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u oriiiy oi the career which the Au
thor of all good has opened to us;
whether we have wisdom and virtue
edo Jgh to become what he has giv
en is the means,and indicated as his
wish that we should become, a main
pdlar in the glorious fabric of freed
om and social happiness, reared by
the valor, established by the wis
dom, and cemented by the blood of
our fathers ; blessing as we are
blessed, and ministering as we have
been ministered unto. —f )r whether
we arc to prove recreant to these
elevated and imperative duties, and
by wasting our strength and sullying
our character in petty cabals, in
trigues and local agitations, commen
cing in folly and terminating in dis
grace, we cast away the rich boun
ties of Heaven, undermine our own
prosperity, and retard the establish
ment of principles associated with
the exalted destinies of freemen, and
identified with the primary interests
of the human race.”
Dccfirber, 15th, 1825.
Joseph P. Herbert, George Schley, Wm.
I>. Bullock, John VV. hong, lilordic .i Myers,
and Ch rles M. King, were elected on the
part of the State, directors of the bank of the
State of Oorgia.
Gazaway B. hamar and Elias Fort, were
elected on the part of the State, directors of
the Plan!,ts Hank.
George Atkinson, Barrington King, Allen
B. Pov-cll, Anson Kimberly and Jacob Wood
were elected on the part of the Stat- direc
tors of the Bank of Darien.
Dec. 16th, 1825.
Peter J. Williams, was elected principal
keepe r of the Penitentiary.
John Bozeman, Burton Hepburn andl.it
tleton Atkinson were clcetcd Inspectors of
the Penitentiary.
John Hatcher, was elected a commissioner
of the land lott'Tv in the place of Rwd. B.
Brooking a- ceased.
ST \ T lbs il A.V
' JJW
M n.LKDGEVILIzR, The. 20, 18*25.
The task of an Editor is not very promising
of case, or of allurement. Its details are not
readily stated, nor easily sustained.
He who undertakes the management of a
political paper at any time, dooms himself
to bear a responsibility of which the duties
are arduous, unremitting, and without num
ber. But at this time—at this political epoch
iii our state history, to assume the responsibil
ity of directing the movements of that great
engine of public opinion, the Press—to at
tempt a just award of censure or applause
upon popular means and measures, is an un
dertaking in which we allow oursi Ives to bor :
row but little pleasure from the confidence of
success.
Should we fail, we must he prrmitt and then,
like the great Lexicographer of our language,
to take refuge under the bro lament 1 of a
similar apology—that we have failed where
no human virtue or human intellect has hith
erto availed to compete with every difficulty.
The editor of such a paper under the exist
ing circumstances of our history, might as
well hope to fall
“ A drop of water in the braking gulph,
“ And take unmingled thence that drop
again,”
as to escape the collisions of party virulence,
having once ventured upon th political dis
cussions of the day, however conscientious in
sentiment, or scrupulous in language.
The great topic; that have agitated theeoun
cils of Georgia for a year or two past, and
held at issue the p< ns and presses of the state,
present, at this moment, one half of the whole
body politic marshalled in determined array
against the other. Their whole appearance of
man igement, discipline, and action is such as
might he looked for from men resolved no
longer to ask, or give any quarter.
Bctw n these two opposing fronts there is
but a narrow isthmus To pass this securely,
(and this is th> only vnntag -ground for ob
serving clearly the movem nts on either hand)
Ill's independent editor, like the fe.arless pio
neer, must move strait onward with a firm
unswerving step.
In such a strait, the precaution of the good
Ulysses in passing the rocks of Ogygia, if ap
plied in season, might, perhaps, fortify him
alike against the menaces of foes on on; side>
and the blandishments of flatterers on the other?
But even tht n he must often surmount obsta
cles which no sagacity c >n avoid, and encoun
ter'ditficolties which previsioncannotjalb viate.
There are many who cannot, and some too,
who will not be pleased, for “ the expectation
of ignorance is indefinite, and that of know
ledge is often tyrannical! it is hard to gratify
those who know not what to demand, or those,
who demand by design what they think impos
sible to be done.”
