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

man, 10 me senate, January l4h, lS4I.
The Committee on Internal Improve
ments, in obedience to resolution of the
Senate, instra acting them to inquire into
the expediency of creating by law State
Board Of Internal Improvement, for con-
Quoting the Improvement Oft the Desmoines
river, and for other purposes /; and Of en-
powering said Board to proceed and sell
a portion OF the lands dona:edb by Congress
to this State, for the purpose Of aiding
in the prosecution Of said work, and TO
commence operations at as early aday as
practicable after said river shall have been
ascertained by actual survey to be suscep-
iiole OF s!ack-water navigation; also,
whether it is expedient 10 commence said
Improvement by The erection Of one dam
in each county along the entire line of the
same; have had those subjects under con-
sideratoa, and instructedme to report.
Your Committee have endeavored to de-
vote to the subjects embraced in their in.
structions, that careful attention which
their importance demands. The subject
OF internal improvements is one which, du-
/ ring the past quarter of century. has
engaged much of the legislative attention
of nearly every State in The Union. The
systems which have been SO successfully
prosecuted by many Of the older States,
have contributed more largely, perhaps,
than any other source, as we'll to our ma
tiona! greatness, as TO the prosperity OF
their respective citizens. BY facilitating
intercourse between remote points, by
overcoming distance, and bringing within
the reach OF producers in the interior coun.
try, profitable marts for the products of
the soil and Of their labor, encouragement
is afforded 10 honest Industry and slim
illus to commercial enterprise, which can.
not fail to exert a most salutary influence
upon the public prosperity. The com
:nuni,y Of interest thus established be-
tween the citizens of different sections, is
one Of the strongest links in that great
chain which constitutes the indissoluble
bond Of union among the American States.
The federal Government, rightly appre->
ciating the great advantages flowing from
this source, has ever evinced common
dable liberality in making grants Of land
to the States for the purpose of aiding them
in the prosecution of works Of internal i'm
provement; and in pursuance Of this wise
policy, she has manifested a disposition TO
extend to Iowa the same aid " hich has
been extended to her elder sisters. The
grant Of lands for the Improvement of the
Desmoines river, considered as first step,
and as an earnest of what we may expect
in future, if the means thus placed at our
disposal, are properly improved and faith
fully applied to the Object for which they
were intended, is an act of munifcence
which does honor to the Government of a
free, enlightened and progressive nation.
That those means will be so applied and
improved, your Committee cannot entertain
doubt; and their labors have, therefore,
been directed to The end that such mea-
sures may be adopted at the present ses
sion of the General Assembly, as will Sc.
cure 10 the people OF the State the full
measure OF benef: to be derived there
from, and at the same time lay the toun-
dation for general system of internal i'm
provements, to be prosecuted as additional
means for that purpose may be obtained,
by grants OF land or otherwise.
Since the passage of the act making the
grant aforesaid, doubts have been enter
tanned and freely expressed, whether it
was the intention Of Congress that said
grant should be independent Of and in ad-
diiion 10 The grant of 100000 acres 10
each State, by the act Of Sept. 4, lS4l, or
whether it did not come within The provl-
sions OF the 9Th section of said act, which
provides thai all lands donated TO any State
for other purposes shall be deducted from
said 5OC,0 acres, which by our State
Constitution, Is devoted exclusively to
educational purposes. Considering a de-
cision of this question as prerequisite
&c any decided action ia the premises, the
Committee have delayed theirreport until
an opinion upon the subject could be OBJ