndV long he insch'ible to the extent iuf tlio burdens entailed upon the:** by the false system that has-been operating on their sanguine, energetic,add indtisirtoiis'chaN actcr; nor tothoincans necessary, to extricateIbcniselVcs ; from iho cmbarrassiiwnls. ‘ The weight which- presses upon a largo portion of Ihfi people and tliC:8Utcsj is an enormous debt and .dom'c4tid. , forpign debt of states j T cmrpomtipns|'atid men .of .bus in css, can scarcely be I c ssl li an. two inindred milliuiis of dollarsrequiring rtprd thani: ten r millions of dollars a year Id .pay'tho interest;- ■; This sum has to bo paid out Of I liocxpo r t so ft li c country ao'd must 'of;:neccssitj“ciu’ofl’'ippdrls to that extent►or - pjiinge> the country nforc deeply in debt .from year to year. ;'* - j •■*•. |r* ■ ' J In lied of the -comforts which ithow bringstis, we in>ghtliave our gigantic. banking- institutions, and splcndid, but; in many 'instances, ’ profitless," railroads and canals, absOTbing to a great extent, in in•lerest iipon Tibe*;capital borrowed to construct .them, i lhe.EUrphis fruits of national industry for years locoihc, aqd sechriog;to posterity nO adequate return for the comforts' which the labors of their hands might,otherwise have secured.— It it Hot hy Ike increase of (hit dell Ihnl rejiefislp Lr taughl, bid.inits dmiftnlioit-' Upon this point) Hfero is, 1‘afnliappy to savyhope bcro.rg7.os',' not so much in tho returu of.confiJencer.tc abroad, which will enable the slates to borrow - more' money, as in a change-of public feeling at Acme, ilhich prompts opr people to pause in,their career, addllunk : of;Ihqjtocahs hy which debts bre to*be paid before they are contracted.' If we would escape embarrassment, public and private, ice mutt ccascio'nin in delily except for Objects of nice till Or tukhat will yield a ecr/oin retunj.” ‘ \ *“ •' And again:, •’ ' ’. ' “By ceasing, to run in debt, and applying the surplus of our crops to the disdfbrgc of existing obligations, buying less and scUing .more, and managing all affairi,. public and private, with strict economy and frugality; we shall sec our country soon rccoTcV from a temporary depression, arising not from natural and permanent causes, but from those I have enumerated, and advance with renewed vigor, in her career of prosperty." - , advice come more opportunely and appropriately, than docs this to us.' If the message had been prepared expressly for the state of Indiana, (be rccommenda(io4«outd not have

• issued, Vbavoi never been -received aud aro not, for the lirao.beiog, al-hor disposal, lhu«: >! ? , < ; -iAmount of sold, . which * : * ’ Ho have hcen^ -■ ' litTcmil v ;-of ;•- . r: v • y;-. <j3^od,coo Amouht actuallyjiaid outfprin-. : • J . Vtcrnal improrcment, less tliau ,; 6,500,000 ; ; LjEavingof-tho loan v -'.* > r^ * Isum at this time -j'J - ‘ .of,more than • $3,00(1,000 K Of Ihismupunt less than .v million is due by theMofrisCaoaland Bankingpompirny;.nearI f : three’ quart ers of a million is due from tbb Bdnlc of iWcslero .Now York, the Erie county Bank and Now York banks; nearly three hundred tbouaaod dollars’is- in’ nnavaihblt -rcal citatc/(a cafedle factory; and bU and laud in Ncrr Vork,) aDd of dno hundred thousand dollars’ more is In .hoods and 'mortgaged,taken, with the-frbovc real' estatc, *(dr a idebl due by the Cohens of - Baltimore*;) The conditional contract for the fndiaira}>6tis rail road, payments of interest insCdcquatcly provided Tor by taxation, and o - smaller itcms-.mako iip ■ Iho tdtal. ■ ■ ■ -'■ : \ •- In addition to the above enormous deficiency, one million of hankl bonds 'disposed of doting last year In New York,rcrnainunpaid, end iho state has been compelled^’to takoyarious collateral securities, to secure the amount due' on these. ‘ ‘ •'* , The “general incidental, expenses . of the. board of internal 'Improv<m^^nt, ,, since-the commencement of the system,*aro given in the fumf commissioners’ report of this_ year at $26,767; but this docs dot include Iho per diem of. the members of the board, nine in number,' for the first three years, at three dollars and a half a day; am) for the last year three in number, at $1,500 a year; total of salaries, in the four years, about forty thousand dollars; marking the total expenses of the boqrd upwards of tiziy-tix thousand dollafs. ■ i ' The amount spent in surveying- and locating tho various works cannot be accurately obtained fromauy of the reports, as it has' bccn merged in the general cost -of construction. It is roughly estimated by the chief engineer at abouVthrce hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

nn tit now, udder the almost 'exclusive management of the self-named. Whigs, They-. decided Its character ami cxtcnt.Duringitsbirth and entire; progress, they bate opt only filled .jho Executive chair and chosen the presiding officers of both Houses, from their own ranks,

