Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-07-22
GREAT INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
tFor tAe National InteIiigencer.l

ture, and in the arts auxiliary to its prosperity
especially in making canals, railways, and
other roads, for diminishing the expense OF
conveying its productions tu market aud bring
ing back its returps, SO as 20 leave to the
farmer profit on his labor larger than that
which he now enjoys, has, for few years
past, been pressed upon our attention, and il is
subject worthy of our most serious consi-
liberation.
When my letter TO Clement Dorsey, on this
interesting subject, was published in ths
American Farmer, (voI a. pages 10, 20)
intended to present To your view some further
refieciions-but my engagements in executing
part of the netU canal near Richmond, in
Virginia, and some other imperative duties
have so fully occupied my lime, as not TO
leave IT IN my power, until now, TO pursue the
theme.
The gigantic strides, the rapid march of the
State et New York towards wealth, power,
and happiness the esurts of Virginia on one
side OF us, and of Pennsylvania on the other,
to appropriate, each To herself, the trade of a
large portion efthe Western Country speak
a language which we cannot misunderstood,
and which we ought not To disregard. Were
we TO blame them, we should be wanting in
maSnanimity-yet, while we admire and
| applaud their enterprising spirit, let us avail
ourselves OF our OtUn advantages, and moi, by
nagiectIns the suspicious moment, suffer them
10 pass from us, or be greatly diminished in
value. Nature offers to our acceptance the
checpeStS and most eaSy communication with
the Western Country, by means of the Poto-
mac and Youghogany rivers and their tribu =
tary streams. We have the advantage OF our
immediate neighbors, in our location, aud the
facilities for a cheap and profitable intercourse.
Nature; and The enterprsing spirit of her own
Icltizens, have gwen to New York, beyond
competition, in addition To her own internal
trade, which is very rich, the trade of St. Law
renee river, that of an immense extent of
Lake-shores, and of the northern part of the
States of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, AS far the
ridge separating the waters which flow into
the Lakes from those which flow into the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, but this ridge
should be her southern limit If we be not
wanting to ourselves, we can meet her here ;
and say to her " Hitherto shalt thou come, but
no furher'-SOuth of this boundary is ours
| New York has, indeed, taken the lead in this
| glorious race of Internal Improvement, but let
us not suffer ourselves TO be so far ecLipsed by
her as To he discouraged and lose cur ener-
gies; let us rather emulate her and profit by
her example. Respecting the Potomac, as a
channel of commercial intercourse, and as
powerful bond of union betwee the Eastern
and Western Countries, the pen has been
several times de&terously welded by various
hands, yet go important is the suhiecI, and SO
fruitful IN highly interesting considerations,
that 1t is by no means exhausted.
Since the commencement Of operations, in
the year 1917, in making the great Erie canal
my continued employment, as Civil Engineer.
no objects of improvement in inland navga.
ton, IN the States of New York and Virginia.
has afforded ms abundant opportunities of he
coming acquainted, as far as my capacity would
admit, with this great subject, in its various
and important bearlngs-in theory and prac-
tee And 1t has been my favOrte study.
may, therefore, be permitted to add my mite.
Look at the map ofthe Middle States-see
the noble Susquehanna, with her widely
spreading arms-see the Potomac pointing To
the Hest Both discharge their waters
through our State, and their wealth will hatu-
rally flow through the same channels, if the
proper improvements be made
The former river drains the Southern border
of New York and the middle parts of Pennsyl
wanna, and Maryland has exclusive jurisdiction
over few miles at and near its fnouih-the
tnHer may be easily connected, in continued
navigation, with rivers which drain the south.
western parts OF New York, the western parts
of Pennsylvania, the northern parts of Virgil
mia, most of the States of Ohio, Kentucky,
Indiana, Illinois, &C. and MARYLAND has, with
Virginia, concurrent jurisdiction over IFS
whole extent from its source TO its mouth,
except about 10 miles over which the United
States have exclusive jurisdiction
The improvements which may be made,
and which ought To be made, on both those
rivers are, therefore, highly interesting to us
but those on the Potomac are, in my esti-
NATION, vastly the most so, as | hope will
plainly appear from the considerations | shall
be able to present.
We may realize, from these improvements,
benefits beyond the expectations of even the
most sanguIne they will be not ouiy possible
but easily practicable, if we be united. il we
act IN unison but. if we he so unwise as 10
suffer sectional ipalousies to predominant, one
section ar part 10 be set in array against an
OlheT, as II their interests were hostile, all our
plans may fail. Many noble scheme has
oeen ruined IN this way, and as it respects
pubhc improvements NJ principle can be more
Ihuaclous. Each proposed Improvement will
4 afford positive beHefttO every part or section
although some one part may be benefited
more than The others the truth of this !,
proved by the history Of every commercial
town and city, and Of every adjacent country
Let us, for the sake Of illustration, suppose q
state to consist of three parts or sections
which we viii designate by A, and c; and
that three different plans of Improvement are
RI - 80 ~ W. ~" Plh"'i duu HdubDJ WIN I'M
pnfiant benefits to the whole state, and each
yielding advantages in greater or less de.
gree, to every one Of the parts 4, 3 and G.
= bnt, as It almost always happens in practice
: me lrst plan Is calculated 10 benefit A, in 2
much greater degree than il will u or G. If
the spirit oi jealousy they consider il, and trea
It as an injury oppose it, and, being the ma
lorlty, defeat it. The second plan is calcn.
lated to benefit r much more than il will A
; or & they, in like manner, treat il ~ an in
II Jury 10 fhcu, cornti,c .,,,;rs, =, - \ ~