The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-12-10

with pleasure, the great ADVANTAGES .,tcv
have derived from the cooperation of TIC
twelve respectable gentlemen. who,. as visit
ors, at the request of the Executive and
without any other inducement than the:laud-
ao'e desire OF rendering pubic service,
have undertaken regularly to visit the Peni-
Tertiary to superintend Us operations, and
to suggest to the Executive such improve
ments as experience and observation shall
dictate. Mr., Abraham Douglass, formerly
OF Philadelphia, who was appointed Keep
er, on the resignation of Mr.. Minis, to long
acquaintance with ali the details of such an
establishment, and knowledge of the great
principles on which it is founded, adds, it is
believed, that steady uniformity of temper,
that benevolcnce and humanity of heart, and
that energy of character, sonecessary in the
Keeper Of such an Institution. He ievotes an
undivided and unremitting attent OF to It's in
tcrests, and bids fair to conduct us to all the
advantages which can be expected from such
an establishment. The PhilanthroDst will
not be assailed by the objection of tine Deco
nomist, that these advantages are purchased
too dearly, by the e;travagant expenditure
OF the public treasure. l enclose the general
| account between the Commonwealth and the
Pcnitentiary for the period commencing the
ISL Gay OF April (when the present keeper
commenced his duties) and ending the 3Oth
nave hereto regulated similar estimates, and
exhibiting a balance, in favor of the lnstitu-
| tion CT lO,370 dollars and 81 Cents In order
however 10 ascertain the real profits of the E
! establishment, il will be necessary to deduct
from this sum, the amount of the Salaries of
the officers, and of some incidental c:;pences.
| the whole of which Cannot, it is believed eX-
ceed 1000 dollars, and will leave at least
ZOO dollars cleared by the institution, in the
nf a,.-l,f
statement OF the operations in the different
| branches Of manufacture, will be embraced
| by subsequent but early communication.
L submit herewith the report of Charles
beale and Joseph Grigsby esquires, on the
subject OF the road directed to be opened
| from the upper navigation of James river to
the upper navigation of Kanawha river made
| In pursuance OF an act of the last assembly.
also enclose a report on the same subject.
made in the year 1905, by Charles Arbuckle
and James Anderson, junior, esQuires, as be-
| ing referred to by that Just mentioned tope-
| ther with statement of the expenditures
OF public money on this object / am sorry
| to observe that it it is so far from being com
pleted, as IN its present state, to afford but
few advantages. The Executive will not fail
to do their duty as prescribed by the act Of
the last session but the further nterposition
OF the Legislature will be necessary, and
their attention is invited TO the subject This
! road is highly necessary to the accommoda
ton OF large portion of cur fellow citizens,
and may be made, not only the best chain of
| connection between the navigation of the cas-
tern and western waters of Four state, but per-
maps the most advantageous channel for COM
communicating the commerce of the Atlantic
to the Mississippi and its vast tributary
streams. AT time when the operation Of a
law OF Congress is about to suspend, almost
| the whole OF our commercial intercourse with
particular nation from which we have here
| tofore drawn our principal supplies, and
when we are threatened with a war which
would materially affect the whole of our To-
reign commerce, every circumstance that
will facilitate the communication between
| the remote parts of our country, and extend
and improve our internal navigation, merits
the serious attention of the Legislature In
this view, the Dismal Swamp Canal, con-
meeting the extensive waters of the Chesa
peake Bay, with those of Albcmarle Sound
wiil become very important object, in which
the public must feel deep interest lex
pect to receive In the course of few DAYS,
| more particular information on the state of
this canal than now possess, and | shall take
pleasure in communicating it, to the assem-
ply. am not sensible that there is any cir
cumstance III relation to any of the other pub
TIC works or establishments, that requires IN
be made the subject of particular communi
cation but, should the Legislature wish anv
information in respect to any of them, or to
auy act of the administration Of the govern
ment, | shall take pleasure in impartinc it
as Tar rs may be in my power.
1t the present unsettled state of our FOREIGN
relations ought to induce more than ordjna-
~ attention to subjects, relating to internal
navigation and domestic commerce, how
much greater will be its influence i'm cxhort-
ing us TO be prepared for defending our dear
est rights against foreign aggression, In e.
very age, and in every state of society, the
maxim, that the best mode Of avertinc war.
is to be prepared to repcl it, has been admit
ted to be the dictate of the soundcst wisdom.
1t there could heretofore have been a doubt
on this subject, that doubt viii be removed
forever, by the history OF the present tines
We might, in Confirmation of this ti.lth, refer
to some late occurrences in Europe, i'll which
we have no farther interest than 70 profit
from the instructive lessons they afford--I,ut
we need not go beyond tho limits Of our own
experience. We have felt that the sinccrc;t
love OF peace, and the most scrupuous regard
to justice, have not preserved us from the
most hImiliatlng insults and the most agra
waited wrongs; and the clouds Which
we now see collecting in our horizon,
indicate the approaching storm Of War-Bat
IT we cannot avert it, let us be prepared TO
meet it--SuDnorfed nv tLe ron.c;o,,,' ,:-I.-