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

improvements, made the following
REPORT:
The Committee on Interna! improvements, 10
whom was referred the memorial OF the Alex
andria Canal Company, praying such ana as
Congress may he pleased to grant towards the
construction Of the said canal, have had the same
under consideration, and have agreed on the
following report;
That the memoralists are believed to represent
tho whistles. not only of the stockholders OF the
Alexandria Canal Company, but. as they assure
the committee. of the entire population OF that
once thriving seaport of the commonwealth OF Vlr-
.;ria in asking the aid Of Congress towards the
S9onstruc,iou of branch from the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal to their harbor.
I'm addition to the facts and reasoning set forth
in the memorial, and ITS accompanying documents
which are made part of this report, app. A. the
committee have subjolned the proceedings OF the
memoriaI,sts and their felOw-citlzens, preparato-
ry to their corporate as well as individual sub
scriptions to the stock OF the Chesapeake and Ohe
canal, which are to be found IN report oil a Tor
mer committee of this House, (APP. b. anu
letter 10 a member of this committee from mer-
chant of extensive dealings, who has been for ma
ny years engaged IN the commerce. VI h'eA""-
dria.. (App. Z.
From these documents. and view of the past
and present condition of the markets of the Dis
trict Of Columbia, and their relative dependence
on the country to which they respectively look tor
their SUPPLIES, the following facts are deducibe.
That the town and county of Alexandria were
coded TO the United States in the year by
the commonwealth Of Virginia. accompanied by
GRANT of 10000 dollars, 10 aid IN the construc-
lion of the public edihces OF the federal govern
ment. of which the District OF Columbia Is IN tact
political institution, erected tor the seat OF that
government, and subject to its exclusive legisia-
ton
While the cession created dependence Of the
naope of the District upon Congress. as their sole
LEGISLATURE. it established relations between the
district and the rest of the Union, which are the
source of mutual obligations.
The town of Alexandria, at this period. posses
sed AL extensive commerce IN bread stuffS anu
othcr commodities. OF the former, 1t derived a
considerable part of its supplies by water through
tbe navigation of the Potomac, by boats, which,
ho,erlne along the shore of the river, and protect
ed by the Virginia hills in It's shallow margin, Sc
cureIy descended to the market OF Alexandra.
By the construction OF a causeway between
AnaIostan island and the former shore OF Virgin
ia, across what was prior thereto the best snip
channel of the Potomac, the canal boat swere dlsa-
bled from reaching Alexandria, and the commerce
which she derived from that source was cOnse-
auently lost to her.
Still She retained, as she yet possesses, the larger
nortion of those supplies which arrive at tide wa
ter frnm the valley of the Shenandoah and ITS trl-
hntary streams. west Of the Blue Ridge. by the
several turnpikes by which she has. al much cost.
connected her market with that fertile territory.
But whenever the navigation OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal shall have attracted the commo-
dities which enter into this transportation from a
transit by land to cheaper carriage by water,
a great proportion OF the residue ni the trade
of Alexandria will be subjected to the same haz-
srJ with that which she has already lost. unless
She be enabled to enter into fair competition for
;ts preservation and improvement with the other
markets of the District.
II is on such views mainly, added to the supe-
r;or advantages which Alexandria possesses, as
a seaport. over the other markets OF the Potomac
that the memorasts ground their appeal to the
iustice and lberality of Congress tor aid in the
construction of their canal.
That appeal is regarded by them as the strong
err. ON account of the motives which led to sub
scrption by the corporate authorities and private
citizens of Alexandra, OF SS5O,OOO to the main
stem of the canal above Georgetown. and to the
applcation of part OF this sum to its extension
tbrouqh Georgetown and part of Washington to
tho T;her. Subioined are the terms of compro-
nice between the cities of the District, which led
10 this extension. APP. D.
By it the commercial advantages of Washing
ton and Georgetown are so improved. that. with
out an equally secure and uniform connection of
Alexandria with the maiE stem of the CANAL she
must witness, in poverty and ruin. the departure
Of the capital and trade which she possessedwhe,n
severed from her parent State, in compliance with
the wishes Of Congress, the interest OF the Union
and the express provisions ofthe federal cOnsti-
tuition.
The great benefit of canal navigation is pro-
duced by substituting cheaper and more efficient
propelling power for human labor, as that OF hor-
ses for men. The boats drawn by horses along
the tow path Of canal must stop where the tow
path ceases; and unless it shall conduct their car
A.. .ha mont Of concentration mr. eynOrtatlOn.