But since every man is at liberty to deserve
well of thr public, the editors of the Georgia
Statesman, pledge to the community their
ablest endeavours to cherish and defend the
great interests and internal policy of the state
—to watch over her rights, and sound the toe,
fin of alarm when danger appears—to uphold
the sacredness and dignity of our fi deral re
lation—to sustain, by every honourable effort
the late Treaty with the occupants of our
west; rn soil, and to promote, with untiring
zfeal, the growing cause: of Education and
Internal Improvement in this state. We have
eryoyed no moment since our corporate or
federal existence, so propitious as tin- present,
for uniting bath counsel and energy in the two
objects last mentioned. And the patriot citi
zen will feel it but a lamentable cause for ex*
ultation, that our legislative and executive de
partments of authority have been trammel’d
in the dictat. sos th* ir better judgement by
the embarrassing beli* f that their good would
be evil spoken of, in the all-besetting zeal
of one party to oppose- the mea»uri-softh< oth<-r.
To correct this evil: and superinduce a con
cert of measures for the general good—- to pro
claim the will of the people and advance th< ir
prosperity—to enlarge the sphere of know!,
edge-—“to give dignity to virtue and confi
dence to truth," nx< objects of endeavour which
shall constitute th*- prominent features of tie*
Statesman. How aWy, or bow faithfully so
ever these high endeavours shall he sustained,
must h< referred to thr judgement 'if column ,
"tty t They are the constituted Judye*, %»'•
h their decision we submit with deference and
MESSAGE
Os the President of the United
States, communicated to the Senate
and House of Representatives, at the
commencement of the First Session
of the Nineteenth Congress,
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate,
and of the House of Representatives :
In taking a general survey of
the concerns of our beloved country,
with reference to subjects interesting
to the common welfare, the first sen
timent which impresses itself upon
the mind, is of gratitude to the Omni
potent Dispenser of all Good, for the
continuance of the signal blessings of
his Providence, and especially for
that health which, to an unusual ex
tent, has prevailed within our bor
ders ; and for that abundance which,
in the vicissitudes of the seasons, has
been scattered with profusion over
our land. Nor ought we less to as
cribe to Him the glory, that we are
permitted to enjoy the bounties of
His hand in peace and tranquillity;
in peace with all the other nations of
the earth, in tranquillity among our
selves. There has, indeed, rarely
been a period in the history of civi
lized man, in which the general con
dition of the Christian Nations has
been marked so extensively by peace
and prosperity. Europe, with a few
c rtial and unhappy exceptions, has
njoyed ten years of peace, during
which all her Governments, what
ever the theory of their constitutions
may have been, are successively
taught to feel that the end of their
institution is the happiness of the
people, and that the exercise of pow
er among men can be justified only
by the blessings it confers upon those
over whom’ it is extended.
During the same period, our inter
course with all those nations hiJs
been pacific and friendly—it so con
tinues. t'hncc the close of your last
ses ion, no material variation has oc
curred in our relations with any one
of them. In the commercial and
navigation system of Great Britain,
important changes of municipal re
gulation have recently been sanc
tioned by act: of Parliament, the ef
fect of which, upon the interests of
other nations, and particularly upon
ours, has not yet been fully develop
ed. In the recent renewal of the
diplomatic missions on both sides,
between the two governments, as
surances have been given and receiv
ed of the continuance and increase
of that mutual confidence and cor
diality by which the adjustment of
many points of difference hail already
been effected, and which affords the
surest pledge for the ultimate satis
factory adjustment of those which
still remain open, or may hereafter
arise.
The policy of the United States,
in their commercial intercourse with
other nations, has always been of
the most liberal character. In the
mutual exchange of their respective
productions, they have abstained al
together from prohibitions—they
have interdicted themselves the
power of laying taxes upon exports,
and whenever they have favored
their own shipping, by special pre
ferences, or exclusive privileges in
their own ports, it has been only
with a view to countervail similar
favors and exclusions granted by the
nations with whom we have been
engaged in traffic, to their own peo
ple or shipping, and to the disadvan
tage of ours. Immediately after the
close of the last war, a proposal was
fairly made by tbe act of Congress of
the 3d of March, 1815, to all the ma
ritime nations to lay aside the sys
tem of retaliating restrictions and ex
clusions, and to place the shipping of
both parties to the common trade,
on a footing of equality, in respect
to the duties of tonnage and impost.
This offer was partially and succes
sively accepted by Great Britain,
Sweden, the Netherlands, the Han
seatic Cities, Prussia, Sardinia, the
Duke of Oldenburg, and Russia.—
It was also adopted under certain
modifications, in our late commercial
convention with France. And, by
the act of Congress of Bth January,
1824, it has received anew confir
mation, w ith all the nations who had
acceded to it, and has been offered
again to all those who are, or may
hereafter he, willing to abide in re
ciprocity by it. But all these regu
lations, whether established by trea
ty, or by municipal enactments, are
Mill subject to one important restric
tion. The removal of discriminating
duties of tonnage and of impost, is
limited to articles of the growth,
produce, or manufacture, of the coun
try to which the vessel belongs, or
to such articles as are most usually
first shipped from her ports. It will
deserve the serious consideration of
Congress, whether even this rem
nant of restriction may not be safely
abandoned, and whether the genera!
tender of equal competition made in
the act of Rth January, 1824, may
not b** exit ruled to include all arti
i les of rneretinndi/.e not prohibited.
