The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-06-04
COPY
MouNr VERNON, Feb. LIST, 1895.

(COPY)
MOUNT VERNON, Feb LIST, 1895.
49, Having begun letter to you, will take the
liberty of suggesting matter for your consider.
aton which lift strikes you in the forcible light
it does me, & is realised, you may profit by-if
it does not, hope at the same time tn at though
You may arrsign my foresight or charge me with
being too ssngu;ne, you will do justice 10 my
motives. These let me assure you are Friendly
and pure
No doubt before this letter can have reached
you, you will have he ard that the states of Viz
giri. and Maryland. have enacted laws for the
purpose of opening and extending the navigate
on Ofthe rivers Potomac and lanes as far as
practicable and communicating them by good
roads with the nearest navigable w iters( Tor in
lard crafty to the westward The first to be un-
der,sks ~ corporate companies with public aid
The other at public expence.
The tolls which are granted to encourage the
first OF these are in my opinion fully adequate
to the pu' pose.-As candid man think Them
too high, considering the harvest which the pub
lie is preparing for the adyenturers in that un
aei KING ny opening communication between
tbc Atlantic and Western Territory. But the
Importance of the object considered either in
commercial or polite point of view is so great
1.-The combination off,yorabe circums, anccs at
this epoch many-----;Hd the ability of the
two States under tp.li present pressure of
(even fit had been Judged the best mode THAT II
Commence withou, delay i, was thought bes, to
offer productive field 10 those who are .ispos-
ed to labor therein.-Ans it live TO See the IS
sue, l will, fit does not prove so, ackno Wedge
myself more mistaken than ever was before in
z any speculative point
l ,lo not advance this doctrine my good sir.
TO stimulate you to becomes subscriber --If
was disposed to this at the hazard of, decent
] see no occ sion for it in the instance
Defore us, for it is more the present expec-
lat'op, that redundancy, than de6cierxy " II
be the result OF the subscription for This river.
and because your own judgment and convent
ence, can best determine to wha, amount, or
whether to subscribe any thing towards the ex.
tension OK this plan.--There arc some things
however O. which some men have better opp5r
tunities to form opinions than others, and Of the
intercourse which this work is likely TO open
between the tide water of the river Potomac,
and tn, greatest extent of back country WITHIN
the u. 8 have good means TO judge from,
as most men and am fully pursuaded there is
no field in any one ofthem inviting to com
merce as this is if extent ofcountry, popuia,i-
on and produce, with uncommon advantages II
the transportation of it, are essential to the eur
coursg rment and support Oft.
But these want to be embraced. They can
not, owever remain unimproved long m r
Z cantI,e eye is penetrating and the first Capital
House that is established, may form connect ,ons
Pian) OF trading to the greatest possible extent
from the upper sea ports cfthis river
No man who has a knowledge Of TIE river
Potomac, barbors doubi Of the practicabty
of opening tie navigation of IL frq' the great
Falls 10 Fort Cumberland (about 200 m: ies) nor
OF doing 1t DO miles higher aud buI very few
have any, OF the practicablty OF opening IT from
tba great Fails (inclusiyey) TO lid. Water
which is under miles. The acts have spoke
oDf. are TO encourage and authorize The under =
taking of these and as have observed before.
sufficient privileges and mmunties are granted
Is for the purpose.
From Fort Cumberland a good Road may
BIZ lad TO the Turkey foot, or three branches OF
the Yobiogany which will not exceed, am told
so ni5l s----from hence the Navigation TO Fort
Pit abou IS miles further) although there !,
on Fail IN the way, can be made good at very
moderate txpence. Audi going up the North
Branch about 40 miles above Fort Cumberland
a portage may be had with the Cheet river
= which " II not exceed 20 miles of good road
from thence to the MOnODgahels, by land, OF
water may be about 25 miles more We have
chen as 10 the case ofthe foIiogany communities
zion open 10 the diiEusye navigation (more ex-
tensiye perhaps than is to be met with in any
rountry upon earth in its natural state) OF the
whole western territory. And IL ammo: misin
form with respect to the carrying places be
tween CAyshoga Ga Water Of Lake ErIe) and
b. Beaver creek and MuskIngbam which dis
embogue in the Ohio, in different parts, there
IL no ro.t 80 short so easy, and attended with So
little eypence, as these have just mentioned
20 bring the fur and peltry OF the Lakes, even
from that Of the Wood 30 asbipp'ng poft One
of them (by the Yohiogsny) IS shorter at less
E5O miles thsn that to either Albany or Mon
Heal. and itc way open when the others are
blocked. and ia besides more independents Of the
5fieriercnce Of foreign powers 1t IS true there
are some branches Of the Allegheny above For
PITY which communicate nearly with the water.
ofsusquehannah and which by great ezertior
and much expehce may be made use OF at Ger
tam seasons Of the year, but thought in sumHei
and ice in winter will render them ofltue va
lie
But to place things in less favorable poin
ofvie,v Wit grsut that COMMUNICATION be
tv4 snito Rsbkeminetas, oghulbsghknam Of
1eby's reek (waisrs most favorable for IT