Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-12-15

surrey OF the harbour of Charleston, in
South Carolina. of It. Mary's in Geor-
gia. and of the Coast of Florida, and for
other purposes, has been executed so
far as the appropriation would admit
Those Of the Sd Of March last, author
izing the establishment OF Navy Yard
and Depot on the Coast Of Florida, in
the Gulf of Mexico, and authorising the
building often sloops of war, and for
other purposes, are in the course of
execution : for the particulars Of which,
and other subjects connected with this
department, refer to the report of the
Secretary of the Navy herewith COM
munica,sd
report from the Postmaster Gene
raj i. also submitted, exhibiting the pre-
sent hourishing condition of that depart
ment. For the first time for many
years, the receipts for this year ending
on the first ofJuly last, exceeded the
expenditures during the same period,
to the amount of more than forty five
thousand dollars.-Other facts equally
| creditabIe to the administration of the
Department are, that in two years from
the FIRST Of July, 500, an improvement
of more than one hundred and eighty
five thousand dollars in its pecuniary
affairs has been realized; that in the
same interval the increase of the trans
portation Of the mail has exceeded one
million five hundred thousand miles, an
nually and that one thousand and forty
new post offices have been established.
1t hence appears, that under judicious
management, the income from this es
Enlistment may be relied on as fully
adequate to defray its expenses and
but by the discontinuance Of post roads.
altogether unrroductive, others of more
useful chara cter may be opened, TIL
the circulation Of the male shall keep
pace with the spread of our population,
and the comforts of friendly correspon-
dence, the exchanges of internal traffic
and the lights of the periodical press,
shall be distributed to the re hottest cor
ners of the Union, at a charge scarcely
perez ptible to any Individual, and with
ont the cost of a dollar 10 the public
treasure.
Upon this first oc aston of address
ing the Legislature of the Union, with
which have been honoured, in present
ing to their view the execution. so far as
it has been effected, Of the measures
sanctioned by them, for promoting the
internal improvement of our country,
| cannot close the communication with
out recommending to their calm and
persevering consideration, the general
principle in more enlarged extent.
The great object of the institution OF
civil government, is the improvement OF
the condition of those who are parties
to the social compact and no govern
ment, in whatever form constituted. can
accomplish the lawful ends Of its insti-
tuition, but in proportion as ii improves
the condition of those over whom it is
established Roads and Canals, bv
multiplying and facilitating the com
munications and Intercourse between
distant regions, and multitudes of men
are among the most important means OF
improvement. But moral, political, in
tellectual improvement, are duties as
signed, by the author of our existence,
10 social, no less than to individual man
For the ful6lment Of those duties. gov.
ernments are invested with the power. s.
to tie attainment of the end, the pro-
gressive Improvement of the condition
of the governed, the exercise of dele
gated power, is duty as sacred andii-
dispensable, as the usurpaton of power
not granted is criminal and odious. A
mong the first, perhaps the very first
instrument for the improvement of the
condition of men, is knowledge and
to the acquisition of much of the
knowledge adapted to the wants, the
comforts and enjoymen OF human life,
public institutions and seminaries of
learning are essential. So convinced of
this was the FIRST of my predecessors in
this office, now first in the memory, as,
living, he was first in the hearts Of our
country, that once and again in his ad-
dressto the Congress, with whom he
co-Cperated in the public service, he
earnestly recommended the establish
ment of seminaries oflearning, to pre-
pare for all the emergencies of peace
and war-a national university, and
military academy. With respects to
the latter. had he lived to the present
day, in turning bis eye TO the institution
at West Point, he would have enioyed
the qualification of his most earnest
wishes But, in surveying the city that
has been honored with his name, he