The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-07-14
DOMESTIC INrnLLsGMNcE.
E'OUR TIL OF nm

Breaking ground spoa ~ Conni.
Friday last. the Eenlth ofFHlt, the Annirer
sar, 81 the Declaration at In. Independence oi
the Unitrd States, WAS a proud day for the III
trict Of Iolumhln-iur the states Interested ~
NJ, open navigation from the Chrasap, axe 10 the
Jnle and 10 the waters oil the N'-Sissippi-tet
the friends of Internal Improvement every
where.
On that day which, by concurrent votes OF
the President and Directors Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal Company, and the Corporations
of Washington. Georgetown. and Alexandra,
had been fixed upon ior hfetking ground upon
the line of the Canal, tins Interesting Crtcnon,
took plurc. in the order described by the Com.
mittcc Of arrangements, rs heretofore published,
which was most successfully carried ,nto eiieel
hv zen. Thornton aud Col stnil. the Marshals
of the Day. aud the Aids whom they appointed.
Al an early hour. the members OF the several
Corporaiions. aud those vino werc invited To AZ
compan, them aud the President and Directors
ofile Canal Company On his interesting ek-
Cursion. began 10 assemble ut iilet 5 Hotel, and
cordial greetings were exchanged between tlfh
At halt past ? O'Clock, the President of the TN.
ted States arrived, escorted 10y Captain lur'
ncr's aud Captain Tyler's troops OF cavalry, IN
der command Of MAJOR Stewart, who pollirl,
tcndoird thcir services on tins occosior, which
were found highly useful throughout the day.
Amongst the gentlemen eoh1pnsng the com
pauy thus assembled differentiation 1.-THE 1on'=
mittce If arrangements, were (hrsidf' the
President of ihr United Smtes) the Secretaries
ofthe Treasury, Nur, aud navy Departments,
Mr. Rush, Gen. Potter, and MI. Southland the
Post Master General. Mr.. NJ. Lean senators
Of the Unfed States, NJ, i =. Johnston and
Mr.. Boulienv-and Nh. Washington, Rcpresen-
tative IN Congress Nh Vaughan, the Minister
Of Great Britain to the United states hhfon
ktudener the Minister OF Russia, ana baron
Maldi1. Srerefar, ct LEGATION from the same
power Tie Cheynllc, ilny gcns, Minister from
the Netherlands Baron Staekelhcig Iharge
datIapes fom the King oil sweden MI. LIS
boa. Secretary Of Legation from the thipefoi
Of Brezll Mi. Hcrsaut. Vice Consul General
of Frauee comprising All the Representative al
Foreigo I'owtIs at this moment mlh' city, nld a
bic 10 attend Among lhcothor invited e%uestswas
the Commander Of the Army. Gen, Macoinb,
and Gen. Stuart aud Col. Binoke, Surviving oil
Gccr5 of the revolutionary Amy. The NV
tAtiuus were necessarily clfenmscnbed within
the iiuits Of thc accommodation which the boats
procured by the Committee OF Arrangements
we've calculated 20 alurd. II was q subject Of
uumixrd tegfet "a the that the saine
accommodates could not he extended 10 All,
which they were able 10 provide i"r Il &c" only.
| Besides thaae invited. a Great number oi The
: most ibHbtItbbAf fill|tflh bl lfA# tile'il'' 49, -
Joining atatcs. either accompanied the process.
sion bN Uttei. or kept pace with 40 Ny lahu
About egit o%'rloclt. Tie procession was form
ed on Bndpc-sIcct, ADD moved on 10 the os-
crIlcni Music of tue lull bund Of the Marine
CORPS. to High Street Wharf. where they en-
barkcd IN perfect oIder, ns prcvl"usly arranged,
aud the boats Immediately ct forward. d
midst the cheers OF the crowds winch ltned the
wharvos.
The Steamboat Surprise, followed by two o
Their St nm Boats and Il liHe ni hnrgc. and other
boats, led the Procession up the iotoMAC, cnnr-
sing tie Wild margin Of What was once the VI
rinla silore-s,iil botdered, As when il came
from he bands Of its Maker, Win primitive
rocks. and crowned with the l%nxuIiIut and di-
vcr,d.ed foliage offs natural forest. : kindly
SKY shed IFS refreshing influence over the water,
whose surface the West wind gcntlI RULED.
The sun shouc now aud tlien from the elem
blue Heavens through ncecy cloud. Al Ma
iure seemed 10 sulle upon the scene. Along
the road on the Maryland Shore, crowds of mo
wing spectators attended the voyage Of the boats,
aud met the procession on landulg above The
lower termination Of the present Canal. On
leaving the River of Swans, as II has been lately
happily surnamed, "A march ola few hundred
yards conducted the Company, IN the SANE Of
der IN winch they embarked, 10 the I auai-Bohis
prepared 10 receive them at th" Upper Bridge
across the Canal. Seated in these boats. gently
gliding nloug the tranquil stream, like " the
Swan through the Summer sea- the senses Of
the Company were RECALLED By 4 scene at once
novel and really enchanting. From the banks
Of this Canal Of more than forty wears antiquity
there shot up, along its entlrc course, u variety
otthe mosr beautiful native trces. WHOSE bran.
cles interviewer above would have excluded tic
rays OF the most piercing sun. Beneath these
trees AS far as the eye could penetrate on Ell
Their side, wore seen, IN bright luSn'lance grow
lug, every species of plant aud Wild flower re
corded in the Potomac Herbal. They looks ed
MS 4 they had never kiown The footsteps of maa
a. they refreshed the stgli Of the yoyagers
whist on each galley moved,
3" by elm, and cope, aud aldertrcc."
There was Il part of this passage, when tn
music OF Moorc's sweet song, Of" The meellnf
Of the Waters, " poured its melody on the ear 81
as TO suspend the labor Of the boatmen, AM
} charm 10 silence every y,cie. No,srlcss, but IL
crowds, the people rDoved forward on the banI
t Of the Canal, keeping even pace with the loni
, line Of boats, whilst ans, now animated, nov
( plaintive. from the Marine Band, placed IN ia,
forward boat, l%ighteued the tell OF the walk
As the boats neaTcd the ground destined for tn
commencement Of the Chnal. the Procession
discovered, posted on the bank, Two companle
, Of Rillemen, commanded by Capt. TnoMAs ant
Capt. HALLER, scarcely to be distinguished II
I their Uniform Of green, from the trees IN whici
they stood embowered, who PAID In the Pfesl
dent OF the United States, both going aud return
ing, the military honors due 10 his station.-Ih
multitude now visibly increased. Thousand
+ hung upon the overlooking hill to the north, an,
many climed the outrageous trees bordering
the River and the Canal Perfect order ever,
where prevailed.
On landing from the boats and reaching Tn
ground tome or two hundred yards Fast OF th,
line of the present Canal the procession nove'
around il SO as to leave a hollow space, Ia III,
midst of a mass ofPeople, in the centre Of which
was the spot marked out by Judge WRIGHT, tmt
Engineer OF the Chesapeake and Ohio Cana
Company, for the commencement OF the Work
A moments pause here occurred, while tht
spade. destined to comrnence the work, was ~
Elected by the Committee OF Arrangements, an,