t 6 1 
 
 MEMORIAL 
 
 COMMISSIONERS 
 
 THE STATE OF NEW-YORK 
 
 BEHALF OF SAID STATE ; 
 
 THE AID OF THE GENERAL, GOVERNMENT I? 
 OPENING A COM M U X ICATI O Ji 
 
 i 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 THE NAVIGABLE WATER* 
 
 TI'ii]- on River and the Lake's, 
 
 December 11, 131 5. 
 
 K<?fer'red to the Committee on so nuioii uf the President's wes* 
 sage a- relates to Roads assd Canals. 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 WlfNTBD BY WILLIAM A, BA'Vtf& 
 181%. 
 
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library 
 
MEMORIAL. 
 
 — =3<50$®©<5«e=>— 
 
 To the honourable, the Senate and House of Re- 
 presentatives of the United States, in Congress, 
 the representation of commissioners of the State 
 of New-York, in behalf of the said State, 
 
 RESPECTFULLY SHOWETH.... 
 
 That the legislature of the said State, in April 
 last, passed an act to provide for the improvement 
 of their internal navigation, of which act we take 
 the liberty of transmitting herewith a copy. In 
 this it will be seen that a board of commissioners 
 is constituted, and that, among other duties en- 
 joined upon them, they are required to make ap- 
 plication to the government of the United States, 
 for cessions, grants or donations of lands, or money, 
 for the purpose of aiding in opening a communica- 
 tion, by means of canals, between the navigable 
 waters of Hudson's river and lake Erie, and the 
 said navigable waters and lake Champiain. To 
 fulfil this requisition, then, is the object of this ad- 
 dress. • 
 
 Next to the establishment and security of the 
 right to self-government, we flatter ourselves, that 
 no subject requiring legislative interference, can be 
 found more interesting than the one which we are 
 charged to lay before your honourable body. And 
 we venture to solicit your favourable consideration 
 
4 
 
 of it, in full confidence, that an enlightened public 
 spirit, may justly give to it such a measure of pa- 
 tronage as cannot fail to produce signal benefits to 
 the nation. 
 
 The benefits to be acquired by the United 
 vStates, from the construction of these canals, will 
 most obviously and immediately affect their pecu- 
 niary and their political interests. 'More remotely, 
 indeed, they will exert a favourable influence upon 
 every object embraced within the scope of an en- 
 lightened and paternal policy. If we consider the 
 extent and fertility of our territory north-west of 
 the Ohio — the large proportion of it, which yet 
 remains unsold — the disposition and the ability, 
 which our eastern fellow-citizens possess to pur- 
 chase and to improve it, we cannot be insensible 
 of the great pecuniarv advantage which would re- 
 sult from opening to them a safe, easy, and econo- 
 mical passage into that territory. Every dollar 
 saved to them, in the expenses of removing thither, 
 would operate to enhance the value of the public 
 lands, and at the same time, to hasten their settle- 
 ment : and it is obvious, that a canal from the Hud- 
 son to lake Erie would sav :j a large portion of these 
 expenses. The number of persons to be affected, 
 by this consideration, cannot be accurately stated. 
 It certainly would not be small. We are well as- 
 sured, that, in the course of one year, since the 
 war, more than twelve thousand new settlers, al- 
 most exclusively from the east, have established 
 themselves within tBe limits of this State, west of 
 the Genessee river. 
 
 Whatever adds to the value of all (hat land 
 produces must increase the value of land itself. 
 To a country, which depends upon a distant mar- 
 ket for the sale of its surplus productions, it is of 
 great importance to aJlbrd every possible facility 
 
s 
 
 of transportation ; for all that is taken from the 
 expense of transportation is added to the value of 
 the articles transported : and by cheapening the 
 rate of carriage many articles are rendered valu- 
 able, which would otherwise be worthless. 
 
