of Government to New Orleans, uniting the whole of the southern Atlantic States, are conceived to be the most important objects within the provisions of the act of the last session. The beneficial effects which would flow from such a system of improvement would extend directly and immediately to every State in the Union; and the expenditure that would be required for its completion would bear a fair proportion to the wealth and population of the several sections of the country, -at least, as they will stand a few years hence. When completed, it would greatly facilitate commerce and intercourse among the States, while it would afford to the General Government the means of transmitting information through the mail promptly to every part, and giving effectual protection to every portion of our widely extended country. There are several other routes which, though not essential to the system, are deemed of great importance in a commercial and military point of view, and which the board will receive instructions to examine. Among these, the most prominent is the connection, whenever it may prove practicable, of the Eastern and Western waters, through the principal rivers discharging themselves into the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico: for example, the Alabama and Savannah Rivers with the Tennessee, the James River with the Kanawha,—and the Susquehanna with the Alleghany; which last will be more particularly adverted to in a subsequent part of the Report. To these we may add, the route from Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence, and from the river St. John, across Florida Neck, to the Gulf of Mexico. They are both deemed important, but the latter particularly so. Should it prove practicable, its beneficial effects would be great, comprehensive, and durable. The whole of the Atlantic and Western States would deeply partake in its advantages. Besides the facilities of intercourse which it would afford, between these States, our trade with Mexico, Guatimala, and the central parts of the continent, would not only be greatly facilitated, but rendered much more secure. The board have, besides those already mentioned, examined, in conjunction with Pennsylvania commissioners, a route for a canal from the Alleghany to the Susquehanna. In addition to the importance of this route to a large portion of the West and the State of Pennsylvania, it was thought to possess other and strong claims on the attention of the Government. It is believed to be one of the most promising routes to cross the Alleghany by a canal communication; and should that by the Potomac prove impracticable, it might afford the means of effecting the great objects intended by the canal projected on that route. When the various routes, to which I have referred, are examined and surveyed, and plans and estimates formed, in conformity with the directions of the act, it will present so full a view of the whole subject, as will enable Congress to commence and complete such a system of internal improvement as it may deem proper, with the greatest possible advantage. In conclusion, I have to remark, that experience has shown the corps of engineers to be too small to perform the various duties which are assigned to it. Its duties have been more than trebled since its establishment, and are increasing every year. During the present year much inconvenience has been experienced for want of a sufficient number of officers, -notwithstanding every officer of the corps has been on active duty during the season. I have the honor to remain your obedient servant, To the President of the United States. REPORT On the Extent of Executive Patronage, Feb. 9th, 1835. Mr. Calhoun from the select committee appointed to inquire into the extent of Executive patronage; the circumstances which have contributed to its great increase of late ;the expediency and practicability of reducing the same, and the means of such reduction,-stated that they have bestowed on the subjects into which they were directed to inquire that deliberate attention which their importance demands, and submit, as the result of their investigation, the following report in part : To ascertain the extent of Executive patronage, the first subject to which the resolution directs the attention of the committee, it becomes necessary to ascertain previously the amount of the revenue and the expenditure, and the number of officers, agents, and persons in the employment of the Government, or who receive money from the public treasury, all of which, taken collectively, constitute the elements of which patronage is mainly composed. As the returns of the revenue and expenditure for the year 1834 are not yet completed, your committee have selected the year 1833, as being the last of which complete and certain returns can be obtained. The result of their investigation on all these points will be found in a table annexed to the report, which contains a statement of the gross amount of the revenue under the various heads of customs, lands, post-office, and miscellaneous, for the year 1833; the expenditures for the same period, arranged under the various heads of appropriations,-the number of officers, agents, contractors, and persons in the employment of the Government, or who receive money from the public treasury. From this table it appears that the ag gregate amount of the revenue for the year was $35,298,426, and of the disbursements, $22,713,755;—that the number of officers, agents, and persons in the employment of the Government is 60,294;-of which there belong to the civil list, including persons in civil employ, attached to the army and navy, 12,144 ;—to the military and Indian department, 9,643;-to the navy, including marine corps, 6,499 ;-to the post-office, 31,917; all of whom hold their places directly or indirectly from the Executive, and, with the exception of the judicial officers, are liable to be dismissed at his pleasure. If to the above there be added 39,549 pensioners, we shall have a grand total of 100,079 persons who are in the employ of the Government, or dependent directly on the public treasury. But, as great as is this number, it gives a very imperfect conception of the sum-total of those who, as furnishing supplies or otherwise, are connected with, and more or less dependent on, the Government, and, of course, liable to be influenced by its patronage, the number of whom, with their dependants, cannot even be conjectured. If to these be added the almost countless host of expectants who are seeking to displace those in office, or to occupy their places as they become vacant, all of whom must look to the Executive for the gratification of their wishes, some conception may be formed of the immense number subject to the influence of Executive patronage. But to ascertain the full extent of this influence, and the prodigious control which it exerts over public opinion and the movements of the Government, we must, in addition to the amount of the revenue and expenditure, and the number of persons dependent upon the Government, or in its employ, take into the estimate a variety of circumstances which contribute to add to the force and extent of patronage. These, in the regular course of the investigation, would next claim the attention of your committee; but as all, or, at least, a far greater part of them, are of recent origin, they will properly fall under the next head to which the resolution directs the attention of your committee, and which they will now proceed to investigate. Among the circumstances which have contributed to the great increase of Executive patronage of late, the most prominent, doubtless, are the great increase of the expenditure of the Government, which, within the last eight years (from 1825 to 1833), has risen from $11,490 460 to $22,713,755, not including payments on account of the public debt; a corresponding increase of officers, agents, contractors, and others, dependent on the Government; the vast quantity of land to which the Indian title has, in the same period, been extinguished, and which has been suddenly thrown into the market, accompanied with the patronage incident to holding Indian treaties, and removing the Indians to the west of the Mississippi, and also a great increase of the number and influence of surveyors, receivers, registers, and others employed in the branch of the administration connected with the public lands; all of which have greatly increased the influence of Executive patronage over an extensive region, and that the most growing and flourishing portion of the Union. In this connection, the recent practice of the Government must be taken into estimate, of reserving to individual Indians a large portion of the best land of the country, to which the title of the nation is extinguished, to be disposed of under the sanction of the Executive, on the recommendation of agents appointed solely by him, and which has prevailed to so great an extent of late, especially in the south-western section of the Union. It is difficult to imagine a device better calculated to augment the patronage of the Executive, and, with it, to give rise to speculations calculated to deprave and corrupt the community, without benefit to the Indians. But as greatly as these causes have added to the force of patronage of late, |