74 N. H. STATE AGRICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



ment, is so great that one can hardly travel over them 

 witliout being led seriously to doubt whether our system 

 of leaving the construction and control of lines of inter- 

 nal communication to private enterprise is not an errone- 

 ous one, and whether they ought not in all cases to be un- 

 dertaken and managed by the general and state govern- 

 ments, rather than entrusted to the hands of irresponsible 

 and, as experience has shown, for the most part unprinci- 

 pled, speculating corporations. 



The effects of corporate action in these matters have been 

 much the same in England as here ; while on the continent of 

 Europe they liave been chiefly, avoided, by holding all internal 

 improvements in the hands, or at least under the complete 

 control, of the authorities of the State. 



On the other hand, it must be admitted that the execution 

 of public works by the general or State Governments in 

 America would be liable to one result mischievous here, but 

 which is rather a benefit in Europe, or at least is neutralized 

 by advantages important enough to counteract, or rather 

 compensate, its evils. I refer to the great increase of gov- 

 ernmental patronage, and consequently of political corrup- 

 tion, which belongs to their system. The management of our 

 State works is perhaps as niucli infected with political de- 

 pravity as any branch of our national government ; but it de- 

 serves to be well considered whctlier even this is not a less 

 evil than the wide-spread demoralization and the vast amount 

 of private ruin and misery, which are necessary consequences 

 of tlic predominance of corporate action and tlie trade of 

 stock-jobbing. At any rate the evils of government patronage 

 miglit be lessened by lengthenhig the term of office, and mak- 

 ing it more independent of party favor; and if you were sur- 

 rounded by a greater number of partizans ready to beguile 

 you of your vote, you would probably find fewer Avhom prac- 

 tice had taught dexterity in the act of lawfully picking your 

 pocket. 



In continental Eui'opc the amount of government patron- 