 Moreover, if habit, or the necessary accommo- 
 dation of life, require that such a country should 
 consume foreign goods to the amount of all its sur- 
 plus productions, it is evident that the land-holder 
 there, enjoys a twofold benefit in every increased 
 facility of transportation. Perhaps the whole of 
 the country between the great lakes, the Missis- 
 sippi and the Ohio, (certainly the greater part of 
 it.) would derive, from the completion of our princi- 
 pal canal, greater advantages for distant commu- 
 nication than any country, so far inland, has hither- 
 to enjoyed, and incomparably greater than that 
 country can ever derive from any other means. 
 Regarded, then, merely as a measure of pecunia- 
 ry wisdom, we trust your honourable body will 
 make such an appropriation in favour of it as will 
 ensure its accomplishment. 
 
 But considerations of a political nature seem, 
 to us, most urgently to recommend the construc- 
 tion of these canals. The great influence exer- 
 cised over the western Indians, even in our own 
 territory, by the subjects of a foreign government, 
 we have always had numerous reasons to wish 
 destroyed. This influence depends, materially, 
 upon establishments erected for the promotion of 
 the fur trade. Any measure that would open, be- 
 tween one of our se'a-ports and the region where 
 furs are collected, a road, in all respects prefer- 
 able to any other, besides drawing to our own citi- 
 zens a profitable commerce, would tend, eventu- 
 ally, to the subversion of that influence, and, in the 
 mean time, offer to us important facilities for con- 
 trolling it. 
 
[6J 
 
 The trade carried on between our country and 
 <he Canadian provinces is already considerable, 
 and i3 rapidly growing. The fruits of the earth 
 from the southern shores of Erie and Ontario, and 
 from the borders of Charoplain, lind their way to 
 the ports of our northern neighbours cheaper than 
 they can to any, which offers a market, of our 
 own, and are there exchanged for the various com- 
 modities of foreign countries. This trade is, in- 
 deed, profitable to many of our citizens who en- 
 gage in it, but it is much more so to the British. 
 Subject to their control, they direct it to the ad- 
 vancement of all their public interests. And it is 
 no mean instrument of that advancement. It is 
 evidently the vital spirit of their internal naviga- 
 tion, which it cannot fail to exalt into a conse- 
 quence, that may hereafter greatly affect us. 
 Would not the prosecution of our projects to com- 
 plete effect, result, immediately, in giving to citi- 
 zens of the United States the entire profits of this 
 trade, and to government ail the security and in- 
 fluence connected with a thickly settled frontier, 
 and a most derided superiority of shipping on the 
 lakes? 
 
 Nothing can be more certain, than that the con- 
 tinuance of our Union is essential to our freedom. 
 The means of this continuance are to be found on- 
 ly in the strength of our common interests. What- 
 ever extends and consolidates these interests, these 
 must be of distinguished importance to govern- 
 ment: and can any thing be imagined, more ef- 
 ficaciously conducive to these objects, than opening 
 to distant sections of our country the means of 
 easy and profitable intercourse ? Virtuous and en- 
 lightened men, among us, have long delighted 
 themselves with looking forward to the period, 
 when a canal communication between the Hudson 
 
7 
 
 and Lake Erie would afford, to half the United 
 States, more ample means of promoting every 
 social interest, than have heretofore, in any coun- 
 try, been furnished by the accomplishment of any 
 human enterprise. 
 
 The advantages of canals were not entirely un- 
 known to ancient governments. Among them, the 
 wisest and most powerful executed works of this 
 kind, in every direction through their territories, 
 for the purposes of agriculture, commerce, and 
 war. The vestiges of many of these are still dis- 
 coverable, and they are doubtless to be reckoned 
 among the most impressive memorials that remain 
 of ancient greatness. W hen we recollect the in- 
 strumentality which canals have formerly exhibit- 
 ed in collecting the blessings of wealth, strength, 
 and a crowded population for every country 
 through which they passed, and see those very 
 countries, by the neglect and ruin of them, redu- 
 ced to their original barrenness, can vre suppress 
 a conviction of their immense utility? But, it is 
 not alone from history, and the faint traces of 
 them, which have survived the lapse of many cen- 
 turies, that the advantages of these improvements 
 are to be known. There are proofs more conclu- 
 sive. Our own times furnish them, fn contem- 
 plating the present state of Europe, it is impo^si 
 ble not to be struck with the number and exten; 
 of her canals. And we perceive that they abound 
 most in those- countries where the wants of the so- 
 cial state and the moans of power, have been 
 most diligently explored, and are most. profoundly 
 understood. We see them there enabling exten- 
 sive empires to hold in speedy administration, to 
 every public object, all the resources of their most 
 remote sections ; and, at the same time, increasing 
 those resources prodigiously by the economical ex 
 
