Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1838-02-17

igable as aforesaid, by the said implied
contract. That the authorised agents
ofthe State, have virtually declared that
the said river is not nayigable for small
vessels, by the construction OF an artifi
cial channel along its banks for such
craft, and that such declaration includes
within it the assumption that the river
aforesaid is not navigable for large ves-
sells, and, of course, that the said towns
are not, as your petitioners supposed, at
the head of navigation; for they are un-
willing to believe the public servants Of
the people of the sovereign State Of Ohio,
have gone no farther in The road to wis
dom than had the philosopher who hav-
ing constructed an aperture through the
door of his habitation for the convenient
entrance of his mousing quadrupcd OF
adult age, was constrained to fabricate
similar one Of inferior periphery for
the advent and exit Of her youthful off
spring. Your petitioners, therefore, ask
that the said towns be made the head of
navigation, according to the terms Of the
contract before set forth, and this they
do the more boldly, because they are a.
ware that the people Of the towns Otto
ledo and Manhattan made their settle
ments at those places under the belief
that the Maumee river aforesaid was not
navigable to any point above, and that
in consideration of such belief, and the
implied covenant depending thereon, the
servants of the people have solemnly de-
clared, that the said towns of Toledo
and Manhattan are at the lead Of maui-
cation aforesaid, and that every act Of
your petitioners tending to prove to the
contrary, is a sin against them and an
insult to the sovereign State Of Ohio, in
the persons of her faithful and disinter-
ested public officers. Your petitioners,
therefore, conceding that the towns of
Toledo and Manhattan are at the head
Of Navigation of the riuer as aforesaid,
would humbly pray your honorable bod
les to instruct the Board of Public Works
to cause to be constructed from the said
towns to the foot of the Rapids a chan
mel navigable for lake craft. upon the
north side of the said river Maumee, Of
the depth of 20 feet and of The width Of
200 feet, and a duct for the convey.
ance of the same from Maumee to Per-
rysburg, that the said towns may still be
at the head of navigation, according to
the terms of the covenant Aforesaid
And your petitioners are thus particu-
lar in setting forth the size of the canal
to be constructed, because they are salts
fed, that if the dimensions are in any
degree less than those mentioned, they
shall still be obliged to make use Of the
river, for navigable purposes, to the great
disgrace Of the State Of Ohio in general,
and much to the sorrow and disparage-
ment of the Board Of Public Works,
in particular, And your petitioners,Sc.
The petition undoubtedly makes a very
strong case in favor of the claimants,
and we have no doubt will be responded
to by the Legislature. There are, how
ever, some ideas which might have been
incorporated into 1t, adding to its effect,
among which are the following. All the
great nations Of antiquity whose monu.
melits remain the wonder and aslonish-
ment Of modern times, adopted such form
in the modelling Of those structures, as,
in their opinion, was. best calculated TO
ensure their perpetuity. The Egyptians,
the most successful of the ancients, pre-
ferred the pyramid. These everlasting
structures, seated upon a basis of aston
ing breadth and circumference, raise
their hoary heads among the clouds, de-
flying the storms, and laughing at the
winds of heaven. Thus should the state
of Ohio, basing her proudest monument
upon foundation of the dimensions pro-
posed in the petition, elevate a pillar Of
6ofeet wide and 6 feet deep to tower ma
jestically above, while its topmostssun-
nit, fory feet byfour, rises higher still
among the wilds Of Indiana, astonish-
ing the natives Of those desolate regions,
with the splendor Of the conception, and
the magnilicencei of the completion of
SO glorious apublic work. Then will
they ensure base TO their pyramid,
which win never be- torn by use. and
which will remain, even though the su-
perstructure fall sacrifice to its utility,