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JAN. 13, 1825.]

Western National Road.

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mercial purposes; that it might be more of a national | object to open a road from the Ohio to Chicago, at the south end of Lake Michigan; and from thence, to Prairie du Chien, where there were military posts, to which there was no communication by water but by long and circuitous routes. That he only stated this to shew, that, until the report of the engineers should be made, Congress were not prepared to judge what were eligible routes for roads or canals, and any undertaking, before such information should be received, and before Congress should determine to embark in a system of Inter-ing within the state of Ohio, and to make up any definal Improvement, would be premature

must be obvious that nothing more was contemplated by this act than a pledge of the funds arising from the lands sold within the state of Ohio. In 18.6, Congress commenced its legislation on the subject of the Cumberland road specifically, and the money appropriated by the act of 1806, for this road, was to be paid, first, out of the fund reserved in the act of 1802, and secondly, if that proved inadequate, out of any unappropriated money in the Treasury. This provision for drawing the money from this specific fund, raised from the sale of lands ly

Mr. P. P. BARBOUR rose, and said, that he was not about to enter at large into the question before the committee, but merely to state a few facts, which might have a bearing upon it. He was aware that the motion yesterday made to strike out that part of the bill which goes to pledge the two per cent. fund, had, at the present sitting, been decided in the negative, and that all arguments or observations in favor of such an amend ment would now be out of order. But if, said Mr. B. it is in the contemplation of Congress to commence a great system of Internal Improvement, (for which, however, in any shape, I cannot go, as being opposed to the princi· ple,) it seems to me that the object now presented is as much entitled to favor as almost any other that can be mentioned. He should, indeed, be obliged to vote against the bill, and would do so, even were it for the sole bene. fit of his own constituents. Yet still he thought the object as good as any other. The measure, however, ought at once to be put (where the gentleman from Ohio had candidly placed it) on the footing of an absolute appropriation, not to be returned from any fund whatever. The pledge was all out of the question. Congress has the direction of two per cent. of the proceeds of the sales of public lands in the northwestern states, for the purpose of making roads leading to those states. It has expended somewhere about $1,800,000. Now this is two per cent. on ninety millions of dollars. It would be found that the whole sales of lands in the northwestern states, up to 1819, fell short of $27,000,000, of which less than $17,000,000 had actually been received. Here, then, was the Government in advance two per cent. on ninety millions, and not seventeen millions realized yet. Surely, it was vain to talk of any hope of reimbursement from such a fund. Let us not, said Mr. B. hold out a false and delusive hope. Commending the candor of the gentleman from Ohio, (Mr. BEECHER,) in placing the subject at once and avowedly upon its real ground, Mr. B. expressed a hope that, when the bill came into the House, the clause containing this pledge would be stricken out. And he concluded with repeating that, did not his views of constitutional restrictions prevent him from voting for any appropriation for Internal Improvement, he should certainly vote for the present bill.

ciency in that fund from the public Treasury, is a legislative exposition of what Congress meant by the act of 1802. The language of the act of 1802, however, is so explicit that it will admit of no other construction. Subsequent to 1806, and, almost annually, down to 1819, Congress had made appropriations to complete this road, sometimes repledging this Ohio fund, and, at others, making naked appropriations only. During this period, Congress had admitted Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri into the Union, under stipulations and agreements such as Congress itself had proposed, and, amongst other things, it had been agreed, that two per cent. of the moneys arising from the land sales in those states should be expended, under the authority of Congress in making roads leading to those states respectively. This stipulation, however, was of a conventional character. It was a consideration paid by Congress for the exemption, on the part of those states, of the lands to be sold by the United States, from taxation, for five years after sale. At the time of these compacts, then, Congress had almost completed the Cumberland road, and no pledge had ever been made, of any specific fund whatever, to refund the money to the Government, except the Ohio fund. In 1819, however, after the admission of these states, and after the ratification of these solemn compacts, which are based upon the principle of a quid pro quo, and under which the Government had agreed to lay out this fund in making roads leading to those states respectively, Congress pledges this very fund to repay to the Treasury nearly two millions of dollars, which had been previously expended on the Cumberland road. Mr. C. would submit it to the good faith, and if it might not appear offensive, he would say, the common honesty of the House, to say, whether such a pledge were not in violation of those compacts?