A pol.tcal tcntifr.rat iuoru extravagant than ibo above it s wptiM bo diilicalf tp find, 'inAhe annals republican politics; jet it has- been generally. copii>d7 with approval, by the whiz prt-js of the Union, * The report of Chief L’ugiuetr William?, made to the Jiouca of livprcicnfalivw on the 3d of Jamm- ' ry, IS 10, “in related to Urn original and present estimates of ll/e public works, 1 ’ gives, as the total of the ‘‘original estimates befJre.the legislature of ;lti33—G/ 1 the sum of $15,010,31)7, or siy i:t .round numbers; sixteen millionsof dollars, The.-e estlmatci {some cf misusejed Hots based op the average of the other-,) were all within the-reach of the Legislature which passed the internal impfovemeat bill, on dig day of its pasraeci thoyjh most of them were not, at that moment, form'before (ho legislature; fur Ihp bill was tmrrinl through before ibo engineetv report? bad returned from the printers. . • Governor iS'oble'i - fccniuuicrnl-Uion was for a syrleia to cost tert mib'icns; and the original cpproprvz- ; Umi outlie woiksamQimted to that sum only, lienee the idea wascanunonly adopted Ihreugbout the state, incorrectly however, tint (hat was tin; original alinuli m the system. ' The tsliimito was about sixteen millions; and though considerably below what is now admitted to be the actual cost, is net mare so than such nrst, rough estimates ustnlly arc; especialJy<#iicn the great increase of the cost of l ibor and provisions within the four last years, is loben into account. -

but the chairman of every important commit tee

of tho Legislature, especially, that of canals

end Internal" Improvements, ifavo beon uncomjfromising tv bigs. The executive officers of: the system, too, have been selected With rare exfrihn thb same partyl -e I'or the original projection, then, of the system, and for its entire management; the .wtiigs

arc, and of- right ought to be, strictly responsible. Others followed'the current,' but they

first opened the floodgates; others acquiesced, but they directed its course. ■ And blindly and wildly have they directed it through all its devious windings! if sonic lin-

gering doubt remains, as to the rashness qt the lira: conception of iho system, can there'be any as to its subsequent plan of management! If any there be, 1st us-he reminded, that tens

of thousands have already been paid to a board of public works fur mere incidental superinten-

dence, that hundreds of thousands have alrca-

df been spent on engineering surreys at\il locations; that millions of I tie amount borrowed by our fund commissioners, have not yet been touched by the (state, and may not, for years to come, be available; and that, after issuing cur stale bonds for internal improvement purposes to the amount of upwards of eight millions

I In the mac report alluded to inthc last foot note ?dr. tVilliunii gives, a* the “cilimato of work done opto Ut November Ins;, exclusive of superi'nlcucc,” tlm stitii .of £i'.. ! ,dlE?,St)d.* Tins mperi a (cadence, in Mr. Williams’ opinion , will be from f« to t« per cent, on the* above, say making to’ether about ‘.six mil lium nine* hundred and -evenly thousand i!ol'lari If we a lit thirty ilunrmd dollars for what has betji done u';.c: ti;e first of November find it h le.-s thaif the actual aniountj'we h ive scren millions as the told) cod of work done. The Report of die Guard of Internal Improvement made in the Legislature, c-liumits the total* value of obr original canal land', with probable accuracy, at ouo million dollars, T’liii deducted from (he above, leave* «x millions of »ho lota) expenditure fur internal ira- , proTCment, deducting the canal him! fund. 4 1° v,°fth Carolina the lax for State and county i> | rii cents oil the hundred dollar*. In Kentucky fen,j in 4 irgiriia tiglil, in Connecticut f:n. In Ohio,-thej] * roost heardy taxed state next to .ourselves, it is nom-li . inallf.one dollar nitJ forty cents; but in reality as ■ her.former govern.r in hu message informed hi, about l\lrty-fin cents for state ‘and county purposes ! while in Indiana, that tax, averages about /W cents in the hundred dollars, oyer the entire countim of the Stale. ' ■ Upwards (of three-fourths of our ml vnfqrutn Slate (ax gtJes for the support of Internal Improvement; fora lax of sevdn nnd n half cents with the poll tax :would over pay tno current expenses of our State Government

and .% HAL? of dollars,* *vc have not a single

* The total amount of Indiana slate bonds sold up to the 31st December, 1639, by the last etatcipcntof the fund commissioners, (including half p. million of bank bonds, which were to have been returned by the .Morris Canal. Company, and four hundred and fifty-live thousand dollars conditionally sdhl for the .Madison .Railroad) is 11,019,0(10; upwards of ELpveir millions of dollars. Of these bunds, are bonds sold to create bank stock. Deducting these, and adding the amount already'realized for canal bonds sol^[$274, OQOj 'we have the sum of $8,009,090, applicable to the construes lion of the public works; or rather which ougAl wider good management to hace been inapplicable. lint the (olal work done is, as sfiown in a funner note, about seven'millions; and of this $041,009 is still due to our bank, and upwards of a million and a half which p*fclIII unpaid.— Consequently, there has been paid out less than five millions and a haff; showing that dp wards of Tim eg millions .of dollars actually loaned by the (state of Indiana, and for which her