8 
 
 changes, of which they are the occasion. Expe- 
 rience is always a safe guide. It is especially to 
 be trusted when it has been acquired in the midst 
 of difficulties and dangers, and has been sanctioned 
 by the wisdom of different nations. . If, then, in 
 the pressing exigencies of recent events, when eve- 
 ry power of national defence and annoyance has 
 been exerted, when ail the capacities of men, as 
 individuals, and in political combination, have been 
 remarkably evolved, we observe in that quarter of 
 the globe, a perpetually growing attention to the 
 subject of canals, is it not expedient, is it not wise, 
 for us to engage in making them ? No country 
 is more susceptible of all their benefits than ours : 
 none, of large extent, presents fewer impediments 
 to their construction. They constitute improve- 
 ments peculiarly fit for a republic. They contri- 
 bute equally to the safety and opulence of the 
 people, and the reputation and resources of the 
 government. They are equally desirable in re- 
 ference to the employments of peace, and the ope- 
 rations of war. In whatever light they are view- 
 ed, they seem to combine the substantial gloiies of 
 of the most splendid and permanent utility. 
 
 But if the execution of those of which we are 
 the advocates, be impracticable, or would in- 
 volve an expense disproportionate to their value, 
 they can have no claim upon the favour of the na- 
 tional legislature. On these topics, we entertain 
 no doubts. The minute examination which has 
 been made this season, under our superintendence, 
 of all the lands which these canals will traverse; 
 has convinced us. that an expenditure not exceed- 
 ing ten millions of dollars would be sufficient to 
 perfect them. Shall they remain unattempted? 
 The State of New-York is udUjwaware of tier in- 
 terests, nor disinclined to prosecute them ; .but , 
 
E'6 ] 9 
 
 where those of the general government are united 
 with hers, and seem to be paramount, she deems 
 it her duty to ask for their assistance : Wherefore, 
 in her behalf, we solicit your honourable bodv to 
 make such an appropriation, in lands or money, to 
 aid in the construction of these canals, as you. in 
 your wisdom, may think reasonable and jttst 
 
 By order, and in behalf of the said Commis- 
 sioners, at a meeting he'd in Albany, on 
 the 10th of November, 1816. 
 
 DE WITT CLINTON, 
 
 President. 
 
10 
 
 [6] 
 
 AN ACT 
 
 To provide for the improvement of the Internal 
 Navigation of this State, passed April 17, 1816. 
 
 1 . Be it enacted, by the people of the State of New- 
 York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That 
 Stephen Van Rensselaer, De Witt Clinton, Samuel 
 Young, Joseph Eilicott, and Myron Holley, be, 
 and they are hereby appointed commissioners, to 
 consider, devise, and adopt such measures as may 
 or shall be requisite, to facilitate and effect the 
 communication, by means o f canals and locks, be- 
 tween the navigable waters of Hudson's river and 
 Lake Erie, and the said navigable waters and 
 Lake Cbamplain; and in case of the resignation 
 or death of any of the said commissioners, the 
 vacancy thereby occasioned, shall be supplied by 
 the legislature, in the manner in which Senators 
 of the United States, from this Slate, are directed 
 to be chosen. 
 
 2. And be it further enacted, That the said com- 
 missioners shall choose one of their number, to be 
 president oi their board, and shall appoint a fit 
 person for their secretary, who shall be allowed 
 and paid such salary as the said commissioners 
 shall deem proper and reasonable: And the presi- 
 dent of the said heard of commissioners, shall have 
 power to Call a meeting of the same whenever, in 
 bis opinion, the public interests require it; and the 
 said board may adjourn from time to time, to meet 
 at any time and place they niav deem mod condu- 
 cive to the public good: And further, The said 
 commissioners shall have power to employ such 
 and so many agents, engineers, surveyors, drafts- 
 
11 
 
 men, and other persons, as in their opinion may 
 be necessary to enable them to fulfil and discharge 
 the duties imposed upon them by this act, and to 
 aliow and pay the said agents, engineers, survey- 
 ors, draftsmen, and other persons, for their respec- 
 tive services, such sum or sums as may be adequate 
 and reasonable. 
 