The right to make this pledge, as has been argued, springs out of the act of 1802. I have shown that that act looks alone to the sales within the state of Ohio. But you did not, at that time, own Missouri. She was then in the hands of a foreign power; and yet, it is also contended that her fund is also to be pledged to redeem this Cumberland road debt.

Mr. C. said, the states west of the Ohio supposed they were making a fair bargain, and that each party meant Mr. COOK said he concurred with the gentleman to execute in good faith what was promised. If that from Virginia, (Mr. BARBOUR,) in his opinion of the de- were done, he thought no doubt could remain as to the gree of favor with which this measure should be viewed. illegality of the pledge of 1819, which applied this fund But he could not concur with him in the views he had to redeem the Cumberland road debt. Arguing, then, submitted in relation to the fund that Congress had on that supposition, he should proceed to state his pledged to the states west of the state of Ohio. He views in relation to the measure before the House. rose to explain more fully than had been done, the nature of this pledge, and to repel the construction which had been put on the compacts that Congress and those states had entered into. In 1802, Congress passed a law authorizing the people within the territorial limits of the state of Ohio, to form a constitution and become an independent state. In the same act, it was provided that five per cent. "of the nett proceeds of the lands lying within the said state, (Ohio,) sold by Congress" from and after a day specihed, should be applied to laying out and making roads leading from the Atlantic waters to the Ohio river, and through the state of Ohio. Subsequently, with the assent of Ohio, a change was made, limiting this fund to two per cent. Mr. C. said it VOL. I.-14

He had shown, on a former occasion, that this fund would, in the progress of time, yield a sum exceeding two millions of dollars-a sum that would be adequate to make this road. The Government now owned almost boundless tracts of land in the west. Its value is to be increased in proportion to the facility of settling it. This road will lead to it, and consequently increase its value. The country is remote from the great scenes of business and markets, and will be greatly benefitted by this road. Inasmuch, then, as it is calculated to advance the prin.ary interests of the Government, as well as to increase the affections of a large portion of our people for the Government, and so greatly serve their interests, Mr. C. said he should vote for the appropriation. But he

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Western National Road.-Cumberland River.

should, at the same time, insist, as a condition on which his vote ultimately would depend, that there should be some clear and distinct assurance given, in the bill, that the road was to be continued to the states west of Ohio. It had been argued that this measure was premature. This prematurity, said Mr. C. is discovered too late. Congress, four years ago. after much grave and solemn debate, appropriated ten thousand dollars to mark and locate this road. It was done with a view to its speedy completion. It was then thought proper to commence, and the people of the states particularly interested, although too patriotic to be clamorous on account of the delay, have felt that their expectations have not been met in the spirit which raised them.

Perhaps it may be said, that the measure of four years ago was designed merely to pacify and appease an idle whim of the West. Congress, I trust, does not legislate on such principles, and, for one, I am sure that measure was founded on no such consideration. The people of the West do not believe it. They have a better opinion of the candor and integrity of this body.

Mr. C. thought this road had nothing to do with the great system of internal improvement that had been spoken of, so far as related to the mere appropriation of money to make it. It stood on different ground. It was a promised road, and the only question to be settled was, the time of meeting that promise. That had been settled, and wisely settled, four years ago. It was then settled that we will now go on with it. We will go on with it, while the country, through which it is to pass, is too poor to make it, and whilst we (the United States) have property to a large amount that will be increased in va'lue by it. This having been the policy adopted four years ago, he hoped it would not now be abandoned.

The public domain, said Mr. C. is pledged to pay the public debt. In pursuance of that pledge, Congress had frequently adopted measures to accelerate its sale. None can more contribute to that object than this road. It will, it must, be the great highway to most of the emigrants from the states north of Virginia to the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. You will, by affording this facility to them, act in the spirit which produced much of your former legislation. You will lessen the expense of emigrating, and, by that amount, increase the means of the emigrant to purchase your property, and comfortably to settle himself.

[JAN. 13, 14, 1825.

