Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-12-06

have been far more successful in the acquisition
Of their lands than in impsrting to them the
principles, or inspiring them with the spirit Of
civilization. But u, aPPrspriatIng to ourselves
their hunting grounds, We have brought upon
ourselves the obligation Of providing them with
subsis,ence; and when We have had the rare
good fortune of teaching them the arts OF civili-
cation, and the doctrines of Christianity, We
have Unexpectedly found them forming, IN the
midst Of ourselves, communities claiming to be
ipde pendent Of ours, and rivals Of sovereignty
with The territories Of the members Of our Uh-
ion. This state o. things requires that a remedy
should be provided; a remedy which, while it
shall do justice TO those unfortunate children of
nature, may secure to the members Of our con-
federation their rights Of sovereignty and Of voil.
As the outline OF a project 10 That effect, the
views presented in the Report Of The Secretary
of War arc recommended 10 the consideration
oil Congress.
The Report from the Engineer Department
presents a comprehensive view OF the progress
which has been made IN the great systems pro-
motive ofihe public Interest. commenced and
organized under the authority Of Congress, and
the effects (which have already contributed TO
The security. as they will hereafter largely con-
tibu,e 10 the honor and dignity Of The nation
TIE first of these great s ,stems is that Of for
liie atoms. commenced Immediately after the
ClOSo Vi " ldSt IL u oututuIJ VA
perience which the events Of that war had i'm
pressed upon our coun,ryRen Of it's necessity.
Introduced under the auspices OF my immediate
predecessor, 1t has been continued with The per-
screring and lbei al encoura genient of the Leg
stature; and combined with corresponding ex-
ertions for The gradual increase and improve
ment Of the Navy, prepares for our extensive
country a condition Of defence adapted to any
critical emergency which the varying course Of
events may bring forth. Our advanre in these
concerted systems have for the last ten years
been steady and progressive; and in a few years
more will be SO completed as TO leave no cause
for apprehension that our sea coast will ever
again offer a theatre Of hostile invasion.
The mex Of these cardinal measures Of policy,
is the preliminary 10 great and lasting works Of
public improvement, in tho surveys Of roads, ex-
animation for The course Of canals, and labors
for the removal OF the distractions Of rivers and
harbors, first commenced by the act o. Congress
Of Both April, 1924.
The report exhibits in ono table the funds ap-
propriated at the last and preceding Sessions Of
Congress. for all these Notifications, surveys, and
works of public improvement; the manner in
which these funds have been applied, the
amount expended upon the several works under
construction, and the further sums which may
be necessary 10 complete them. In a second,
the works projected by the Board Of Engineers,
which have not been commenced, and the esti-
mate of their cost.
In a third. The report Of the annual Board of
Visiiers at the Military Academy at West Point.
For thirteen Qualifications erected on various
points Of our Atlantic coast from Rhode Island
to louisiana, the aggregate expenditure Of
the year has fallen a little short Of one million
Of dollars.
For the preparation of FIVE additional reports
Of reconnoisances and surveys since she lasr
Session Of Congress, for the civil constructions
upon thirty seven different public works com
menced, eight others for which specific appro-
priations have been made by Acts OF Congress,
and twenty other i~ncipient surveys undcr the
authority given by the Act Of Both April. 1924, |
about one million more Of dollars have been
drawn from the Treasury.
To these two millions Of dollars are to be
added the appropriations of $50 900 dollars, to
commence the erection OF a Breakwater near
the mouth Of the Delaware river; the subscrip-
tions to the Delaware and Chesapeake, the |
Louisville and Portland. the Dismal Swamp.
and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canals; the large
donations OF lands TO the states Of Ohio, India
ma, Illinois and Alabama, for objects Of i'm
provement within these states. and the sumo
appropriated for light Houses, Buoys. Piers, on
the coast, and a full view will be taken Of the
munifconce Of the Nation in the application Of
its resources to the improvement Of its own
condition.
OF these great national undertakings, the
Academy at West Point is among the most i'm
por'ant in itself, and the most comprehensive
IN its consequences. In that institution, a part
of the Revenue of the nation is applied to de
fray the expense Of educating a competent Por-
ton of her youth, chiefly to the knowledge and
duties of military life. II is the living armory
of the nation. While the other works of I'M
provement enumerated in the reports now pre-
sented to the attention of Congress, are destiL.
ed 10 ameliorate The face ofnature; to multiply
the facilities Of communication between the diff
ferent parts of the Union; 10 assist the labors,
increase live comforts, and enhance The enjoy
ments Of ndividudls-the instruction acquired
al West Point enlarges the dominion aud ex-
pands The capacities Of he mind. Its beneficial
results are already experienced in the compo-
sition Of the army, and their influence il felt in
the intellectual progress o fsocie'y. The insii-
tutiOns is susceptible still OF gieat Improvement
from benefactions proposed by several success
sive Boards Of V,slters, to whose earnest and
repeated eco concentrations l cbeerfully add my
own.
With the usual annual reports from the Secre-
tary Of the Navy and the Board Of Commis-
sioners, will be exhibited to the view Of Con-
gre,s the execution Of the laws relating 10 that
Department Of the public service. The re-
preston of piracy IN the West Iadian, and in
the Grecian Seas, has beea effec,ually main
tained, with scarcely any exception. During
the war bet wecn the Governments of Buenos
Ayres and Of Brazil, frequent collisions be-
tween belligerent acts Of power and the rights
Of neutral commerce occurred. Licen, ious
blockades, irregularlv enlisted or impressed sea-
men, and the property Of honest commerce seiz-
ed with violence, and even plundered under le-
gal preionces. are disorders never seperable
from The conflict Of wars upon the ocean. With
a portion Of them, the correspondence Of our
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