Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-05-29

/ acter OF this great anu CAV AZ" :.
that among his manuscript papers ehu"rsen AZ
| his own hand writing, the ommittee nave Ioana
a map exhibiting The whole rou'e o' the Coesu-
peake and Ohio Canal, indicating the pracf'ca0e
point of connsrion. which appears to be precise,
" the same recommended oy the o"i'e"
| States Board of Engineers in their report made
to Congress at the last session ms map al
so exhibits the route OF road or portage 10
connect the Eastern and Western waters, com
mencing at Cumberland and terminating at the
Youghiogeny, precisely at the point where the
present Cumberland road strikes that river, ana
without any material deviation in the .lnterme-
diate space Having made these surveys and
reports, General Washington succeeded IN get
ting company Incorporated by the concurrent
acts Of Virginia and Maryland, to improve this
navigation, Of which company ne consented, al
the pressing solicitation of Mr.. Jefferson, Mr.
Madison, and other distinguished individuals
who co-operated with him, to accept the freS-
idency. In his letters to the Governors OF VIZ.
GINA and Maryland, to the members OF Con-
gress, and others, he labored necessarily to I'M
press upon them the immense Importance Oh
opening cheap and easy communication with
the Western country by means OF internal I'M
provements. "He suggested" saws Marshall,
sthe appointment of Commissioners OF integ
rity and abilities, exempt from the suspicion Of
prejudice, whose duty 1t should bc,aitrr on aecu-
rate examination of the Potomac, III search ont
the neares, and bestportage between it and the
streams capable Of improvement, which run
into the Ohio Those streams were to be ac-
curately surveyed, the impediments TO their
a,gation ascertained, and their relative adj
vantages examined. The navigable waters
ives, OF the Ohio, towards the great lakes, were
also to be traced To their and those which
empty into the lakes 10 be followed 10 their
mouths" "These things being done" Says
Marshall, "and an accurate map OF the whole
presented to the public, he was persuaded that
reason would dictate what was right and prop
err "For the execution ofthis latter part of
his plan he had also much rehance en- Congress;
and in addition to the general advantages 10 be
drawn from the measure, he labored In his let
ters to the members Of that body, to establish
the opinion, that the surveys be recommended
would add 10 the revenue, by enhancing the
value Of the lands offered for SALE Mature"
he said, "had made such an ample display Of
her bounties in those regions, that the more
the country was explored, the more it would
rise in estimation The assent and co-opera.
ton of Maryland being indispensable to the
improvement III tue Woo SHuaii}
earnest in his endeavors 10 impress convic-
ton of its superior advantages on influential in
dividuas of that State. In doing so, he detail
ed the measures which woulG unquestionably
be adopted by New-York and Pennsylvania for
acquiring the monopoly of the western com
merce, and the. di tficulty which would be found
in diverting it from the channel it had once ia
ken 81 am not" he added, "for discouragihg
the exertions Of any State to draw the COM
merce of the Western country to its sea ports.
The more communications we open TO 1t; the
closer we bind that rising world, Tor indeed It
may be so Called 10 our interests, and the great
err strength shall we acquire by 1t. Those to
whom nature affords the best communication,
will, if they are wise, enjoy the greatest share.
Of the trade. All | would be understood to
mean, therefore, is, that the gifts Of Providence
may no, be neglected.
"Bu, the light in which this subject would
"be viewed with most interest, and which gave
''to it most importance, was its political inhu-
'ence on the Union. Nor need press, (says
obey the necessity Of applying the cement OF in
"terest, to bind all parts of the Union together,
"by ndisscluble bonds; especially Of binding
SHAT part Of il which lies Immediately West OF
"us, to the middle. States"
y Thus, it clearly appears that General w ash
ington entertained no doubts Of the power OF the
National Government, to engage in general
system of'nternal improvement, even before the
adoption of the present Constitution, when its
powers, all admit, were much more limited than
they are at present, and for the extension and
enlargem ent OF which, the present Constitution
was formed and adopted by the States.
Delighting ~ dwell Oh these patriotic, clear.
sighted, * prophetic views of the Father Of his
country, on the sub ject ofinterna improvement
and believing that this qualification will be com
mon to all, especially al a time when the subject
is attracting SO much Of the public attention,
the COMMITTEE will venture TO present some adj
ditionaI views and arguments urged by Wash
ington, in favor of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal
In letter addressed 10 member of Cong ress,
when speaking of the importance of this sub
ject, and the dangers of separation of the East
ern and Western States, unless measures were
adopted to prevent it by facilitating intercourse
between them, which he pronounced to be "the
best il not the only cemen, 10 bind them togeth-
er;" he adds, ",his is matter which, though it
does not come before Congress WHOLLY, is, in
my opinion, Of great political importance, and
ought to be attended to in time" And, in
speaking of The danger Of severation, he says,
ut may be asked, how are we to prevent this?
Happily for US, the way is plain. Our imme-
dlate interests, as well as remote political adj
\