As to the claim of the West on the National Treasury, he should only say that that Treasury never contributed any thing worth naming, for the purpose of internal improvement, for the advantage of any other state than Ohio. What, asked Mr. M'DUFFIE, are the national works which have been done by the General Government? This road was certainly the chief, and he had almost said, the only one-two millions had been expended upon it. There was also some small appropriation for the improvement of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. I, said Mr. M'DUFFIE, belong to a state which, on this subject, has fair claims on the Government, yet I do not now solicit any thing on her behalf. We are told that, because the work has been commenced, we must theretore go on with it. But, sir, said Mr. M'DUFFIE, I argue I do not think bein a manner directly the reverse. cause we have done something for one part of the Union, we must, therefore, do more for it. The work, I acknowledge, is an important one; but other objects are important too. The population of the new states is comparatively sparse; and we are asked to neglect the denser population of the Union, for their benefit. I do not think the object proposed, has any peculiar claim, at this particular time. Before he sat down, he would state what were his general views on this matter. It appeared very clear that, for at least ten years to come, all the surplus revenue of this country would be exhausted in paying the public debt-and, from the character and well known wishes of the nation, he presumed that it must be the great object of the next administration to pay that debt. There could be but a small surplus left to be applied to internal improvements-sufficient, however, to defray the expense of all the requisite previous measures. All the surveys could be made, various routes explored, and the comparative expense of different projects ascertained. Then the nation would know precisely what was the work before it. Nor was it more than proper that ten years should be consumed in preparing to accomplish so great a system, on the safest and most solid grounds.

Mr. CLAY now rose, and, expressing a desire of presenting to the committee his views on the general subject, requested, as the hour was late, the indulgence that the committee would rise. The committee rose accordingly, and obtained leave to sit again.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.-FRIDAY, JAN. 14.

CUMBERLAND RIVER.

Mr. REYNOLDS, of Ten. submitted the following resolution for consideration:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the expediency of appropriating a sum of money not exceeding dollars, for the purpose of improving the navigation of Cumberland River, in the state of Tennessee.

The resolution having been read

Mr. REYNOLDS addressed the chair as follows:

Mr. M'DUFFIE then rose, and said, that he now perceived the question before the committee was a question of direct appropriation for a road. If the arguments of the gentlemen from Indiana and Illinois were correct, (and certainly those arguments presented matter of grave consideration,) the two per cent. fund of those states cannot be appropriated to the present object. It follows, that the two per cent. in Ohio alone can be appropriated to it. No one can deny that the whole of this fund has been expended. So far, then, as the arguments of the gentlemen prove any thing, they shew that what is required, at present, is an abso- Mr. Speaker: Should it be in order, I will briefly sublute appropriation of money from the Treasury. This mit to the House my views on this subject. We have point being settled, he would say a few words on the been engaged, yesterday and the day before, in discussmeasure, as constituting a part of the general system ing the bill to extend the Cumberland Road: the object of internal improvement. Such a system, Mr. M'D. of the present resolution have submitted is to improve observed, must be formed and conducted on national the navigation of Cumberland River. But, before I proprinciples. Yet, it was unavoidable, in the nature of ceed, allow me to say, that I lament much, indeed, at the things, that, in the prosecution of it, certain parts of course the debate has taken on the extension of the Nathe country will be benefitted more than others. The tional Road; and, without entering into the merits of question then arises, how shall we proceed? I answer, that discussion, it is to be regretted, that the subject of in the first place, with the utmost caution. If we act those reservations and conditions of state rights ever had otherwise, and through haste, ignorance, or oversight, been introduced into the bill; for, it is evident to my shall fail in any great work we undertake, we shall oc- mind, from the discussion already had, without particucasion a reaction which will go far towards destroying larly examining the statutes, that the per centums stiputhe system; and he would put it to the friends of inter-lated by those new states arising on the sale of the pubnal improvements, whether it will be advisable to run lic lands, were certainly intended for the internal imany risk of such a result? He was, therefore, opposed provement of those states, and not for national purposes. to acting on the system, till a general view had been in my humble opinion, sir, it would have been more presented to Congress of the objects to be attempted. preferable to have asked, by the bill on your table, an

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appropriation for the object contemplated by the bill. Permit me, also, to state, that it is much to be regretted that any allusion has been made to the general appropriations made for the benefit of the country heretofore. Sir, the Northern and Eastern parts of the Union are much older than the West. The great population and situation of the country commanded the resources of the nation. And there are many expenditures of the public purse, from the nature of things, that will always be confined to those regions, such as building public ships, erecting forts on the Atlantic board, and on the Pacific Ocean, in those independent states that will spring out of the Oregon territory. For my part, sir, when a national object is necessary, and ought to be carried into effect, I shall not stop to inquire whether the money is to be expended on the South or the North side of the Potomac. In a republic like ours, forming a grand confederated Union, the important inquiry is, Has the measure called for, a tendency to promote the interest, honor, and happiness of the nation? Then, I trust, as we have not had occasion of having much of the public moneys distributed in the internal improvements of the West, I still will rely on the justice and magnanimity of the good old thirteen states, in enabling us to carry on our national improvements in the Western states.

