Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer., 1834-04-17

|TE
Hendricks, Kent, King of Geo :, knight
Leigh, Mangum, Naudain, Poindexter, Por
ter, Prentiss, Preston, Robbins, Siisbee.
Smith, Southard, Sprague, Swift, Tomlin'
!, son, Tyler, Waggaman, Webster-2s
) NayS-Messrs. Benton, Brown, Fofsvth,
urundy, Hill, Kane, King of Ala. Linn,
Mexican, Moore, Morris, Robinson, Shep,
ley, Tallmadge, Upton, White, Wilkins,
Wrighl-lS.
Inc question being on Mr.. Clay's second
resolution, as modified, was also decided in
the affirmative, as follows, to wit:
feds-Messrs. Bibb, Black, Calhoun,
Clay. Clayton, Ewing, Frelinghuysen.
hent, Knight, Leigh, Mangum, Naudain,
Poindexter, Porter, Prentiss, Preston, Rob-
bins, Silsbee, Smith, Soulhard, Sprague.
Swift, Tomlinson, Tyl Waggaman, Web
ster-26
Nays-Messrs. Benton, Brown, FORSYTH,
Grundy, Hendricks, Hill, Kane, King of
Ala, King of Ga. Linn, McKeau, Moore,
Morris, Robinson, Shepley, TaHuadge.
Upton, White, Wi kins, Wright-2O.
ROAD-LOUISYlLLE TO ST. LOUIS.
Mar. SLADE, of Illinois, from the commit
tee on roads and canals, made the fol-
lowing
The committee on roads and canals, to
which were referred the several memori-
ais and joint resolutions of the States
OF Indiana and Illinois, (marked Az in
relation to the improvement of the post
road from Louisville, Kentucky, by Vim
cennes, Indiana, to St. Louis, Missouri,
after having given the subject the most
attentive examination, report:
That the road referred to is about two
hundred and seventy miles in length; is
the great post road and thoroughtare
through the states of Indiana and Illinois
to Missouri, and passes over lands, nine-
tenhs of which is owned by the United
States. The settlements on them are sparse
S" much SO as TO render the inhabitants
unable to keep the road in repair, without
a greater portion of labor and expense than
can, OF ought to be required OF Them. Lib
eral and repeated appropriations have been
made by the states, through which it pass
es, for Its Improvement, fully commensur-
ate with their means, but inadequate TO the
accomplishment of the object. The state
of illinois has caused an accurate and
careful survey of it to be made from Vim
cennes to ST. Louis; permanent monuments
Of stone have been erected at the termina-
ton of each mile, and every means, in its
ability to supply, has been judlciousy ap-
pied to Its improvement.
The states, however, cannot, without
manifest injustice to other portions of their
territory, make appropriations Of money
from their treasures 10 remove the timber.
improve the wet and low grounds, and erect
bridges over the streams; nor should this be
expected ofthem Their resources are not
only very limited, but their interests in the
desired improvements are tar inferior to
those OF The United States. They own
none Of the land; have no state interest in
the transportation Of the mali; and cannot
be required to afford facilities for that pur-
pose.
The committee are well assured that a
liberal appropriation, judiciously applied
10 this road, will not only save to the gov
erOment the expense OF transporting the
great western mail one.eigh,h of the sum
now annually expended for that purpose.
by shortening the distance on the route, but
will greatly accelerate it; and, in addition
thereto. will open an immediate market for
the lands bordering upon 1t, which, with
out it, will remain uDsold for years to come,
| Other considerations have engaged the
attention OF the committee. Ii will not
be denied that safety in the transportation
of the mail is PRIMARY object; certainly
not secondary one. In the present CON
dition Of this road, the mail is carried on
horses during the winter and spring months;
and, as many Of the streams are without
bridges, delay of several days is neces>
sarily occasioned until the waters recede,
or, if the passage be forced, i, is effected
. by swimming, thereby hazarding not only
the mail, but the life of the carrier Such
accidents have occurred; but if they do
not occur, if the mail is not totally lost by
the force of the current, sweeping away the
horse and rider, it is so much injured by it
as to render it, by the time it reaches its des-
tination, mass of unlntelligible matter,
not only useless, but productive of serious
losses to individuals and the public. A re-
!, currence OF such like cases can be prevent
5 ed, by congress making the Improvements
, prayed for, and which the interests of the
D public so imperiousy require.
/ These considerations have had their in
: fluence with the committee; and inasmuch
as the United States are the principal owner