Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-02-27

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the Resolution fer sr9sng a bridge q.
M &c e.. : AM: wv.
TWO DAYS have already been en-
plsFed IN discussing the proprlesy OF erect
ing bridge over the river Potomac, to
facilitate and shorten the intercourse, be-
tween the Eastera and Western states OF
the union. Before theqaession Is tskea
am desirons of assigning some OF, ths rea-
SONS which will influence my vote. pro-
c,ise the committee, however, that my
ohservations shall be as short as tho nature
Of the subject will permit. The very a.
.hle snpDort given TO the resolution upon
your table, by the honora5ie chairman 81
the committee who reported It; aided by
INV honorable colleague, Mr.. Clarke an
honorable gentleman from New Jersey,
MIR Elmer, and an hon. gentleman from
Mass. (Ir. Ely, will considerably abridge
the observations, which otherwise should
have thought it my duty To make. Ii is my
wish sir, 70 give TINS subject fair, can
i did, and impartial investigation; aud II It
:. shall appear that all The numerous evils
swiIl result from lls adoption, which the
peonle of George. Town, seem to suppose,
j will be the last man or this floor to ssuc.
I. sion It's passage bur It On the other hand,
their objections are chimesical, and have
emana:ea from an unfounded jealousy or
their neighsors, ! shall give TO this nea-
:, sure my most decided aud uaeqnIyacal aP,
probation : afa in this DISCRIMINATION
trust, shall be aided by a large ms.
;ority Of She committee.
There is bur QUE point to which, in nay
) opinion, the astcntien of this committee
ought so-be directed.--.Wil the erection OF
the contemplated bridge, iniure the navi.
cation of the river Potomac This is the
only question applicable to the subject;
and the only. pivot upon which 1t ought TO
{ turn. Let Us Mr.. chairman examine the
: objections and reasoning of the anti,nse-
/, moriaIsss upon this point. They say in
their memorial tina, sc They consider their
5 natural aud political rights, will be infring-
ed, by the. adoption of this measure, as
the navigation of the river will be injured
and obstrncted thereby that from the
.smseting of the stream and tide water, at
she place where the bridgeis contemplated,
tendency will be produced ia the lmPed-
cd stream water 30 deposit the earthly par
ticles with which it is charged IN time of
freshes, * by which they apprehend the pre-.
sens entire, main and deep channel may be
divided into many small aud narrow pas.
sages TO the great injury OF the nayiga,
tien." This sir, is the bare assertion OF
the counter memoriahsts; they have not
deigned TO state one single fact, or adduee
the smallest rroof in support OF result
which they have taken for granted, wall be
inevitable. Although the proof rests upon
the opponents 10 this measure, and not up.
on its friends vet am willing anG pre-
pared TO prove, by the best evidence the
s nature of the case will admit; that the ma
yication of the Potomac instead OF being
ipiured, will be greatly benefited by the
crectiou of this bridge. Sir, the evidence
I shall offer is drawn from experience. IT'S
known that in Europe as we'll as IN th's
country, piers have been sunk tor the exc
press purpose of deepening the channel &
improving the navigation OF rivers and II
this experiment has succeeded IN all other
countries, and rivers, surely 1t will not
fail in the Potomac. Ii is not to be believ-
ed that the Potomac is unlike every sher
river in the world.-But sir, five had
nds the aid of experience before US, com.
mon sense aad common reason, would
revolt at the idea of injuring tbs navigation
in the manner stated By the counter memo.
rialisss. Ryeu obiige vessels of all descriP.
tons to pass through your draw aud OF
course pursuethe same channel, will it not
have tendency 10 deepen and clean
the channel, by agita,ing the sediment
which may have settled there, and which
will by that meansebe swept away by the
currentS and instead of a number of small
channels will IL not have the opposite effect