< f what country soever they may be
tbe produce or manufacture. Pro
positions to th * effect hsve already
been made to us bv mor” that* oßp
European government, and it is pro
bable, that if once established by le
gislation or compact w ith any distin
guished maritime State, it would re
commend itself by the experience of
its advantages to the general acces
sion of all.
The Convention of Commerce and
Navigation between the U. States
and France, concluded on the 24th
of June, 1822, was, in the understand
ing and intenl of both parties, as ap
pears upon its face, only a tempora
ry arrangement ofthe point- of differ
ence between them, of the most im
mediate and pressing urgency. It
was limited, in the first instance, to
two years, from the Ist of October,
1822, hut with a proviso, that it
should further continue in force, till
the conclusion of a general and defi
nitive treaty of commerce ; unless
terminated by a notice six months in
advance, of either of the parties to
the other. Its operation, so far as it
extended, has been mutually advan
tageous; and it still continues in
force, by common consent. But it
left unadjusted several objects of
great interest to the citiz.ens and
subjects of both countries, and par
ticularly a mass of claims, to consid
erable amount, of citizen** ofthe Unit
ed States upon the Government of
France, of indemnity for property tak
en or destroyed under circumstan
ces of the most aggravated and out- 1
rageous character. In the long peri
od during which continual and ear
nest appeals have been made to the
equity and magnanimity of France, in
behalf of these claims, their justice
has not been, as it could not be, de
nied. It was hoped that the acces
sion of anew Sovereign to the throne
would have afforded a favorable op
portunity for presenting them to the
consideration of his Government. —
They have been presented and urg
ed, hitherto without effect. The re
peated and earnest representations of
ur Minister at the Court ofFranee.
remain as yet even, without an an
swer. Were the demands of nations
upon the justice of each other sus
ceptible of adjudication by the sen
tence of an impartial tribun and, those
to which I now refer would long since
have been settled, and adequate in
demnity would have been obtained
There are large amounts of similar
claims upon the Netherlands, Naples
and Denmark. For those upon Spain,
prior to IBlff, indemnity was, after
many years of patient forbearance,
obtained, and those upon Sweden
have been lately compromised by a
private settlement, in which the
claimants themselves have acquies
ced. The Governments iff Denmark
and of Naples have been recently re
minded of those yet existing against
them ; nor will any of them be for
gotten while a hope may be indulg
ed of obtaining justice, by the means
within the constitutional power of
the Executive, and without resort
ing to those measures of self-redress,
which, as well as the time, circum
stances and occasion, which may re
quire them, are within the exclusive
competency ofthe Legislature.
It is with great satisfaction that I
am enabled to bear witness to the
liberal spirit with which the Repub
lic of Colombia has made satisfaction
for well-established claims of a simi
lar character. And among the docu
ments now communicated to Con
gress, will be distinguished a Treaty
of Commerce and Navigation with
that Republic, the ratifications of
which have been exchanged since
the last recess of the Legislature.
The negotiation of similar treaties
with all the indep’r.dentSouth Amer
ican State**, has been contemplated |
nd may yet be accomplished. The
basis of them all, as proposed by the
U. States, has been laid in two prin
ciples, the one of entire and unqual
ified reciprocity; the other the mu
tual obligation ofthe parties, to place
each other permanently upon the
footing of the most favored nation.
These principles are, indeed, indis
pensable to the effectual emancipa
tion of the American hemisphere
from the thraldom of colonizing mo
nopolies and exclusions; an event
rapidly realizing in the progress
of human affairs, and which the
resistance still opposed in certain
parts of Europe to the acknowledg
ment of the Southern American Re
publics as independent States, will,
it is believed, contribute more effec
tually to accomplish. The time has
been, and that not remote, when
some of those States might, in their
anxious desire to obtain a nominal
recognition, have accepted of a no
minal independence, clogged with
burdensome conditions, and exclu
sive commercial privileges granted
to the nation from which they have
separated, to the disadvantage of all
others. They are now all aware that
such concessions to any European
nation, would be incompatible with
that independence which they have
declared and maintained.
