Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-12-14

have a sufficient depth Of water al all sea-
sons OF the year for the passage of boats.
These internal Improvements effected,
and Illinois would soon rise to her proper
rank, in wealth, in population, and IN he
facilities of commercial Intercourse.
Ii is hoped that the Legislature will
see the prcpriety Of opening, as soon as
possible, these great commercial chan
iEc!s oi nature. Let it not be said that
the State is tso new, and has not as yet
the means Of ehcc,ing SO great an M
dertaains. II Illinois has hot now the
necessary means speedily 10 coihplete
the work, she has enough to commence
it; and economy and iudicious arrange
mems will soon afford her the means of
completing it. II should be borne in
| mind, That, with sell aeknow lodged 10
be more generally fertile thaD that OF any
OF the other STATES, Illinois Is poss essed
OF more abundant resources than any Of
the new States. The SSlines grained 10
her by lha United States are more pro-
ductlye than those granted to any other
State; and the three millions of acres Of
land granted to the soldiers OF The late
war, as military hoanties, though they
nay fora certain time impede the settle.
men. end prosperity of the State, from
the circumstance Of their being chiefly
owned in large quantities by non-residen.
purchasers, will have the immediate eff
seCt OF increasing the revenue from tax
able lands. A IS these Two sources Of
revenue, therefore, are more ihan fall 70
! IL In, a..
10 bs great propriely in spproprla'ing
them to the great work OF Internal i'm
l,rovcn,ent--l.eving the aeairary=
penditares es tina civil ADMINISTRATION #
the State, 10 be met, as in other States,
by ordinary taxation.
The Union being deeply interested
IN the success oi the undertak my, BIZ
n9s has right 10 expect the assistance
OF the Fedora Government in Opening
ihe proposed connection between the
Lakes and the Mississippi. i has been
seen, however, with regret, that IN the
act passed on this subject. Curing the
last Session 81 Congress, liule or Nothing
was granted, and much required from
the State .---Tael act referred to only
gave PERMISSION to the SAFE To cut
canal through the public lands connect-
ing the Illinois river With Lake Michi-
gan, and granting OFT the breadth Of
the canal, and ninety feet on each side Of
it. a, consideration ;or his permis-
sion, and very small grant Of land, it
was required that the State should per-
init all articles belonging to the I'm, cd
States, OF TO any person il their empty,
to pass toll free forever. These condi-
tons are less liberal than indiV EQUALS
holding SMALL tracts ofland usually grant
for the benefit OF having a nav igabe
canal bron ght by their doors and wnen
III is reeol!ected that the United
States own all tue lands through
which the proposed canal would
pass, and for an immense distance about
Il, and cf course tha. the immediate be-
nSat IL the Increased value ol the land
weu,l be confined 10 the United Sise3,
il Cannot bat excite surprise that So lit
tie should have been grained BY party
who had So much TO give, and who would
be SC much ben, flied by the gift From
the wise and liberal views, hewe9er,
which have so generally mars cd the
proceedings ofConeress, ieel persuaded
that rtconsidera ion Of Inc subject will
lead to more favorable result. To say
nothing oil The hreatiacililiss it will afford
20 the transportation ofthe means of de-
fence TO the various parts OF our great
Republic, and to its commercial aud
friendly Intercourse, a canal would have
,he immediate and dircci ea.3ct of great
ly Increasing ihe value OF the public
lands. Thus a grant OF land TO the State
which would enable i, speedily 70 COM
plcte the canal, would not only be greatly
beneficial to the State and Union, but
by increasing the value and sale Of the
public LANDS, would add to, rather than
diminish the proceeds fom them. This
view OF the sgbl~c' is calculatedto remove
objections 10 the power Of Congress TO
MAKE the proposed gran, Of land, as it's
not, s,r;ctly speaking, an appropriation
of public prsperty 10 Internal improve
menis, bat only such disposition OF i, as
is best calculated 10 advance its value.
To obtain the requisite inlori:, alton,
and TO enable the State to effect these
great objects, Irecommend to the Lesis-
.aturs--
lst Ts form fund to be appropriate
ed exclusively TO internal improve mems,
to consist OF the revenues cccIvcd into
the Treasury from the military bounty
lands from the saiues; from iines, and
torteiluges, or such portion thereof as lie
public exlleucies viii adult OF; and
from such o,ner sources as the Legisla-
ture, ia is wisdom, may think proper 10