Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-01-26

L. l. !.
those of any state in the con(ederacy, and great
or han the resources Of New-York were at inc
lime she commenced the Erie canal; ana 'hat
Il the opinion of the committee, the inoucf~
r,ents 10 make great canal in Pennsylvania,
are greater than those existing 10 any other
-ortion of the United states. Besides the usu-
al articles OF merchandise and Proauee, 'he
building materials, coal, iron, SAT- ana various '
manures, which will be carried on the 'anai'
will alone furnish an ample revenue rom 'o',s
New.York has no coal. and 1t may almost DC
said, no iron; and the climate Is less ,atorao'e
than thai Of Pennsylvania; and YET all '''e e"-
Eghtened citizens OF the state now concur I'D Inc
opinion ofRc tally expressed by Gov. LIN 'oh'
SHAT the canal will, in few years. pay Ior It. IL,
self; or in other words, that inc income VIII
pay the cost Of the erection,
With regard 70 the expense which VIII be IN
,;dent to the construction OF the canals contem-
,,a,ed by the resolu,i il is believed 1t VIII
not exceed $500 900, and the oommiltee VIII
nronose to limit il to that amount. his sum,
ifobtained on loan at five per cent. and 1t re.
ouired to be paid in instruments, which VIII
ave rage three six, nine anj twelve m oDths from
the commencement, Of the canal, (Which com
mencement. The on,mittee hope, will be in the
month of March, will subject the STATE to the
,avment Of abou; five thou sand dollars, in in
teres,, b. fore the meeting OF the next ieg's'a-
ture A II the improvements IN contemplation
in various parts Of the omr,onweaI'h h, rest up
on the basis Of The public welfare, and as they
will be transmitted 10 posterity, the debt incur
red might go along with The Improvements,
but il is the sense Of the committee that the
neonle OF Pennsylvania will cheerfully acquI-
esce in the payment Of such taxes as may De
imposed by the legislature, for the purpose OF
paving the intcres. on the sums which may Dc
required until they are relieved from such tax
alton, and from the debts incurred, by the pro-
ductiveness of the i'm 2rovements
N relation to the opinion entertained BY res
pec,able persons, in and beyond the walls OF the
House, that it is premature TO make any part
of the canal until il is decided by legislative e.
nae that the whole shall be made, the
committee will remark, tina, the sections now
contemplated will be valuable and productive
of tolls, as independent canals
Their utility will outweigh The cost, even II
no extension Of the line OF canal should ever
take place--even if Pennsy wanna, with her 81
gantic resources, should afterwards become
stationary, amids. all the expansion and I'M
provenen, uud her, and proclaim to the
world that her own capital can never become
the centre Of the internal commerce OF the state,
and that an impoverished treasury, or the
phantom Of public debt, has arrested her Ca
reer Of Improvement, and stunrd he growth
of her &C tive energies, and that though she was
once FIRST in rank, she is destined hereafter 10
De classcd amo ng the iDirrior states Of the con-
federacy
The committee taking into view the vast e1.
tent Of river avgation above TIDE "ater within
the limits Of Pennsylvania, and the imme"se
sums which have been expended In the chan
nels OF river, without producing in any part an
uninterrupted navi garion up and down the
stream, are fully satisfied that sound policy
would demand the expenditure in eonlempla-
ton, were it only TO afford cccular proof 10 our
citizens Of the comparative advantages of Ca
nails and an i'm perfect river navigation.
1t is alledged that the river Mohawk, in the
State of Newly affords better navigation
than the Susquehanna or Allegheny, and that
nevertheless the canal which runs lateraDy with
the river, is now universally preferred. The
construction Of the proposed i'm improvements IN
me valleys of the Susquehanua and Allegheny,
viii decide in Pennsylvania the contest between
river navigation and canals, which is still main
tanned with great warmth
In accordance with these views, the commit
lee now ask the sanction of the House to the
bill annexed TO this report. The measure is
founded upon aeareful examination offacts and
es,imates of probabilities, and the money, it is
believed, will be wisely aud economically ex-
pended
!, will be the commencement OF a state canal
to be made by the public, and to be kept in the
hands Of the public, which will always secure
tn, vital objects Of ease and cheapness OF trans.
portation. 1t VII, during the present year,
give employment TO many Of the aboring poor,
in the Middle and western parts Of the state: 1t
will contribute to maintain a sa!utary spirit OF
improvement, and produce the works OF inn
provement, upon which depends the prosperous
state of agriculture and manufactures
!, wiz gradually lead to the completion OF
water conveyance from Philadelphia to the
Ohio and Lake Erie; which, when accomplish
ed. together with the canal which is to connect
the Raritan with the Delaware) will be prefer
red TO the great Erie canal, even by the mer-
chants in the city Of New-York, in their inter
course with the states OF the west. Whether
the Junlata or the west branch route is decided
on. i, will be more than 600 miles shorter from
the CITY of New-York, TO the Ohio river through
PHILADELPHIA and through Pennsylvania, than
by thu route of tue Erie canal 1t may be re-
marked also, that the New-York merchant,