Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-05-12

% ~ ,ha, ia other aud older countries,
w ). Of sach great public utility have,
W. bess left 10 the feeble efforts OF pri.
'e's' .,a,,siddals..s Ia Holland their nu-
.,ous canals are all constructed and sup
p. I'D ), the public expense. In France
,uc great canals of Briarc and Languc.
~ -. ..msin the most lasting and useful
~ o,nuens of the respective monarchs that
.aa,d them. And shall we, sir, refuse
= 'ss It le aid proposed by this bill. TO a
-, ,,ay of patriosic individuals, who to
~ infinite honor, have attempted ST.
s,l.r improvement in our own country
And who, after expending more than an
..adr. d thousand dollars ofprivatr capital
naoo the work, we see sinking 10 despon-
srrey. and .prritless under the magnitude
q ,he undertaking. and the pressure OF the
sxpep.e! No, slr-No such contracted
n,,sersble sen,imen, can influence ,has bo
!, know TOO well their warm and yea!
oos attachment to the pablic good. This
..oa,e " i'll never surrsader the character
e me nation 10 the just sarcasms OF every
fueiguer, who in passing The country
~ wears hence, must see all that part OF
III. grra, public work already Completed
10 a pile If runs, unlrsskhe aid proposed
be granted. Ihegrntlen'an from Massa-
shuss. before me MIR. Adans) has com.
blamed Of our adducing upon the foor OF
he senate thesopinions of ,h- secretary OF
The treasury 10 our favor Sir, it became
necessary 10 consuls that officer both as TO
the funds aud the best mode OF applying
Them, and the lberality OF his sentiments
90 this subject do him honor; no eulogv
Of nine can heightrn them. wish the
eso.leman froEa Massachusetts himself
was sometimes capable OF being influenced
b such. And 90 withdrawing the doub;s
that have been suggested as 10 The practl.
sabl.l.y of ihe scheme now proposed, this
is reduced TO a moral cer.siniy. as muss
be obsioas To every gentleman who ha,
seen, or will hear aud believe any thing, IN
rsla.ioa to the ground over which the canal
islo pass 10 iss whole course there are
no mountains to perfoyate, no rocks to blow.
no morasses to embank, no rivers over
which TO pass aeueaucts, but mere plain
digging through a level country ct clay.
And although The gentleman from Mary
laud (Gen. Smithl was pleased TO tell US OF
tie impossibili,y Of forming even ration.
slconlee.ure as to the probable expense OF
sagrsa. an undertaking, yet sir. give me
leave TO tell that gentleman, aad this SC.
nate, that the managers having progressed
thus far upon contracts by the squars yard,
are thence able to ascertain almost TO acer
iainly, the probable expense Of the work
before them, upon the same mathematical
prOciple thats mechanlc who had built a
room twenty teet square, would hs abie%o
calculate from thas, what would be the cost
Of another of thirty or forty feet square,
ronslruc ed in the same manner, and OF
the same materials. Upon this datum is
iounded The calculation they have submit
tee to you, and without dlsparagement to
any oilers, will here say, that no Cit.
asos of the U. S. are more justly entitled
your confidence. Nov let me ask, Mr..
Frss'dsDt,wha, better disposition you could
make OF a small portion Of your vacant
lands than by applying TO aid In the exc
sul'on of this great public Improvement
We do not wish them for nothing, but OF.
Ter you 10 stock the full ameun, OF their lie,
6d price your object is to sell And !
am we'll Instructed that the government
consider themselves as holding pear 500
all'ons Of acres on this side the Missis'
ssppl, on the other side a world Of un'
10own acres more. vastly more, permit
me to suggest. viewing the uncertainty OF
A human establishments, than they may
ever have an opportunity of sellias. at
vast tor cenuries to come. barring all as
s'ueot. Why not then apply some Of them
1O~ to the Improvement of the country !!
a0s passing of this law will not occasion
ae selling single acre less. whilst the
'ppropriasion we ask of these lands, at the
IL u a<Nh