The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-04-25

true ofthe lands within every other land dis
trict, beyond, within, and around which a
large, industrious, and widespread popula-
ton exists. There is, then, no mystery in
this matter. Such a result is one that nat
urally and necessa rily f fellows from such a
cause. In proportion al roads are construct
ed, canals opened, and The resources of the
country are developed; in proportion as farms
are opened and cultivated, and villages and
cities spring up, as school-houses churches,
and temples of justice ,ornamenting the gen
eral surface, mark also the progress of civil
~lization, and tie security of a well regulat-
ed freedom; in proportion as cheerful in
dusty, and all the comforts, and facilities,
and embellishments of a social life pre-
sail, -in that proportion does such a coup
try become endeared to those who inhabit
it, while it holds out to emigrants and stran-
gers the strongest inducements to go also,
and make oft the place of their home
Such causes unquestionably operate through
Out. the West,an will continue to operate, if
our Government continue, until the last acre
of the public domain shall have found a pro-
prietor in the resident citizen. And when
the canal in question shall have been com
pleted, and its commerce in full operation,
running as that canal is designed to run,
through the centre, from end to end, of the
tVincennes land district-your committee
believe they advance no unreasonable propo-
lsition when they say, that the consumation
of the work will at once procure purchasers
of the land"
The undersigned doubt not the faithful
ness ofthe public officers in the Vincennes
land district in making the report above re.
ferred to. Indeed, the high characters o
those officers for integrity and capacity, Zone
ofwhom discharged the duties of register
for a longer period than, perhaps, any .othei
similar officer in that branch of the public
service,) are conclusive oil that point; ant
the conclusion, therefore, is irresistible, tina
the sales of a part of those lands have
resulted from the value given TO them by tn
Improvements above referred to, and by tht
prospect of the completion of the Wabasl
and Erie and the Central Canals TO the Ohio
river.
1t is further worthy of observation, that i
the lands now asked for were either given o
sold to persons who would occupy and re
duce them to cultivation, and by that mean:
add to the wealth of the country and 10 it
capacity for consumption, in a very few
years the public revenue would be gamer BY
the process; for it is manifest that a steady
increase of consumption would result in the
increase of revenues received on Imports
1t would, therefore, be a ~pecuniary benefi
10 the Government to have these land occu
pied at any rate. But it is clear that moth
ing would so soon result in their occupancy
and improvement as the opening a certain
channel, by which the farmers might find
constant outlet for every surplus product
In this view of the subject, it is difficult tc
conceive any just ground of opposition to the
measure.
4. The United States already have al
interest in this canal; and in order to rem
der that interest what it ought TO be, the Ca.
: nal should be completed, so as to render the
navigation perfect from Lake Erie Ato the
Ohio river. By granting these lands-which
to grant, will be no loss; to retain, no ad
vantage to the Government-she will have
the right to use the canal as ga public high
way, free from any toll or other charge what
ever, for any property of the United States
or persons in their service, passing through
or along the same." When it is consider
ed how great this right may become, hov
essential to the public defence, and of hoy
long continuance-for it is to be hoped tina
the Union will be as durable as our noun
tains-iti is manifest the right far exceeds til,
equivalent.
5. The Wabash and Erie canal is a Ma
rIoNAL WORK. No other public work in tn
United States is more entitled to be SO de
nominated. 1t will be a channel of a direc
r commerce between more extensive region
r than any other canal in the United States
, except the New York and Erie canal, an
3 the period will be when that canal will nc