Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-04-21


WAsUINCToN March 90, 1896.
SIR The undersigned, Members Of the Congress OF
the United States OF America beg leave invite The
attention of the Executive the expediency ofcxtcnd-
ing the National Road which connects the rivers Chic
and Potomac, from a suitable point thereon east,vardv
TO the District of Columbia
II Is believed BIZ the undersigned that, in the rin-
mcnccment of this public highway. il was the opinion
Of the then Prcsicn, of the ucd States that the road
should be conducted wcSwarilv, from the tide Of the
Potomac TO Marietta, at the mouth of the MusIingum,
so as to uniie the waters of the two rivers points
from which thcy all times uayisable, 10 their
mouths.
If the power to construct such road, and the o6ga
ton 10 exercise it, be traced the of Congress
the Oth OF April, 1902, ii certainly warrants if docs
not require That extension OF this national highway,
which tue undersigned presume TO recommend.
Among the conditions Of the act which enabled the
people Of the Territory OF Ohio form State Govern
ment and provide for their admission into The Union
upon an equal footing with the original States the third
provided, that onetweneth part Of the nett proceeds
. OF the public lands in the State which might he
sold after the 30th Of June 1902 should be applied 10
laying out and making pablo 2a1GS, leading from the
ndrsdblc waters emptyng into the Atlantic to the OHIO
river TO the State of Ohio, and through the same.
Such roads were required TO be laid out, under the
authority of Congress, with the of the several
States through which they might pass.
BY subsequent act the i've per cent. fund ,ras dyi-
ded INTO two parts, OF three, and the other of two
per cent The first pledged for the construction OF
roads within and the last, or two per fund for
reads leading 10 the State.
The preparatory survey, authorized by this act was
not required TO await the consent of the States Il
vded for the appointment of Commissioners to make the
survey; and If, when made their report approved
by the Prcsrieut he empowered to obtain that con
sent In assigning the duties of the Commissioners
the breadth of the road prescribed and the mode
OF lis designation The of constructing il was
confded 10 the President and The first appropriation of
jOUOo dollars 10 this object, charged upon the ac-
tua proceeds Of the two per cent iun and any other
money IN The treasury not othcrw Use appropriated,
chascablc also, however, npon and rcimbursable bv
that fund, rs il might accrue.
In the uiimcnt of the third condition of the prior
act OF 1902, Wheeling on the Ohio, am! Cumberland
on The Potomac, fixed upon, the two eN remes
OF the trst OF those roads designed by at act TO CON
meet the nGriSGjtc walters Of the Ohio and tie Atlantic
The undesignei cannot think, that the true spirit OF
the acts, which they have quoted, has been faithfully
o0sery cd in the extension of this road 1t never wal
rahed, I'm their opinion, the termination of the road
eastFardy, ct Cumberland; for the River Potomac was
not, IN ITS natural state, navgabie from thence down
and with all lis subsequent artificial improvements il is
not always al present. 1t mpeled in lis ascent
by the rapidy OF its current, favor
10 the W est little If there were no nav ation AT
any time and its descending navigation is so cndanrer
ed by rocks, and obstruced by shoals as to be often
! impracticable by laden boats
IL II be conceded, that road terminating at a much
higher point of the Potomac than Cumberland or even
to estern Port would have CONFIRMED as little 70 fine
letter as to the spirit of the reced condition OF tie act
OF I8O2, so III tue -Onemporanecus as in the present
circumstances OF the navigation of the Potomac the
point actually assumed for the Eastern extreme of fc
National Road, could not be regarded as a Der,oanent
limitation.
The undersigned are The more disposed to press this
view OF the acknowledged obligations Of the Federal
government, to the States of this CIn on because IL
mas been recently determined By Congress- 10 con6ct
) Ihis road weStward!y. to tic Missouri
IS the policy which prompted the foundation of this
munIlcent work is thus farther developed the under
signed respectfully contend that eXpedienc i,,neroue
/ H.
Atlantic" and the seat of the General Government b,
the shortest and best practicable route
lScannot be doubted, that ii because the polti
cal centre OF the Union had been assumed to bo on tho
Northern bank Of the Potomac that road from, NE
tors to Tie Ohio the first executed since the thir)
condition OF the act of 1902 specified no par;icpar RI
YER OF the many navgabe waters Of the Atlantic
which, having their sources in the Aeclanv are So
parated by that chain of mountains from the Ohio
The policy of this choice urgently requires the com
pletion of its obvious purposes.
me Eastern extension of tlis road BY direc. ROME
to the tide water of the Potomac has moi only er f
mdabIe obstacles 10 encounter amidst \ snarso 1o,,
Iaton but will repay the fGlnent of the object Of Tho
act OF 1902 by greatly abridging at little con,Darotyc
expense TINS great thoroughfarc OF the Eastern and
Western States. ~
Surprising that an artificial road from tho T)i.,; %
Columbia towards the Ohio after passing tlrouob Viz
gnia shall ntersect the Cumberland road If tho root
suitable point thereon 1t has been ascertaned bv ar
ual measurement. that the distance het7eon " o.l
and the City of Washington NAV he reduced Gftoo -
twenty miles according to the adopted line of
ton. iu any event large portion of tie road " IN he
onnd 10 be already completed, and for the residue
abundant materials exist in the country part Of which
IS: indeed, s7arscy pcopled but throughout which sub,
slstcncG is every whore cheap.
The undersigned forbear to press bccaur ,I.cv dscr
1t unnecessary, the many considerations which recon
mend tho expediency Of thus bridging the distance
which now separates the Scat of Government Fror, b
W estern border Of the Union. They will not sum ND
tue tIme' the labor, and the actual cost which inca
sure so easy to accomplish wond save both 10 the Co
vernment and the People Amidst these birier cons;
dera'ions those which grow out Of the commercial in
teresiS OF the Cities OF this District conGded for their
protection exclusively 20 Congress sink in comparative
importance though by patorna Government Uiey
cannot be wholly disregarded.
The Undersigned beg leave 10 subojn 20 this comr,u
nIcaon copies Of resolution OF the General Bszembl,
OF Virginia which passed The 22d Of February 1917
ana OF reccn! report Of The Committee of the House
of Representatives.
The last, while il distinctly recommends the purpose
OF this communication, refers 10 The late general appro
pratiou by Congress to tie survey Of roads and canals
for national purposes, as DISPENSING with she r,ecos;f