[ 193 ] 
tance of road they are about to make> and the vast 
amount of capital granted to them, constitute so ex¬ 
tensive a system of turnpiking, that important 
consequences are to he anticipated from it. The 
immediate effect of opening and improving a great 
extent of road, and building numerous bridges,f 
must, without doubt, prove beneficial in a high de¬ 
gree to the state, inasmuch as they encourage set-^ 
tiements, open new channels for the transportation 
of produce and merchandize, increase the products 
of agriculture, and facilitate every species of inters 
nal commerce. But what may be the ultimate cf^ 
feet in a country and under a government like 
ours, of the establishment of these numerous in¬ 
corporated companies, with large capitals, having 
all one common interest and object, with the priyi-, 
lege of exacting large contributions of toll from the 
community, for an unlimited period of time, re- 
mains to be determined by experiment. The sue-, 
ceeding statement of the several turnpike and 
bridge companies, with the amount of their capital 
stock, and the distance of road to be made, will 
serve to shew how far we have gone into this sys-? 
tern, and enable every one to draw his own conclu¬ 
sions. It is a document which certainly furnishes 
a pleasing indication of the enterprize and prosper¬ 
ity of the people of this' state ; and whilst it may 
have a tendency to excite the emulation of our sis¬ 
ter states, it cannot fail, I think, to be useful even 
to our own legislators, who, above all, ought to be 
minutely acquainted with the subject. 