Among the measures which
have been sugge: ted to them by
the new relations with one another
resulting, from the resent changes
of their condition, is that of assem
bling, at the lotlunus of Panama, a
Congress at which each of them
should he represented, U> deliberate
up< in objects import ant to the w *l
-of all The republics of Co
lombia, of Mexico, tind of I entral
America, have already deputed Pleni*
potent iarrane* to such it rts-eting.
and they have invited the United
States to be also represented there
by their ministers. The invitation
has l>een accepted, and ministers on
the part of the United States w ill r*e
commissioned to attend at those and
liberations, and to take part in them,
so far ps may be compatible with that
neutrality from which it t*- neither our
intention, nor the desire of the ether
American States, that we should de
part.
. The Commissioners under the 7th
Article ofthe Treaty of Ghent have
so nearly completed their labors, that
by the Report recently received from
the Agent on the part of the United
States, there is reason to expect
that the commission will he closed at
their next session, appointed for
the 22d of May of the ensuing year.
The other commission, appoint and
to ascertain the indemnities due for
slaves carried away from the United
States, after the close of the late
war, have met with some difficulty,
which has delayed their progress in
the inquiry A reference has been
made to the British Government on
the subject, which, it may he hoped,
will tend to hasten the decision of
the Commissioners, or serve as .»
substitute for it.
Among the powers specifically
granted to Congress by the Consti
tution, are those of establishing uu -
form laws on the subject of Bank
rupt ies throughout the United States ;
and of providing for organizing, arm
ing, and disciplining tie* militia, and
for gox’erning such pSrt of them as
may be employed in the service of
the United States. The magnitude
and complexity ofthe interests affec
ted by legislation upon these sub
jects, may peccant for the fact, that,
long and often as both of them have
occupied tbe attention, and anima
ted the debates of Congress, no sys
tems hare yet been devised, for ful
filling, to the satisfaction ofthe com
munity, the duties prescribed by these
grants of [lower. To conciliate
the claim ofthe individual citizen to
the enjoyment of personal liberty,
with the effective obligation of pri
vate contracts, is the difficult prob
lem to lie solved by a law of bank
ruptcy. These are objects of the
deepest interest to society; nffoi ting
all that is precious in the existi nee
of multitudes; of persons, many of
them in the classes essentially de
pendent and helpless; ofthe age re
nuiring nurture, and ofthe sex euti
tle«l to protection, from th«- free a
genev ofthe parent and the husband.
The organization ofthe Militia is yet
more indispensable to the liberties of
the country. It is only by an effec
tive Militia that we can at once enjoy
the repose of peace, and bid defiance
to foreign aggros-ion; it is by the
militia that we are constituted an
armed nation, standing in perpetual
panoply of defence, in the presence
of all the other nations of tbe earth.
To this end, it would be necessarv so
to shape its organization, as to give
it a more united and active energy.
There are laws for establishing an
uniform militia throughout the Unit
ed States, and for arming ami equip
ping its whole body. But it is a body
of dislocated members, without the
vigor of unity, and having little of
uniformity, but the name. To in
fuse into this most important insti
tution the power of which it is sus
ceptible, and to make it available for
the defence of the. Union, at the
-hortest notice, anil at the, smallest
expense of time, of life, and of trea
sure, are among the benefits to be
expected from the persevering deli
berations of Congress.
Among the unequivocal indications
of our national prosperity, i** the
flourishing state of our finances.—
The revenues of the present year,
from all their principal sources, will
exceed the anticipations of the last.
The balance in the Treasury, on the
first of January last, was a little short
of two millions of dollars, exclusive
of two millions and a half, being tin
moiety of the loan of five millions,
authorized by the Act of 26th Mav,
1824, The receipts into the Trea
sury from the first of January to th**
thirtieth of September, exclusive of
the other moiety of the same loan,
are estimated at sixteen millions five
hundred thousand dollars ; and it is
expected that those of the current
quarter w ill exceed five millions of
dollars ; forming an aggregate of re
ceipts of nearly twenty-two millions,
independent of the loan. The ex
penditures of the year w ill not ex
ceed that sum more than two niil-
lions. By those expenditures, near
ly eight mil l ions of the principal of
the public debt have been discharg
ed. More than a million and a half
has been devoted to the debt of gra
titude to the warriors of the Revo-j
lution : a nearly equal sum to the
construction of fortifications, and the
acquisition of ordinance, and other
permanent preparatives of national
defence : halt a million to the grad
ual increase of th° Navy : an equal
-uni for purchases of Territory from
the Indians, and payment of annui
ties to them: and upwards of a mil
lion for objects of Internal Improve
ment. authorized by special acts of
the last Congress. If we add to
these, four millions of dollars for
payment of interest upon the public
debt, there n mains a sum of about
-even million-, which have d< raved
the whole expense ot the adminis
tration of Government, in it- Legis
lative, Executive, and Judiciarv lx*.
partments, including the support ot
the Military and Naval Establish
ments, and all the occasional contin
genci- sos a Government co-exten
sive with the Union.
