Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress Page: 80

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APPENDIX— To Gales & Seaton's tegistev.
18th Congress, ,
2(1 Session. J
On Internal Improvements.
[H. of R.
America to those which the Bridgewater works did in
England, and be the origin of a thousand water communi-
cations in diflerentpartsofthe Union. The construction of
canals is now reduced to strict rules and methods, and can
be contracted for at so much per mile or lock. Although
.our minds are now free from the mist of ignorance and
prejudices, still important difficulties, but, it is trusted,
riot insuperable ones, remain, as to the course which the
United States ought to pursue on the highly interesting
subject of internal improvements. If we do not cherish
a spirit of concession, and act with liberal views, for the
general benefit, as to the places where public works are
first to be undertaken, success can scarcely be expect-
ed. Whether Congress will pledge its faith in advance,
on any plan, or act merely in specific cases, as they arise,
or upon a combination of both, according to the design
of the annexed bill, or upon the principle of an equal
proportionment among the states, according to the ratio
of representation, are grave and important questions;
and can only be settled by the experience and wisdom
of Congress, after solemn deliberation; but, when these
important points are disposed of, there will remain noth-
ing to impede the national councils from conferring on
their constituents the greatest blessings, and acquiring
for themselves imperishable renown. Ultimately, these
works may be looked upon as the best source of revenue,
and at all times they will effect a great saving in the la-
borand expense oftransportation, which will be diverted
to some other employment, and thus increase the wealth
of the whole, in a rime of war, lliev would facilitate,
beyond description, both in cheapness and expedition,
the transportation of troops and heavy munitions of war,
from the sea board to the Canada borders, or in the di-
rection of any other point in the Union where we could
be assailed.
>"o opinion can be formed, with accuracy, as to the ex-
pense of land-carriage, throughout the Union. It is, how-
ever, estimated, that 30,000 tons are annually transport-
ed over the mountains to Pittsburg, at the extraordinary
expense, for wagonage, of $600,000 a year, and this mode
oftransportation, besides, employs a large capital in wa-
gons, horses, feed, and attendants. A few facts will
show the enormous expense of transportation in times
of war. In the late war, flour, in some instances, cost
the government near one hundred dollars per barrel, and
pieces of artillery, each, near one thousand dollars, and,
owing to the delay, were useless, when they arrived.
The cost of transportation across the peninsula be-
tween the Delaware and the Chesapeake Hays, a dis-
tance of only sixteen miles, amounted, in one year, to a
little less than half a million of dollars. The losses in
the last war, for want of good roads and canals, were
very large, and, it is believed, they would be sufficient
to accomplish many of the important improvements
which are contemplated.
It may here be truly obs?rved, that, among the objects
of a national character, which occasionally engage the
public spirit and resources of a nation, none are more
l eneficial and none so permanent as the internal improve-
ments of the country. These will remain as lasting as
the riversthey connect, whileothers will be eflacedeven
from remembrance by the flow of time.
As to the me.'ins possessed by the General (Govern-
ment to perfect the contemplated improvements of the
country, they are abundant. ISeyoiul the sums to he
borrowed by the annexed bill, the redundancy in the
Treasury in each year, will meet specific cases of im-
provements of the first class, which maybe presented
at different periods. And if proper objects are selected
in the beginning, a revenue will constantly be coming
into the Treasury, as tire improvements are progressing;
some canals, it is probable, would yield more than six
per cent, soon after the.r completion. The Secretary
of the Treasury says we shall have an annual surplus of!
Upwards of three" millions, beyond the sinking fund, I
which will pay the public debt in ten years. This may
not all be realised, but it is probable that the surplus
will even exceed this estimate. The public debt will
be diminishing, and there will be less interest to pay j
the appropriations for fortifications will not be as large
as they have been ; the pension fund has diminished more
than one half in the last three or four years, and must en-
tirely cease in a short time—from this source alone, up-
wards of a million will be disengaged ; the customs will
increase with the growing population of the country; and
the Government, besides, owns about 500 millions of
acres of land, the value of many parts of which will be
enhanced by the improvements of the country.
ISut we will suppose the case which is the most favor-
able; and that is, that the debt, together with the im-
provements, should go down to posterity, it would only
create an obligation on those who would have the enjoy-
ment of the improvements, to pay the debt. Would
posterity have any cause of complaint, when so much
labor would be performed to their hands ? They would
not murmur; they would rather biessthe authors of their
benefaction.
As to means, on questions of improvements, ability is
the only requisite, if the works, when they are complet-
ed, will be worth what they cost; the want of money in
the Treasury should never form an ob jection to their ex-
ecution. In such cases, it is only necessary to inquire,
whether we have a sufficiency of credit, labor, and skill;
these constitute the meins; and on this enlightened po-
licy, the great improvements in the state of New York
have been made.
The importance of placing this country in the most ad-
vantageous condition, to enable it to enter into compe-
tition with the countries of Europe in the trade with the
Republics of South America, must be obvious to every
enlightened statesman.
The discovery of a passage round the Cape of Good
Hope to the East Indies, was an important era in the
history of Europe; and it may be assumed that the in-
dependence of South America is not less so to this coun-
try. No country can offer to us commercial openings
more rich, or more within our reach, than the Spanish
Republics. Our territories touch. The ports of Louisi-
ana and Vera Cruz are connected with the same sea.—
Our access to Mexico will be easy. As regards the im-
portance of Mexico, it is illustrated by the circumstance,
that it is the richest and most extensive of all the Span-
ish possessions; it exceeds in magnitude, Spain, France,
and Italy united. All the eastern coast of Mexico, the
Kingdom of Terra Firmaand Paraguay, are nearer to U9
than the ports of Europe; here is a wide field opening
for the commercial enterprise of the Americans. It would
be presumptuous to attempt to point out the particular
character of the trade, i : all its branches; but that two
groat countries, geographically situated as these are,
can remain without an immensity of commercial inter-
course, is incredible. Nothing can be more intimately
connected than the interest of commerce, and that of the
cultivators of the land ; and the manufacturing interest
naturally follows as a benefit to both.
We can get nothing from abroad, if we have not some-
thing at home, to exchange for it; and this something
must come from the earth or the sea, but mainly from
the land.
The objocts of commerce will not grow in the streets
or along the margin of the sea; they are to be obtained
in the interior of the country, or from manufacturing
places. The navigation of the country depends on the
'interior prosperity of the oountry, and must rise or fall
with it. Navigation follows, it cannot lead; and the
more the objects of commerce are increased, the more
ships will be wanted.
The raw materials, and the various productions of the
soil, in the first instance, belong to the cultivators of the
land ; and the trade of the country belongs to the people