The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-08-16
REPORT
OF TIRE SECRETARY or TIE TREASURY,
ON THE SUBJECT OF
PUBLIC ROADS q CANALS,
Made in ftrsuence
erAREsoLuTIeN OF SENATE OF MARCH .
REPORT
IooNrINUEp.1

An ANNUAL appropriation of two millions of dol
lars, would accomplish all these great objects in
ten years. and may Without Inconvenience, be
supplied in time OF peace, by the existing reve
n,ies and resources of the United States. This
may be exemplified in several ways.
1he annual appropriation account OF the
principal and interest of the public debt, has, du-
ring the last SIX years, amounted to eight rnilii
ons Of dollars. Af;erthe present year, or ut far
thest, after the ensuing year, the sum which, on
account of the irredeeDr,bie nature OF the re-
manning debt, may be applied TO that object, can
not in any year exceed 4,oo0,OoO dollars,
leaving therefore from that source alone, an annu
al surplus of 100000 dollars, applicable to any
other object.
From the LIST January, 1901, to the LIST January,
1902, period of eight years, the United States
shall have discharged about 81 millions of the
principal Of the old debt, or deducting the Loui-
siana debt, incurred during the same period, and
not yet discharged, about % millions OF dollars
They may with equal facility, apply in period of
ten years, q of 90 millions of dollars, to ia
iernal improvements.
The annual permanent revenue of the United
States calculated on state of general peace, and
on the most moderate estimate, was in report
made to Congress the 9th day OF December,
1906, computed for the years 1S09-1S15, at Il
millions of dollars. The annual eXpences on the
peace establishment, and including the 4,600,00O
dollars on account of the debt, and 100000 dol
lars for contingencies, do not exceed eight milf
onS and u half0f dollarsA Toprovide for the pro-
lection and defence of the country, is undOubt-
eddy the object to which the resources of the u
Ated Stotes must in The frstinstancc, be applied,
and to the exclusion OF all others, if the times
shall require it. But it is believed, that IN times
of peace, (and to such period only are these
marks applicable the surplus viii be amply suifi-
cient to defray the expenses OF all the prcpara-
tory measures of pernianentnatlre, which pru-
defce may suggest, and to pay the sum destined
for internal improvements. Three millions annu-
ally applied during the same period OF ten years,
would arm every man in the u. States, fill the
public arsenals ana magazines, erect every bate
ny and fertilization which COULD be manned, and
ever, if thought eligible, build a navy That the
whole surplus would be inadequate to the support
OF any considerable encrease of te land or naval
force kept III actual service in time of peace, will
be readily adnlitted. But such system is not
contemplated If ever adopted, the objects ofths
report must probably be abandoned For it has
not heretofore been found an easy task for any go
. veynment to indulge in that species of eXpences,
winch leaving trace behind it, ADDS nothing 10
the real strength of the country, and at the same
time to provide for either its permanent defence
orimprovement.
Itmust net be omitted that the facility OF com
munications, constitutes, particularly in the Uni
ted States, important branch OF national de-
fence. Their extensive territory opposes a pow
erful obstacle to the progress Of an enemy But
on the other hand, the number of regular forces
which may be raised, necessarily limited by the
population, will for many years be inconsidera-
bic when compared with that extent of territory
That defect cannot otherwise be supplied than
bythose great national improvements, which will
afford the means Of ra;.id concentration Of t,
regular force and of = formidable body OF mill
tia, onany given point
Amongst the resources of the union, there is
one which, from its nature seems more paitcu-
L.riy applicable 70 internal improvements. Ex
clusiveiy Of Louisiana, the general government
possesses, III trust Tor the people OF the United
States, about one hundred millions Of acres fit |
Tor cultivation, north Of the river Ohio and near
~ fifty millions south of the state OF Tennessee
For the disposition OF those lands, plan has been
adopted, calculated to enable every industrious
citizen to become frechuldcr, to secure indispu-
table titles TO the purchasers, to obtain rational
revenue, and above all to suppress monopoiy It's
success has surpassed that OF every other attempt
and exceeded the expectations Of its authors
But higher price than had usually been paid for
WASTE lands by the first inhabitants of the frontier
became unavoidable il gredcnt OF system M
ten3ed for general benefit, and was necessary in
ort,cr to prevent tie pubic lands from being en-
Or sscd by individuals possessing greater wea!th,
activity or local advantages. 1t is believed that
not@ng could be more gratifying To the purchas-
trs and TO the in. +'taIts OF the western states
generally, better calculated to remove popular
objections. and TO defeat insiaioGs efforts tlian
the application Of the proceeds Of the sales to
impro' IA eDts comforting advantages on the n |
ton, and immediate benefit on The purchasers |
and Inhabitants themselves 1t may be added |
that the u S considered merely IS owncIs oil
tie soil, also deeply interest Ia the opening
OF those COMMUNICATIONS, which mist saii-
l. enhance tne ysiue oftheii property. Thus the
opening OF AN nd Navigation from tide water
TO the great Lakes, would Immediately give to Tie
great body Of lands bordering those Lakes, as
gre2t value If they were Situated az the dis |
lance Ct Que hundred miles by land from the sea
coasl hHd If the proceeds Of The first ten nil.
lions of acres which may be sold, were applied
to such improvements, the United States wouid
bv amply repaid IN the sale of the other ninety
millions.
The annual appropriation of two millions of dol
lars drawn from the general revenues of tie uni
on, which has been suggested, could operate 70
It's tuil extent only in times OF Isetce and under
prosperous circumstances The application oil
the proceeds Of the sales Of tie pubic lands,
might perhaps be made PERMANENT, until ii he'd a
mounted 10 a certain SUN, and until the most i'm
pOrtant improvements had been effected The
fu!id created by those improvements tic expense
OF which had been estimated at twenty millions
OF dollars, would afterwards become itself per.
petua resource for further improvements Al.
though some oithose first communications should
not become Immediately productive, and al,llo'
the same liberal policy, which dictated the mea-
sure, would consider .hen less Us objects to 20
venn'ent, than Of Increased wealth aud general