It will be recollected, Mr. Speaker, that, at the last session of Congress, a bill was introduced to improve the navigation of the Mississippi river. To that bill it was my intention to have offered the present proposition as an amendment. But, knowing how much the whole Union is interested in the navigation of that grand river, and, lest the great object should be defeated by adding too many amendments of the kind, I did, at the requuest of some of my friends, and particularly my honorable friend from Kentucky, (Mr HENRY,) who so ably advocated the bill, abstain from offering the amendment, but with the express determination of presenting it to the House at this session. The bill passed, and is now a law of the nation, by a handsome majority.

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and the city of Pittsburg, and from Nashville to New
Orleans, at all seasons that the waters will admit of it.
This is not all, sir. This stream will be of great import-
ance to the flourishing state of Missouri, and all other
states that may border on that great river, Missouri, in
consequence of the article of cotton. With those im-
portant states of Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, our inter-
course and trade will be greatly facilitated. And when
the great canal, now in contemplation, unites the Poto-
mac river with the Ohio, it will open new resources and
advantages to Maryland and Virginia, and will afford a
direct communication by water with us. And the time
is not far distant, sir, when the great and powerful state
of New York, will, by her great resources, and her as-
tonishing progress in internal improvements, show to
this Union the necessity as well as policy, in a political
and commercial point of view, of uniting, by canals, the
great northern Lakes with the Mississippi river. Then,
sir, as one of the Western States, in point of trade, we
shall be united with the Northern, Southern, bordering
on the Gulf of Mexico, Eastern, and Middle states.
will then be no uncommon event to see the hardy and
enterprising sons of the North and East peaceably ex-
changing with the people on the banks of Cumberland
every manufactured article of luxury and comfort, for
the raw material, when, in all probability, the old world
may be deluged in all the horrors of war, and all commu-
nication cut off betwixt us and them, perhaps forever.

It

But, Mr. Speaker, there is still another topic connected with this subject, and, I trust, the House will allow me briefly to state it. There is on one of the streams of Cumberland, called Harpeth river, one among the finest sites for a national armory in the United States, and, perhaps, in the world. The stream is large and bold. The country around it, to a great extent, abounds in the finest forest, and there is no end to the ore in its vicinity. Besides, I have been lately informed that stone coal has been found in the same neighborhood; and the country is considered very healthy. This great and celebrated site is only twelve miles from the mouth of this river, and can, with a trifling expense, be made navigable always when Cumberland is navigable. Indeed, when the latter river rises, the back water nearly reaches the site. The navigation of Cumberland from the mouth of this river is as good as the Ohio. The great impediment to the navigation of this important stream is what is called the Harpeth Shoals, above its mouth, which is much against the flourishing town of Nashville, and the upper country. I think, however, that 20,000 or $30,000 will be a sufficient sum to remove every obstruction in the river, high as Carthage.

It may be objected, Mr. Speaker, that Cumberland river is too local for the General Government to take it into the estimate of a general system of internal improvements. But, gentlemen have only to look at the map to see the great and central position of that noble stream. It is navigable about two or three hundred miles and upwards, and meanders a country of from four to five hundred miles. The country is remarkably fertile and healthy. It is the grand high road for the great body of the population of West Tennessee, in the transporta tion of their produce to the great emporium of the West, New Orleans; and, besides, it is equally claimed and enjoyed by a very important and interesting region Mr. Speaker: When we look at the happy medium of the Union, I mean that part of Kentucky known by in which West Tennessee is situated, as it regards clithe name of the Green River Country. This is a part of mate, soil, and health, and when we consider there is all the republic very extensive, fertile in the extreme, and the great materials for the establishment of a great arcapable of sustaining an immense population. But to mory on this interesting stream, there is another consithe Union, the river Cumberland is interesting in many deration of great moment. These water courses rarely, points of view. The great water powers for machinery if ever, are frozen in winter. How important to the on the rivers and branches emptying into it are immense, Union will it be, in case of a war, that we can, in the dead and will, at no distant day, command the attention of the of winter, at a moment's warning, transport our arms and enterprising manufacturer and agriculturist. We have munitions of war to the seat of war in a campaign to the men of great public spirit amongst us, but there is a vast South. This is a consideration that ought to have outlet for more. There are, in the vicinity of those weight with every gentleman who may have to act fistreams, mountains of iron ore, which are inexhaustible,nally on this subject. For my own part, I do not hesitate and of a quality equal, if not superior, to any in the United States. Sir, the boasted county of Cornwall, in England, cannot produce better iron. And, besides, the fertility of our soil is such, that hemp, tobacco, and cotton grow in great perfection. The House will perceive, then, without any comments from me, the great importance of this river to the United States.