These various items arc given cbidllj in round numbers, : part)y for the sake of easy.reference, partly because the exact amounts arc not reported toihe legislature: but they aro sufficiently accurate for all practical-purposes, and aro furnished hero, not by way of impeaching the conduct, still lest the intentions, of individuals, hut in evidence, of tbo general*character and tbo dangers, of a system, leading, to such deplorable, results, . '

lelrfork complete!, no, Inor approaching complc-j >i;'tiou, if ire except the Wabash ami Erie canal,? Ir j which has a separate landTund for, its con'stnic:li * Iron, and was no part of the system of 1S1G.—_ )r The work done is dotted, in detached portions, r- all over the slate* His unprofitable and da* r* productive, indeed for the 'most part,'utterly j-, useless, until millions more arc spent, to cOiir lo nect these detached portions. And. as if to fill ic up the measure of mismanagement, after incurio ring that great debt; we find our contractors id ntid their laborers knocking at tnc door of jur j- capital, and demanding, nyl relief or extra at* a- luwanccs, or indulgence, but only their jial and t- legal dues; and demanding these in rain. 1 A if, melancholy example does the situation of these ie men furnish, how, ,by the misrule of a few of years, a slate may he‘‘reduced to the Inimilbs- ting necessity*of seeing her agents anti work* iu men become bankrupt before her eyes, for tfic jt lack of, those wages,'Jioncstly earned, which she, with millions has not vet, for a, the present, the means ,to pay. ■ f f , . Siich arc the circumstances under which the i- Democratic parly has received, from hcrpdliu id ical opponents, fho reins of state government, d. Let us, then, clearly distinguish our position/ n* A celebrated writer has said,-that "the lives of re the hcit bf us are spent in-c|n»istng between, ic evils.” (ftiis is in an especial manner, the pro* S, sent situation of the democratic party in Indi*j ai ana. It is not fur them to decide, whether tin ;h' stale shall undertake,’or shall not.undertake, i- an internal improvement system. It. is pot at their option now. (u determine, wlictlier.Iiijf diaoa shall incur, or-shall.not incur, a debt of n millions to foreign capitalists. . Before they 0 came into power ‘the deed was done., Anid..lct d the democratic party ’ act‘as' they, will they if choose at? evil still. Xml them .act as they will d some‘portion of our citizens will, probably, tp»- - dissatisfied • For. inen Tare ton j I* apt to. forget, that Iho errors of years cimioli* bh correctrd ip a day; : and to retreat from a ; - position of danger and! difficulty'with.‘safely 1 e nod honor. has .ever been hons'dereJ-ton sever- | i* est teat of'accom pUshed generalship.'; | e j Rclrcatl Is the 1 d IJocs it smack of nullification! If nullifica* i - lion mean tho destruction or abandonment of - all that has been done, lowasleandTuiu; then ;i - is it a course very different ffom any .we would I c approve. But from the recklcssj whie-spread* I f ing, lavish policyofthe -last Jour* years, we i * must'per force retreat.' The systepi. in ope ( t nullified itself. Fate, strongcrtlmn i systems, decrees ils suspcosioa for.lhc present. - s » Retreat is a mcasiiro of far morelbancaiilioD c 1 or prudence; it is commanded fay-imperative c - necessity. .* >. \ • • . .*/’ • . And .wo must retreat wiUi,honor'if we re- t I treat atoll. The fair fame of yourig : Iddiana - must remain, among tho nations of the earth t * undimmed,' even by a suspicion!If,it. be dUB* i ■ edit to determine what wp ought to do, wo can t r at least decide, what vyo ought not. • Comefthal s I trill, never must we depart ‘ from that pri’nci- * i pie embodied by Jefferson Jrtmsclf- in the code c f of original democracy: * ‘Tiie; honest'pay men! " * of- our dcbts. and sacred preservation of the t ► public faith.” 1 * . At seasons like the. present, it is useful to.be e > reminded of such principles, siptplo. and com* b t moo-place as they may seem,/And according; i ly .Marlin Van Biircn, ib his late message, lias “ , repeated and enforced the admonition, ‘ He •' i says: “Lot the faith of the states, corporations 1 >. and individuals, already pledged, he kept with the' most punctilious regard/dlt is due to biir ■ national.ch'aractor, us yell asHo. justice, that n this shouid, on the part off cacB bis a fixed prin* B ! dole, of conduct.” c If, during the fulfilment of these imperative *; obligations, times'shouId he oard anJ taxes be heanjr. nat with thosb whonow’impusc their T • L— L \ ; '■ ' ~ •;* ‘‘i ■ ! ' • v