 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the 
 duty of the said commissioners, as soon as may be 
 after the passing of this act, to cause those parts 
 of the territory of this State, which may lie upon 
 or contiguous to the probable courses and ranges 
 of the said canals, to be explored and examined 
 for the purpose of fixing and determining the most 
 eligible and proper routes for the same, and to 
 Cause all necessary surveys and levels to be taken, 
 and accurate maps, field-books, and drafts thereof 
 to be made, and further to adopt and recommend 
 proper plans for the construction and formation 
 of the said canals, and of the locks, dams, embank- 
 ments, tunnels, and aqueducts which may be ne- 
 cessary for the completion of the same, and to 
 cause all necessary plans, drafts, and models 
 thereof, to be executed under their direction. 
 
 4. And be it further enacted, That the said com* 
 missioners, or a majority of them, shall be, and 
 they are hereby authorized and required to make 
 application in behalf of this State, to the govern- 
 ment of the United States, and of such States and 
 Territories as may be benefited by the said canals^, 
 or either of them, to the proprietors of lands 
 through or near which the said canals, or either 
 of them, may or may be proposed to pass, to all 
 bodies politic and corporate, public or private, ami 
 all citizens or inhabitants of this or any other of 
 the United States, for cessions, grants, or donations 
 of land or money, for the purpose of aiding in the 
 
12 [ e ] 
 
 construction or completion of both or either of the 
 said canals, according to the discretion of the 
 several grantors or donors, and to take to the peo- 
 ple of this State, such grants and conveyances as 
 may be proper and competent to vest a good and 
 sufficient title in the sa ; d people to the lands so to 
 T e ceded or granted as aforesaid: and for the pur- 
 s above mentioned, it shall be the duty of the 
 comm issioners to open books of subscription 
 ch and so many places as they may think ne- 
 cessary and expedient* and under such rules and 
 regulation^ as they may from time to time estab- 
 lish : And further^ ft shall be their duty to ascer- 
 tain whether to any and to w hat amount, and up- 
 on what terms, loans of money may, or can be 
 procured on the credit of this State, for the pur- 
 poses aforesaid. 
 
 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the 
 duty of the said commissioners to make, or cause 
 to be made, with as much accuracy and minute- 
 ness as may be, calculations and estimates of the 
 sum or sums of money which may or will be neces- 
 sary for completing each of the said canals, ac- 
 cording to the plan or plans which may be adopt- 
 ed and i ecomrnended by them, for the construction 
 or foundation of the same, and to cause the said 
 calculations and estimates, and all surveys, maps, 
 field-books, plans, drafts, and models authorized 
 and directed by this act, or so many thereof as 
 may be completed, together with a plain and 
 comprehensive report of all their proceedings 
 under and by virtue of this act, to be presented to 
 the legislature of this State within twenty days 
 after the commencement of the next regular annual 
 session thereot. 
 
 6. And be it farther enacted, That the treasurer 
 shall, on the warrant of the comptroller, pay to 
 
r 6 ] 
 
 13 
 
 the order of a majority of the said commissioners* 
 out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise 
 appropriated, any sum or sums not exceeding 
 twenty thousand dollars, and for which the said 
 commissioners shall account to the comptroller of 
 this State. 
 
 7. And he it further enacted, That the act enti- 
 tled " An act to provide for the improvement of 
 the Internal Navigation of this State," passed the 
 eighth day of April, one thousand ei«;ht hundred 
 and eleven, and the act entitled "An act further 
 to provide for the improvement of the Internal 
 Navigation of this State," passed June the nine- 
 teenth, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, be 
 and the same are hereby repealed. 
 
 State of New-York, > 
 Secretary's office. ) 
 
 I certify the preceding to be a true copy of 
 an original act of the Legislature of this State on 
 file in this office. 
 
 R. TILLOTSON, 
 
 Secretary of State 
 
 Albany, Nov. 13, 1816.