But, Mr. Speaker, this is not all. It is, at this moment, of deep interest to the great and patriotic state of Pennsylvania. There are now, I expect, from ten to fifteen steam boats running regularly between Nashville

to pronounce it the most eligible situation in the United States. Is it not remarkable, Mr. Speaker, that those Commissioners have not yet made their report on this subject? We were informed by the gentleman from Ohio, (Mг. BEECHER,) that it would be delivered to this House in six or eight days. It is now more than two weeks since the gentleman moved to lay my resolution on this subject, on the table. From a letter I have received from Pittsburg, and the session going off rapidly, I shall take the liberty of calling up the resolution on tomorrow. At all events, if it is not our good fortune to

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United States' Real Estate.-Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

have the armory where nature has pointed it out, I still hope, however, that the Government of the United States will enable us to improve Cumberland river; and if we are not allowed to furnish our armies with arms and munitions of war, yet I trust our citizens in Tennessee will be enabled to mingle their laudable efforts with their brethren of other Western States in supplying our ar mies, when the case may happen, and the city of New Orleans and Louisiana with the products of our land.

Sir, I was highly gratified to hear, the other day, from an honorable gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. MERCER,) and who is a member of the Committee on Roads and Canals, that it is contemplated, by that committee, to offer to the House a general system of national improvements. Hoping, most sincerely, that they will take my proposition into consideration, I shall take the liberty now to move that the resolution lie on the table for a few days.

The resolution was then ordered to lie on the table. The resolution offered by Mr. WARFIELD, calling for an account of real estate purchased by the United States, was taken up.

Mr. WEBSTER observed, that the resolution proposed an inquiry that would be attended with great labor, and he should be glad to hear some of the reasons which induced the mover to desire it.

Mr. WARFIELD replied, that the present resolution had in substance been offered by him at the last session of Congress-but too late in the session to obtain the report in answer to it. He had at that time explained his reasons, but perhaps the hon. member from Massachusetts had not been present-he would, therefore, now repeat them. He had taken the year 1776, as the period at which the statement was to commence, because he understood that previously to the adoption of the Federal Constitution, there were few cases of the purchase of real estate on behalf of the United States. Since that time, these purchases had been frequent, for the purposes of arsenals, forts, dock-yards, &c. In other instances, he believed the purchase had been made by consent of the states where the estate lay, and in other instances, without that consent. Where the latter was the case, he wished to ascertain by whom and to whom the title deeds had been executed-as, from information he had received, he was led to believe that, for part of the real estate in question, the United States would be found to have no valid title. It was certainly important to know what title the Government holds in its public property, and he did not suppose, after the House had once approved of, and adopted the resolution, its propriety would again be drawn in question: he had, therefore, not prepared himself to go into a detail in explaining it. The only reason he presumed that the information was not furnished at the last session, was, the late period at which the resolution was adopted.

Mr. WEBSTER observed, in reply, that the resolution would impose on the public officers a task of vast extent and labor; and he doubted whether so much was necessary, even for the object of the mover, as now explained. Would it not be better to confine the inquiry to those cases where he supposed that investments had been incautiously made, without calling for a detailed statement of all the purchases of real property by Government, for forty years back? He would not, however, directly oppose the resolution.

Mr. MERCER advocated the propriety and expediency of the resolution proposed. It might save trouble in future discussions, to have such a document to refer to. Had it been before the House last session when the survey bill was under consideration, or the bill for purchasing the lot at West Point, it would have saved much labor. It was desirable to know in what cases jurisdiction accompanied the property; and when it did not, where it was obtained with, and where without, the consent of the states. He did not think the task would

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[JAN. 14, 1825.

be so very difficult. In the compendium of the laws at the end of the first volume, there was a printed list which contained most of the particulars-he was persuaded it would he found very useful.

Mr. WOOD, of New York, believed that, three years ago, such a report had been made, and he moved to lay the resolution on the table.

