American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1825-12-09


: upon this first occasion of addressing the I,epis
'sture OF The Union, with which have heen honor
eo III presenting to their view the execution So ia
90 -. "as oeen effected, oil the measures sanctioned
Ioy 'heh' Tor promoting the internal improvement
OF our country, l cannot close the communicative
"Hhou1 recommending to their calm and persever
'ng consideration the general principle in NOR,
e"iarseu extent. The great object of the ins,u
'o' y. civil government, is the improvement of the
eoho'ion OF those who parties to The social com
pact. AND no government, IN whatever form consti
'uteo, can accomplish the lawful ends of its insti,u
ion, ou' IN proportion it improves the condition
o. thost over whom it is established. Roads and
Nahais' by multiplying and facitatingthe commu.
nicahons and intercourse between distant repions
and multitudes of men, are among the most i'm.
portaht means OF improvement. But moral polit.
,cai intellectual improvement, are duties assigned
10y the Author OF existence, to social no less
than to individual man. For the fulflment of ,hose
uu'ies' governments are invested with power and.
10 the attainment OF The end, the progressive i'm
IProVement OF the condition OF The governed the
|eXercise oil delegated power, is duty as sacred
ana indispensable, as the usurpation Of power not
granted IS criminal and odious. Among the first
perhaps the very first instrument for the improve
'hen' Oh the condition Of men, is knowledge and
20 inc acquisition OF much Of the knowledge adapt-
Gu 10 the wants, the comforts, and enioyments. Of
human lille, public institutions and semin aries Of
learning are essential. So convinced Of this was
inc htst OF my predecessors in this Office now first
~ the memory, as, living, he was FIRST in the hearts
o our country, that, once and again, in his address
es to the Congresses, with whom he co ooperated in
the public service, he earnestly recommended The
esaolishment OF seminaries of learning, to prepare
or all the emergencies of peace and war-a national
university, and military academy. With respect
10 the latter, had he lived TO the present day, in
turning his eyes to the institution at West Point,
ne would have enjoyed the qualification OF his most
earnest wishes. But, in surveying the city which
mas been honored with his name, he would have
seen the spot OF earth which he had destined and
pequeahed to the use and benefit of his country, as
the site Tor an university, still bare and barren
In assuming her station among the civilized ma
tions OF the earth, it would seem that our country
mao contracted the engagement to contribute her
share OF mind of labor and OF expense to the i'm.
proVement OF those parts OF Knowledge which lie
beyond the reach OF individual acquisition and
particularly TO geographical and astronomical sci
ence Looking back to the history only of the bafI
century since the Declaration of our Independence
ana observing the generous emulation with which
the governments oi France, Great Britain, and Rus
sia have devoted the geUius, the intelligence the
treasures OF their respective nations, to the common
improvement of the species in these branches Of
science, is IT not incumbent upon us to inquire
whether we are not bound, by obligations OF high
and honorable character, to contribute our portion
OF energy and exerion TO the common stock! The
voyages OF discovery, prosecuted in the course oil
tat time, at the expense of those nations, have moi
only redounded TO their glory, but TO the improve.
ment Of human knowledge. We have been par,ak
ers OF that Improvement and owe for it sacred
debt not only of gratitude but of equal or proper
tonal exertion in the same common cause OF the
cost OF these undertakings, if the expenditures
OF outfit, equipment, and completion of the expedi
tons, were to be considered the only charges, it
would be unworthy OF great and generous nation
to take second thought. One hundred expedi-
tons OF crcumnavigation, like those of Cook and
LA Perouse, would not burden the exchequer Of the
nation fitting them out, so much as the ways and
means Of aging single campaign in war. But.
II we take into the account the lives of those bene
factors Of mankind, of which their services in the
cause OF their species were the purchase how shall
the cost OF those heroic enterprises be estimated
And what compensation can be made TO them or to
their countries for them Is it not by bearing them
in afectionaie remembrance? Is it not still. more BY
Initiating their example? by enabling countrymen
oi our own to pursue the career, and hazard
,he: lives in the same cause?
In inviting the attention oi Congress to the subject
oil Internal Improvements, upon view thus enarc- +
ed, 1t is not my design to recommend the equipment f
OF an expedition for crcumnavgating The globe for
purposes OF scientific arch * inquiry. We have
objects oi useful investigation home and to
which our cares may be more benefcially applied. {
he interior OF our own territories has yet been very
'mperieetly explored. Our coasts, along many de- 6
grees ut latitude upon The shores OF the Pacific
ocean, though much trequened By our spirited COM
mercia na'gators, have been barely visited by our
public ships. The River of the West, first fully e
discovered and navigated by countryman of our 6
own still bears The name Of the ship in which he t
ascended its waters, and claims the protection OF
our armed national flag al its mouth. With the es- /
ablishment o military post there, or at some 9TH u
sr point OF that coast, recommended by my prede- 0
cessor and already maured, in the deliberations of p
T.. I... C.au.a.. u..tl = 81