Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-13
SPEECH or MIR. c. +. MERCER.

SPEECH OF MIR. C. 7. MERCER, .
o4 :ie subject # The Chesapeake AMI Ohio C,r,al de-
tirered IN me Conreniioa IF Delegates heli a. lie
C"y Of Washington, .Noc(n,5er Z, 1923
some moments having elapsed after The appoint
memt al Ms. kEEr 10 the Chair MIR MgKcrr ,o,e
and addressed the ConNeniiun in substance, as toi,
lows: ~ w
-hr. Chairman Having taken The las, stem in nur
ORGANIZATION II bccOmrs the dl,y of sniue ,ne ar ~
Oeiesaies, 10 call The attention Of The Couveuiu, In
the object Tor which hate to day convened [
earnestly wish that iiis Responsible 4, X had d,sn,
ia on nembei, Who, no les suiemnly impressed
just expectations '0"'
Allow me, however, Sir, 10 cas, myself on the ia
dulgence of this Assrnib, while nh AS u,urI ,re
WY ~ possible, endcsvur 10 itace he oui,i,es Of
plan oi combined operation, adapted to our pre-
se"' cncum"'s"ces, and calculated, hope, Tor tn
Accomplishment of our medItaed enierprile
:. Ahe path over which have To conduct yun Mr.
Ch"irmtn, admits moi of fiaciful decoration. But
I" any OF Tue details which am about 10 suhn,i, To-
you, shall seem too minuie, when separately reg,tI-
eu5 ihey VIII, trust. derive suficlrn dignity TO en-
gSe your consideration, from the great ol,ect with
which they as-uci,ird
n enlightened aud patriotic zeal wl,irh has q ,
ere"' ~ this Captul, from 50 great "a distance, L,
s"ch short notice, an Assembly so respectable for
rs "ober' us character and lis talents, is Of Itself
Hs+'iieni evidence of the magnitude Of orr common
"''tiosF. ~ - u FuTpuSe III accot dance with The
current OF puhhc expectation for more i!laa half a
'Oe"'u'y WITH me sober caculaliGns, the anxious
"S'ies, Shu The most sanguine homes, of Than
"Nho" oi the American people. For its prime mo-
ver, 1t ci1ins nane, ust over the earth of
statesman, patriOr, aud hero of whom every
o'9tct around us, recalls 10 lhe affecting recoec-
Under this hs'iowed influence, we are abou, in
"o"'ne ~ our eetgIes, la inliilipg the early sug-
AeN''o's OF ms wisdom Ia rendering mperislahle
t"s prI"d m"nAa'ensof his glory. But Sin i; onil
lie 10 tess VAIN ihan asrog 10 u,e 10 dwell upon
thene IN relation which are air adv animated
10y one c"mmon feeling. will husband ms enfeeoled
III. he Ia IL ,.h Tg., 4.
20 tcihtiie IT, speedy execution allow me 10 ,lIcr
10 the irony er,ton The resolutions winch 1 hold in
NY hYnd. Written under very painful circunsi.,ne
cess thry are scsicely legihr hy 1y other eve and
wi5iy"nr p'rmsSiou, will read them hefnre p,o-
9"et 90 their eucidtion.'-[I Here Mr. NJ read a
Ife+mh'e and cerla'n Resolutions. "a, see The An
t.elr conn
The Convention viii At perceive M Chair
man, maj the plan Ut operation disclosed rs The Res
oIuiOHs just read, while II steadily regards the end
we nave ~ view, Suppo>es SryFral sage, IA our adj
vance towards u, and provides corresponding means
lor us Accomplishment. Did oaI- purpose depend
ior lis success, The sole agency Of supjr govern
ne"t, III This preparatory labor would be Il ccss and
,h's convention 'iself without an object Being a.
"out To ingIie the co-operation of Legsi.,nres
oil several Sfatee. wi of the ainn in e,aniinr
10 US the necessary authority, and Il, ,uui-ie The re-
sources for The a,tinseni Of our eud !, is essential
20 our Ultimate success That previously concur IN
whht We are 10 SIX.