The question was taken, and it was decided in the affirmative-ayes 72, noes 56.

So the resolution was laid upon the table.

CHESAPEAKE AND DELAWARE CANAL.

Mr. HEMPHILL moved to dispense with the orders of the day, for the purpose of taking up the bill "authorizing a subscription to the stock of the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal Company."

The motion was carried, ayes 92.

The House accordingly went into committee of the whole-Mr. TOMLINSON in the chair, on that bill.

Mr. HEMPHILL (the chairman of the committee which reported the bill) rose. He said, the committee would perceive that the bill, which was now submitted to their consideration, authorized a subscription in behalf of the United States for 1500 shares, which is equal to $300,000, in the stock of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company; the Government was to receive its proportion of the dividends, and the Secretary of the Treasury was to vote at any election for the Officers of the Company, according to the number of shares subscribed.

The importance of the question presented by this bill, said Mr. H., will, I hope, justify me in occupying the attention of the committee for a short time. The subject of this canal, and the proceedings connected with it, are, I know, very familiar to some of the committee, but there are others I presume, who are not so well acquainted with them; and, for this reason, I will take the liberty of giving as brief a history of the canal as I can.

Soon after the system of canalling became so universal in England, and the benefits of canals so generally known, a canal to connect the waters of the Delaware with the Chesapeake Bay was contemplated, and many surveys to carry this design into effect, were made antecedent to the Revolution; when Mr. Latrobe surveyed the route, which was, I believe, in 1816, he mentioned that 32 surveys had been previously made-and I expect that there had been 10 or 15 surveys and examinations of the grounds since that period.

The first Legislative step to effect the object was taken by the Legislature of the state of Maryland, who on the 7th of December, 1799, passed a law to incorporate a company by the name of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company. This law proposed to cooperate with the states of Delaware and Pennsylvania; and these states, impressed with the importance of the subject, not only as it regarded themselves, but in its relation to the nation at large, did not hesitate to act conjointly with the state of Maryland, and they respectively passed laws to accomplish the object of a water communication between the waters of the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay. On this subject eleven laws have been enacted; but it will not be necessary for me to detain the committee by referring to them, except so far as to exhibit their leading provisions. The acts of the respective states authorized the opening of books for subscriptions to the amount of $500,000, in shares of $200 each; and incorporated the subscribers with ample powers to locate the route, to acquire the title to lands in the states of Maryland and Delaware, through which it should pass, and to cut and finish the canal, and to keep it in repair forever.

The necessary regulations for the payment of tolls were prescribed by the respective acts. And it was stipulated, that the canal and works, when completed,

JAN. 14, 1825.]

Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

[H. of R.

should forever thereafter be esteemed and taken to be session. In the mean time laws have passed favorable navigable, as a public highway, free for the transporta- to the canal, in the states of Maryland, Delaware, and tion of all goods, commodities, or produce whatsoever, Pennsylvania. on payment of the tolls imposed by the acts, and that On the 18th of December, 1812, the Maryland Legis. no additional toll or tax whatever, for the use of the lature enacted a law, the preamble of which I will be water of the canal, and the works thereon, should, at any allowed to read-it is as follows: "Whereas, during time, be imposed by all or either of the said states. the time of war against the United States of America, Other arrangements took place between the states, some the completion of the work of the Chesapeake and Delof which not bearing directly on the canal project, need aware Canal would be greatly beneficial to the United not now be mentioned. I will refer to one which may States, by forming the great link of an inland navigation be of importance, as connected with the prosperity of of six or seven hundred miles, and, thereby establish a the canal: By the first Maryland act, of the 7th Decem- perfectly safe, easy, and rapid transportation of our ber, 1799, there is a provision that the act should be of armies and the munitions of war, through the interior of no force or effect until a law be passed by the Legisla- the country, and which would ever tend to operate as a ture of Pennsylvania, declaring the river Susquehanna cement to the union between the states; and, whereas to be a highway, and authorizing individuals or bodies the prosperity and the agricultural interest of the state corporate to remove obstructions therein, at a period of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and not exceeding three years, from the first day of March, the Delaware state, are more deeply interested than their 1800. A law to this effect was passed by the Legisla-sister states, in the useful work of opening a communiture of Pennsylvania. cation between the Chesapeake Bay and the river Delaware, by means of the said Chesapeake and Delaware Canal-therefore, in order to enable the President and Directors of the said Canal to prosecute and finish the important work, be it enacted, &c."

