Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-28
FOR THE EMO UfRER.

An old offieev has been grafed to see that move.
men has been made in Congress place the Topograph
zeal Corps of Engineers on an eligible and more useful
oong and, that both the President and Secretary of
war approve the Plan OF doing SO, suggested by tho
hciiigent head OF that Corps.
Our country is young; but every rising sun beams
upon new developcments of her hidden resources both
morai and physical. Who foreten the proud and
splendid destiny that awaits her, if we can only prevent
ue rancour OF party spirit and the madness of fana
etsn from bursting asnnder the bands of Unon
overturnng with II the only free issssusiovs EARTH
VS. put move onward other generation the flood
tide of Union and Peace and Prosperity aud we rise
upon the plane OF the first nations on eorh-ree and
uneonqueraLe.
But IN the mean time, must collect the knowledge
o. our physical condition and During the
iate war; those OF us who in the field aud upon the
ocean had but very imperfect knowledge either of the
Jas oil The country, of the bays and
and esnar'es oil the Atlantic lake frontier The con-
sequences of this ignorance were DELAY hesitation and
In some instances defeat II was ont Of these ccun-
stances that the psnt able corps of Typographical En-
gnesrs grew up. For some years, they have been
gently engaged in surveying the land and measuring the
waters OF the United States and by the of science
and industry, have essentially contributed 10 make
known some of the wonderful advantages of our favored
country They have visited many of our noble rivers
and nthomed and explained the hidden mysteres ofther
navigation, On the land, they have exhibited many Of
inc strong holds and deenccs of long lines of our
frontiers They have marked the best military roads
ia several Ions of the untry. And with ma
sona views, they have surveyed and located the most
iacie routes for canals SO tn our
union happiness, and thrift All these works have been
performed under orders from the Federal Executive
ana nave, comparatively, cost the people nothing The
Expense OF the whole Corps is but trifie-nay Il is less
than groat compared with the advantages derived from
such science and skill that body Engineers known
10 possess They have only made favorable COM
mencement in the career of their usefulness They will
nave much to do for the next quarter ola century
have read the plain and sensible report of Col Albert
IN which, as the head of the Corps he asks nothing but
amary organization of it, which, if made to cost less
Mdn the present eJpense Of a. and it to me- that
congress cannot hesitate moment on the subject.
From the silent manner in which the bill for this pur
pose moves, simultaneously in both branches of Con-
gress do not apprehend any objection 10 it, All that
say IS wholly disinteresed served during the whole
OF the last war; at the head of the most important
staff departments, both the lake the Atlantic
tontiers and IN both extremcs of the Union enough
to satisfy me of the most deporabe Of Topographic
cal normation And it is the memory of the pre- yious
necessities OF the country that keeps alive in my
quiet retirement to whatever promises good to my
try either in peace in The Topograpical corps
serves us most usefully in either situation-and is
therefore, that much interest is taken in its behalf by
AN OLD OFFICER