Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-02-17

make the proposed canal. and thus TO contribute
TO the permanent benefit of not only the town oi
Alexandria and the District at large. bat large
portion of citizens OF several States, as wc' as
the future revenue of the United States.
Your memoraists will not prescribe tfe mode
of this aid, whether by subscription to the stock
of the company by the United States. or making
the aoueduct across the river Potomac at George
town. or any other mode which the wisdom OF
Congress may suggest.
Your memoralists respectfully presume that no
constitutional difficulty can exist IN extending the
proposed aid to the efforts of this District. which,
with the citizens thereof, stand toward the Gene
raj Government in the same relation, and bound
by the same ties and duties, the one to the other.
as the respective State Governments do toward
their citizens, possessing the same powers, and
under the same obligations to aid the people con-
fided to their care, which the several States pos
sess. and have repeatedly exercised toward the
enterprisng efforts of their citizens in any under
taking calculated to promote a general and eX-
tensive benefit, and which private funds may be
inadequate to effect.
Your memoralsts beg leave further to represent,
that Alexandria has, in different forms, paid into
the public Treasury considerable sums OF money.
According to authentic information from the
Treasury Department. there has been paid from
the town of Alexandria into the Treasury OF the
United States, from the Slst of December, l79l,
to the SIst of December. 500, inclusive, on &C
count of the customs, SS,757.l6l 90; on account
of the post office. S17S, 043.54; Tor direct tax IN
the wear 1915, S7,7S5 -; and for the year 1916,
Ss.716 81; in all, S3.92l, S55 %, exclusive of
the internal revenue. The form of the return of
the collector of that revenue has rendered it i'm
practicable for the Treasury Department to as
certain what portion of it was paid by A'exan-
dria. There can be no doubt, however, that the
roportion paid by Alexandra would make the
whole amount paid within the period above men
toned exceed four millions of dollars; thus ex-
hibiting a clear revenue from the town OF Alex
andria, on an average of the last twehty-elght or
thirty years, of nearly one hundred and nifty
thousand dollars per annum.
La addition to these facts, your memoralsts
cannot forbear t" bring to the view of Congress,
on this occasion, what is perhaps known to but
few of your honorable body. In the year 1870,
when Alexandria was part Of the State OF VIr-
ginia. that State advanced to the General Govern
ment the sum of one hundred and twenty thOus-
and dollars. as donation, to be applied by Con.
eress to the erection of the public buildings on
the bank of the Potomac, for the permanent seat
of the general government. In aiding the town
of Alexandria in making their canal, the citizens
of large portion of the State of Virginia, both
above & on the tide water below, must feel deep
and lively interest.
During the late war with Great Britain, when
the General Government was in need OF funds to
enable them to meet the demands on the public
Treasury, the banks in Alexandria promptly at
forded aid. by advancing for Government stocks
and for Treasury notes, and dscounting the drafts
of the contractors for the army on the Secretary
of " ar. funds to the amout of Sl,544,O57 O8.
The object Of making these statements is not
to detract from the merit Of other portions OF the
community, but to show that Alexandria, now I'M
der the peculiar care and patronage Of the Gene
raj Government. has not been an unimportant or
barren portion ofthat district. of country commit
ted to the exclusive government of the United
States; and that she is worthy of being fostered
and aided BY that government. to whom she can
alone constitutionally and legally look for pro-
lection and aid.
Nor can the citizens of Alexandria feel that
these claims have been diminished, when they re-
member that the full benefits of the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal have been extended to the more
favored cities of this District. out of the common
Joint funds. in part contributed by themselves,
with the concurrence, IT not under the direct IN
huence of the vote of the United States, whilst
uey nave Dteu ltit VII thtss 40 VII OH othS' oSSo
sions, to their own resources. save only that they
are now cheered by an unanimous appeal of all
parties, on their behalf, to the favor of Congress.
Relying on the kind feelings of their Govern
ment towards every part of this District, your
memoralists venture to call Oh Congress to make
up the residue of the capital stock required for
the purpose of completing the canal and aque-
duct across the river Potomac, in such mode as
shall seem in the wisdom of Congress to be equi-
table and proper.
All which is respectfully submitted.
HUGH SMITH, President.
THOMSON +. MASON,
w. H. MILLER.
PHINEAS JANNEY.
ROBERT BROCKETT,
WILLIAM C. GARDNER.
COuntersigned,
JOHN Ii. CREASE, Clerk.
Erfract from, the Engineers Report 10 the Pre-
sidenf and Directors Of the .4lera'idr,a Canal
Company,
GENTLEMEN: In compliance with your re-
quest, and by permission Of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Compa-