Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-08
the amount, making the sum ofslooo

| the amount, making the sum oi bIOoo
The terms Of this loan, are, | believe,
the most favorable on which loan Tor
public purposes has been effcled by
the State within any recent Period.-
The particular state OF the wNrks will
be made known in detail by rhe annual
reports Of the commissioners l feel
at some loss what to say OF recon-
mend on the subject Of this Important
work, Of which the state is sole pro-
prietor. Should the Canal stop at
Maiden's Adventure Falls, u which
point it is completed, little will have
been gained for the money expended,
except in having carried it far enough
to enable the large boats TO Transport
the article of Goals, as am ofbpinion
that the boats now used in Navigating
the river will no, shift their lading al
Maiden's Adventure, but will continue
on to Richmond. Should the indepen'
dent Canal be continued to Lyme hbarg,
O, even to Colombia, at the Junction
II the two branches of the river, II
would produce, think, different re,
suit, and by reducing freight consider
ably, would justify the Legislature in
establishing such tariff of tolls as
would soon pay the interest OF the mo-
ney expended on the work. / recon-
mend this view OF the subject to the
early and serious attention OF the legis-
lature. Should their determination be
adverse to prosecuting further at this
time the independent Canal, would
take the liberty of calling to their view
the improvement of the Navigation "a
bove Maiden's Adventure by dams and
locks. This might be effected, / am
convinced, in such way as to remove
the principal difficulties in low tides IN
the present state of the navigation. and
at an expense comparatively small In
deed it is the opinion of some judicious
persons that in this mode, by dams and
locks, a navigation for light steamboats,
might be effected without difficulty
| am sanguine in the belief that the ear
" and deliberate wisdom OF the lesis-
lature applied to this Interesting sub
ject, will produce result highly oene-
fetal to the State.
The condition OF the Penitentiary in
sritution is, it is believed, as favourole
as could be reasonably calculated on.
The sums granted by the liberaiity OF
the Legislature, for the repairs and
improvement of the building, have
been iudiciously applied,a land with some
further provision for separating the
convicts at night, the establishment
might be, at small additional expense,
put on as good footing, as, on lis
present plan, it is capable OF being
placed. When | take into consldera-
ton the great trial the State is making
for the improvement OF the CRIMINAL
Law, and the generous exertlons she
has heretofore cheerfully made on this
important subject, | ANTICIPATE with
pleasure the probability that any small
additional expense will be freely met to
place the establishment in the most
eIiq;ble situation. The number OF
conyicts now in confinement under the
Penitentiary Laws is l5s. The mum
Der at the time the building was burn
ed, in eighteen hundred and twenty
three, was Two hundred and twenty.
six. This reduction of numbers would
appear to indicate a diminution OF re
n;,entiary offences in the State; THIS
however, is not true criterion by
which to form Judgment; as several
classes Of offences, punishable, at the
time the building was burned, BY con-
fnement there, are now otherwise dlspo
se3of. The foregoing view OF the sub
iec,, along with that part of the law
relating TO solitary confinement, which
requires some change, recommend to
the attention of the Legislature, as also
the propriety of au,horising the IKE,
cuti,e in certain cases to remit part OF
the time of confinement Of the prison
ers, when in their Judgment, such re-
mission would be attended with benz
fetal consequences
have the satisfaction to inform you
that our claim for interest on the mo-
ney advanced by this State tor the use
of the General Government during thr
late war with Great Britain, has been
finally adjusted and paid by that uoV-
crument. 1t will be recollected, that
an Act of Congress, passed during the
last session, authorised the accounting
officers to make settlement in conior-
mi,v with certain principles laid down
in the Act. Our accounts were mace
out by the Auditor and forwarded on 10
our AGENT in Washington. Some Dill
ference of opinion, as to the true con
s,rnc1ion of the Act Of Congress look
Mace between our agent and the &C
counting officers of the General Gov
eminent, but on full deliberation, and
consultation with the heads OF the pro.
per Departments, our construction 81
the act of Congress was lnaIl! acqni-
esced in. The sum paid to the STATE
on this account was Sl7s,4So II: OF
this sum $4,000 has been paid to th'