IL this end admit at various means nj attainment
rae failure Oh one should not pu taztrd the sue
cess 81 AZ II ipatl only %! our object Ire worth
u"l,ru eh'T's' ana more ospecall', it The residue
nav he suspended, deferred, without nhanton-
neht, we should not pcrtnacOusy i,~isf before we
VHye az an, Oh the concessions of al hat VIC desire
ne 1eso'"iions purpose connection Of The tide
81 we f0tuma", win the regular srnm -hnIt nivi-
l-on of the Ohio river hv Que Canal passing from,
ne territory Of he United States in thi. District ~
1ons The river border Of Maryland ard Virginia
thencc 'arough the territory of the former nd Of
The adjacent STATE Of PpDusvivanir ~ Ear west If
.eces'"ry, rs the confluence uf the Allegheny and
-h""""E 'hrI", al P'ushufg. They glance lcrn,i-
iatinH sill rr'nute aud e,ni,nieue hy rccer,
Intelligence from OHIO look ~ The souiisrn shore r
Lake Erie, an'l i c"npertion ~ inland ii,,e,t,ou
~ lhe Seat OF HE Federal C,vernneat, ,rirh m
Ni1ntc, tie Gulf of Nexico and ,be 81, ,he,,
Lakes
The accomplishment ofthis vrsi. hat yet pracrica.
O!e enterprise, requires the nbnrd ~ ~ Con-
gfess and of tho legislatures of four Ii>ncf States
buf IN uri'n of tie waters or the Potomic ~ ~
nose OF the OhiO, is object, Ia i,sei of rucstinia-
ble imppitaucc 'u, c,u BE- attained by the ronc,,r-
ienr ~ tie C"iied States with three nf those States
VI Hnc' iesS m1gnH!e, bTf sihl Of greet COnse-
gus"c~ ~ al those States, rs well ~ 10 tr Unnn AZ
"'t4, would be- 20 Canrl from ,hc seat re govern
mem to iie Cnnherlind ro,d. across the Allegheny
Hnu TIE accom- ytslmeut Ol dis l3I ted purpose Gre
5"pPoses The consent of wo Slfe- oniy, and al ~
inofny IRON Congress 10 cut q canal FROM tide water
through thc d. ot Co1mhi,
snort ~ 'his ifsi combination. rciIne can ne ef.
Iec'ed Nuh Il, The chna which - wnuld authorize
NAV bs ezteohed mir miles ihoy' Cun,berland To-
'he co hanks ~ Tie foot of the Allegheny. Topro-
~" 'u''"Fi > WITHOUT We prfVtFus consent Ot fetu-
syvanm. would he nexped,ent, unless, after nru,ad-
,"g adequate fu"ds, The can f.,ri uce on cross
,ng me mountain shorld be- cOH3,,rfed so ihe t,gr
|hr", instead Of tlr Yonghiugfuv on
hc hr.i or eastern -eciinn uF t-- rtnsi ~ ihe,e-
io'e' required y Tie r".ne'ious to t..rirafe two
a'ie~ above Western P,rf, 80 iI.r aouih or Savage
tnTs9rriy above t.c coli btnks 90 Jfs margin Of
ho Po0n~-
~ Ibis section =. ~Viendrd tgiior 40 the river tiar
th" Eamherlhd RoSl cor,',.ngts. aud tie tecen
memorials lu the House Of B.urese,f'.i,os con.eu.
pltied, " s, among otter considerations. iOsnhsu-
trtr, ~ flc uaps1Orsipn 81 cnd - water cnh,py
snce "i t1iriy miles TO- bad csrtiga ~ Cpn,ief-
i1nd of ton measure iisy dicnf. " nrt ~,
e'lnirly necessary - s0+tsu to rumpct,tru ~ iarI
P"fpntc, viii ih- uther rivers of A." Chrs,petbr
~ the s'r.ly " DIS saiaal 10 commodity to. he Al
ls"tic tOWos(CJ
Assim,or the ,nouih " Savage 10 bn the proper
western li'oT ~ ne e3seru srCtDh rf the canai, Gr
ihe tcasDn whc have 4.H.ed, and for another yet
more obvious, d,e gnr"cslnfy UfprJcnring tesourccs
adrquate = work 81 such magnitude J. have nri 10
express reQrtt " Chairman, ntai, ~ relation
~ the vesiern section, have ~, pll1 10 offer Tie
Copven'iDu more periocl thm rhni which - embrace
ed }y fte iesoiglipns fslic.
deRit oHeht not - be cnirri~fnrd 0f The cOaseni
nfP"nu-yyana 20 The extersioo ~ I've caHal through
'Hr mercer "'s "ar'ag from severe personal injury
o'cai.sntd ~ se-dee.