The acts contain the usual provisions for the election of a President and Directors, for the transfer of the stock, the collection of the tolls, and the payment of dividends; and also authorizes the Company to increase the subscriptions whenever necessary.

By virtue of the laws of these three states, a company was legally incorporated, who, in April, 1804, after causing many surveys to be made, located the canal in favor of what was called the Upper Route from Welsh Point to Christiana; the Elk river, with the resources of Christiana and White Clay Creeks, were supposed to contain a sufficiency of water.

The waters of the Elk river were purchased, including the route of the feeder and the necessary lands; and the work to construct the feeder, commenced on the 2d of May, 1804; and was earnestly prosecuted during the years 1804-5, when a failure of funds compelled the Board, after the expenditure of about $100,000, to suspend the whole undertaking. The cause of this disaster is difficult now to trace; the Stockholders failed to pay their instalments, owing, in a degree, perhaps to the investments of their funds in the numerous Banks and Insurance Companies that were created about that period, which promised high and immediate profits; still the failure, it may be imagined, would not have occurred if the same practical knowledge and public spirit had existed then on the subject of Internal Improvements, which are now manifested almost every where.

The Company, being without funds, made applications for aid whenever there appeared to be any hope of success, to Congress and to the Legislatures of the states of Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

The subject was introduced to the consideration of Congress, in 1806, by a memorial signed on behalf of the Company, which was accompanied by an able production entitled "Observations respecting the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal."

Favorable reports, in the Senate, were made in 1806, '7, 9, '12 and 13, illustrating the great importance of the subject, and the advantages to be derived to the General Government, by a water communication from the Delaware to the Chesapeake Bay.

The first section of the act authorized a conditional subscription, on the part of the state of Maryland, and declared that if the United States should subscribe seven hundred and fifty shares, the Commonweath of Pennsylvania three hundred and seventy-five shares and the state of Delaware one hundred shares, in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company, in such case, the Treasurer of the Western Shore was authorized to subscribe, in behalf of the state of Maryland, two hundred and fifty shares.

On the 25th of March, 1813, the Legislature of the state of Pennsylvania passed a law similar to the law of the state of Maryland, and embraced the preamble in full. It authorized a subscription to be made, on the part of Pennsylvania, of 375 shares, if the United States should subscribe 750 shares, the state of Maryland 250 shares, and the state of Delaware 100 shares.

These laws never went into operation, as the United States and state of Delaware did not subscribe; and the project rested for a considerable time. In 1822, great exertions were again made, to revive the company, and to acquire new information and new subscriptions; and, in the year 1823, acts were passed, by which subscriptions, to the amount of $25,000, were obtained from the state of Delaware $50,000 from Maryland, and $100,000 from Pennsylvania, and new private subscriptions were made to the amount of $325,000.

The whole ground was again explored, and every means taken to acquire the best information, at an expense of about $10,000; all which was submitted to the Board of examining Engineers, composed of General Bernard and Colonel Totten, of the United States' Engineer Department, and Judge Wright and Mr. White, two civil engineers. These engineers unanimously determined on the route, in their opinion, the most eligi ble, beginning on the Delaware riv r, near Newbold's Landing, where an artificial harbor and tide-lock must be provided-the canal to be cut through St. George's Meadows to St. George's Dam, there to be lifted by a lock of eight feet; thence through St. George's Mill Pond, through the dividing ridge of the Peninsula, and through Turner's mill, to a lock of six feet fall at Turner's mill-dam; and thence, along Broad and Back The House of Representatives have also had the sub-creeks, to a tide-lock, near the mouth of Long creek. ject under consideration, at different terms, from the This report of the route, was unanimously adopted by year 1806 to the year 1824, and many resolutions have the President and Directors of the Chesapeake and Debeen adopted, and several committees to whom the sub-laware Canal Company. The canal is to be sixty feet ject had been referred, respectively reported bills to the House to authorize the subscription of stock. Bills of this description were reported in 1812, '13, and '18, and the bill now on the table was reported at the last

It was recommended to grant to the Company certain quantities of land, from which source funds could be raised to complete the work; and, to this effect, several bills passed in the Senate-one in the session of the tenth Congress, and two in the eleventh Congress.

wide at the water's edge, thirty-six feet at the bottom, and eight feet deep, and fourteen miles in length. It is sufficient for the passage of our coasting vessels, and will accommodate itself with the Dismal Swamp Canal.

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