Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-01-27

er, ct Z medium stage, from three 10 hive
81 At Gle head Of each level, thus stfofd-
ing navigation for foursor five mos,ths in
he year throughout the entire length 'sof
The river 10 the Raccoon Fork, 50 soon
as this first stage Of the work is ecnplet-
Cd ;whereas, it is at presen. only r@viga-
BILE FOR few weeks together in the early
part Of the Spring and even then IMP nay
igation is quite difficult and hasasdous.
! II may be urged as an objection 10 The
plan here proposed, that in case tas doAa-
ticn should prove insufficient toEi1prove
the whole river, the funds woua be ex-
pended without securing the 'btnefits Of
uninterrupted and convenient navigation
on any portion Of the river. To ilis eb-
jeciion the Committee would reElf first;
that they can see no good reasGIior APP
pretending such a contingency; ana sec.
onaly, that should the lands be exhausted
before the improvement is fully cprIpleted,
the course hitherto pursued by the Gene
raj Government towards other; States,
warrants us in the confident belief that, if
the grant already made Be applied in good
faith, she will make up the deficiency
BY an additional grant,, It is presumed
that, whether such 8 contingency shall
arise or not, Congress will respeM to our
memorial by permitting US to select other
lands in lien ofthose already saN within
the limits ofthe grant. In the ease of In
diane, Congress- has added dsI.ation 10
donation, until that State has received al
most two millions and half Of acres Of
land. to aid her in constructing works Of
internal improvement. Being a9are Of the
diversity Of opinion entertained upon this
subject, the Committee will net urge the
unconditional adoption Of tie pan here
proposed, but would recommendation it be
left discretionary with the BcnEtl:ef Inter-
nal Improvement, who will be better quail
flied to Judge Of its expediency, 10 adopt
that plan, If in their judgment i will be
the most effectual in securing TIC ultimate
attainment Of the object for which the
grant was made. 81
Acting from the conviction shat the
General Government will connsp,e t. be
guided by the same liberal and fhlighten.
ed policy which has hitherto ctrariactefized
her course in extending aid to nfher State
ia similar Observation-Disclosures that she
has no intention Of stinting iowa npon
this grant for the improvement Of the
Desmoines river, but that she :Ytill readi-
~ accede to our reasonable request for
grants Of land to improve so:le one or
more Of the other rivers inthis SPITE, which
are susceptible Of improvemea5n-that she
will continue her liberality t5sssards our
young State, until she shall haze received
: portion equal to that given ua her elder
sisters-your Committee, in frafting The
bill which accompanies this report, have
not confined the powers and duties OF the
Board Of Internal Improvements therein
provided for, to the prosecutor of the
work now under consideration but have
provided, prospectively, for eereral pow.
ers and duties in that Board, sooking to
all public works that may thereafter be
undertaken or projected BY Che State
We would recommend that provision be
made for the payment Of sucE: salaries to
the Commissioners Of said Beard, as will
secure the services of competent men with
the necessary enterprise, energy and bus
mess capacities; which, tegetber with all
other incidental expenses incurfed in the
prosecution Of the Desmolnes river i'm
provemeni, should be paid OFT IF the pro.
ceeds Of the sales of the lands appropri.
ated for that purpose. 81
The means now placed at Our disposal
If properly husbanded and discteetly man
aged, will form the nucleus q. general
system Of internal improvements, the ben
eficial and invigorating influence of:whicl
will, ere many years,be felt il every por-
tion of tho State. Having, in another part
Of this report, alluded to the extensive
scale upon which the internal improve
ments Of many Of the older States have
been conducted, we would here express
the hope that Iowa may reap oil tie ben.
efits, with none of the evils. which, those
States have experienced from this source
that her career may be as prosperous in
all respects as theirs. while she avoids
the rock on which they split i is asource
Of profound satisfaction to The citizens Of
our State, that their fundamental Law pre-.
sents. such complete barrier against the
contracting ola heavy debt, as. Will effect
ssaslly protect them against tie fuinous
policy which has paralizsd tie energies
Of those States and mortgaged Che farms Of
theirscitizens. However, we ,hay be dis.
appointed in the beneficial results expect
ed 10 flow from general systen= Of in
ternal improvements, it cans not prove
very disastrous to the public antelest, in
asmuch as no system can be devised un-
der our constitution, which Gin mske our
people feel the crushing Wight IF debt
and taxation.
Your Committee have embodied the
substance of the principal Iecommenda.
lions herein made, in bill (which they
herewith present and'respeeilully recon-
mend its passage. ELL
I'm american made .NammsM Telescope.
Mr.. Lewenberg, of Williamsburg, l..
l., has just completed his spNndid instru.