The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-09-11
To the Honorable the Senate and House of
Representatives. in General Court assembled.
; NHG Petition of the Subscrib-

Viz CllllOll Ol Tic hCuUoCI fD~
& ers, Inhabitants of the County of Wo7-
cester, respectfully SheeeM-That among the
many Improvements which the enterprise of
our conntrymen is constantly projecting and
multiplying, none at the present time receive
SO great a share of publick attention, and prom
Use such important results, as The establishment
he natural chahn I!!sAE 81 Internal Navigation.
Our fellowcitizens are every where alive to
THIS interesting :abject. Canals are proposed
in various sections of the country, some of
which will he of great extent, and consequent
ly attended with immense expense But it
does not appear probable that in single in
stance, any difficulties, which nature has not
rendered insuperable, viii be suffered TO defeat
projects so essentially affecting he vital inter-
ests Of the community. The vast undertaking
in which neighbouring State has engaged,
(and the advantages of which are beyond the
Limits of ca,culation) has given an impulse to
the dormant energies of the country, and has
opened TO us new views OF ourtpresent powers
and our future destiny. Several similar under
takings have already been commented; and
at a recent session Of the Legislature Of Con-
necticut, a company was Incorporated for the
purposes Of opening a Canal on the hanks Of
rience fully justdes the antcipations of those
who are friendly to this branch of publiek i'm
provcmeat; and it must be wholly uunecessa-
ry for us 10 enter into a hi.tory Of Canal Nav
igation, either in Europe or America, to con-
vince the enlightened Legislature OF Massa-
chnsetts, that such enterprises, wherever there
is a reasonable prospect of successfully accom-
plshing them, not only merit the united efforts
Of individuals in their favour, but ought to re-
ceiVe the protection and patronage of those
Who are constituted the guardians Of the pub
lick veal. While so laudabe spirit per-
vades the country, we confidently trust that
Massachusetts will not be blind to her own in
terests, or suffer other States, inferior TO her in
population, wealth and resources, to take the
load IN the march Of improvement. Your Pc
ttloners and the people Of the County of
Worcester s snerally are anxious to avoid this
Tcproach, and canupt any longer shut their
eyes 10 the advantages with which nature
seems to have peculiarly favoured them.
II is physically certain, that a water commu-
nlcation may be opened between the sea-board
and the very heart and centre of our County;
aud It needs no argument to prove that through
this great ariery new life may be difTused, as il
were, by Thousand veins, 10 every part Of
our extensive, fertile, and populouS territory.
The Blackstone River, a principal branch of
which rises in the town of Worcester, takes its
course to the tide-waters at Providence, by
route much less circuitous than is common
with streams OF no greater magnitude. In its
progress il receives numerous accessions, and
viii furnish an abundant supply of water for a
Canal to be opened on its banks; and where
any deficiency might be apprehended, there
happily exist reservoirs, the copiousness of
which must remove AL anxiety on this ac-
count. The stream itself in its natural chan
mel isnot nayigable for any considerable dis
lance, nor can ii be made so /: il cannot, there
fore, be useful for the purposes of navigation,
unless by the aid Of an artificial water-course
1t is for the purpose Of opening Canal up
on the route we have above described, that we
ask for those corporate powers which are nec-
essary to carry into operation an enterprise SO
Immediately beneficial to ourselves, and, as
webelieye, soinportant to the Commonwealth
at large. That our scheme is practicable, we
have not the smallest doubt and we are for
lied incur belief, not only by the opinion Of