Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-12-24

In Senate, on the 3d December, Mir LAWYER introduced the following memorial to the Congfes of the United States; which has been twice reid and ordered to be engrossed for third reading
 The Memorial of the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Alabama, in General Assembly convened, respectfully e. present 10 the Congress of the United Staes, that 10 connect the waters of the Tennessee riVer with the Waters of the Coosa and Inn DeckDe rivers, are objects of the first m,or- tance to the State of Alabama, and to East Tennessee, West Virginia, and part of North Carolina and Georgia and greatly to be de- sired in national point of view. The cit zens residing on the waters of the upper part of the tennessee river, are now driven by very clrcuitous route, to carry the products of their industry to New-Orleans, and then to compete with the citizens ofthat rich and immense tract ot country watercd by the Mississippi, Ohio, and other western waters The market is of ten .glutted, to the injury of the grower of the article, in both sections of the western couri- try; while, if a communication was opened directly south with the seaport towns of Ala bama, more equal division of the markets would be the consequence, and all parties con cerned would he benefited the consumers in Alabama would not be under the necessity of obtaining their supplies of provisions through New-Orleans, but would be enabled to obtain them fresh and wholesome, direct from the interior.
 Further, your memorialists represent, that m the event of future war with a great na- val power, and in the event of an attack upon New-Orleans, Mobile must at all events be defended, and it is of the utmost importance to the nation, that an army stationed there should be sp' et.y9y and certainly supplied.
 Such communication would enable the Go vernment to furnish supplies of troops, muni- tions of war, Slc. with great facility; whilst experience has taught us, that without such direct communication, such needful supplies are difficult to be obtained, and when had, the expense would be immense, in propor- tion to what it would be, were the proposed communication made and your memorialists entertain little doubt, but that more would be saved to the nation at large, in one years war in the South, than the Government would ever realize from the sales of all the unappro- priated lands within this State, and which are now to be sold.
 Your memorlalsts, therefore, pray your honorable body to grant to the State of Ala bama, for purposes of internal improvement aDu euuCatlOn, all the unSOlu lands within said State, with such power as will enable said State to sell all the barren and refuse land for such sum as they may be reasonably worth.
 Should it not be the pleasure of Congress to grant to this State all the unapproprated
 lands lying within the same, your memorial
 sts would respectfully represent, that com municaton by railroad between the waters of the Tennessee river, and the waters of the Coosa river, can be opened at an expense of one hundred thousand dollars and that all the obstructions can be removed out of the Coosa river, so as to admit of the safe nav- gation of the same, at an-expense of five hun dred thousand dollars, making an aggregate of six hundred thousand dollars When this sum is compared with the immense benefits that would result to several States from such improvement, and that it is absolutely reces- sary to the protection of our Southern from tier, we are constrained, by solemn sense of duty to our common country, to lay the sub ject before your honorable body, and submit to your consideration the propriety of granting to the State of Alabama, so much of the un- sold lands lying within said State, as will be of value sufficient to accomplish that object.