The amount of d’ ties secured on
merchand.se imported, lrom the com
mencement of the year, is gbout
twenty-five millions and a half; and
that which will aerne during the cur
rent quarter, is estimated at five mill
ions and a half; from these thirty
one million, deducting the draw
backs, estimated at less than seven
millions, a sum exceeding twenty
four million will constitute the reve
nue of the year; and will exceed the
whole expenditures of the year. Tbe
entire amount of public debt remain
ing due on the first of January next,
will be short of eghty-one millions of
dollars.
By an Act of Congress of the third
of March last, a loan of telwve mill
ions of dollars was authorized at
four and a half pcr-cent. or an ex
change of stock to that amount of
four and a half per cent, for a stock
of six per cent, to create a fund fur
extinguishing an equal amount ofthe
public defit, hearing an interest of six
per cent, redeemable in 1826 An
account of the measures taken to
give effect to this Act w ill be laid be
fore you by the Secretary of tbe
Treasury. As the object which it
had in view has been but partially
accomplished, it will be for the con
sideration of Congress, whether the
pow er with which it clothed the Ex
ecutive should not he renewed at an
early dav of the present Session, and
under what modifications.
The Act of Congress of the 3d of
March last, directing the Secretary
ofthe Treasury to subscribe, in the
name and for the use ofthe United
States, for one thousand five hun
dred shares of the capital stock of
the Chesapeake and Delaware Ca
na! Company, has been executed by
the actual subscription for the a
amonnt specified, and such other
measures have been adopted by that
officer, under the Act, as the fulfil
ment of its intentions requires. The
latest accounts received of this im
portant undertaking, authorize the
belief that it is in successful progress.
The payments into the Treasury
from proceeds ofthe sales oft he Pub
lic Lands, during the present year,
were estimated at one million of dol
lars. The actual receipts of the first
two quarters have fallen a erv litle
short of that sum . it is not expected
that the second half of the year will
he equally productive; but the in
come of the year from that source
may now he safely estimated at a
million and a half. The Act of Con
gress of 18th May, 1824, to provide
for the extinguishment of the debt
due to the United States by the pur
chasers of public lands, was limited,
in its operation of relief to the pur
cliaser, to the tenth of April last. —
Its effect at the end of the quarter
during which it expired, was to re
duce that debt from ten to seven
millions. By the operation of simi
lar prior laws of relief, from and since
(hat of 2d March, 18'M, the debt
had been reduced, from upwards of
twenty-two millions, to ten. It is
exceedingly desirable that it should
be extinguished altogether; and to
facilitate that consummation, I re
commend to Congress the revival,
for one year more, of the Act of 18tli
May, 1824, with such provisional
modification as may be necessary to
guard the public interests against
fraudulent practices in the re-sale of
the relinquished land. The purcha
sers of public lands are among the
most useful of our fellow-citizens,
and, since the system of sales for
cash alone has been introduced,
great indulgence has been justly ex
tended to those who had previously
purchased upon credit. The del t
w hich had been contracted under the
credit sales had become unwieldy,
and its extinction was alike advan
tageous to the purchaser and the
public. Under the system of sales,
matured, as it has been, by expe
rience, and adapted to the exigen
cies ofthe times, the lands will con
tinue, as they have become, an abun
dant source of revenue; and when
the pledge of hem to the public
creditor shall have been redeemed
by the entire discharge of the na
tional debt, the swelling tide of
wealth with which they replenish
the common Treasury may be made
to reflow in unfailing streams of im
provement from the Atlantic to the
Pacific Ocean.
The condition of the various
'ranches ofthe public service re
sorting from the Department of \\ nr,
and their administration during the
current vear, w ill be exhibited in the
Report from the Secretary of War,
and the accompanying documents
herewith communicated. The or
ganization and discipline ofthe army
are effective and satisfactory. To
counteract the prevalence of deser
tion among the troops, it has been
suggested to withhold from the men
a small portion of their monthly pay,
until tin* jwriod of their discharge,
and some expedient appears t<> be
necessary, to preserve and maintain
among the officers so much of the
art of horsemanship as could scarce
ly fail to he found wanting, on the
possihle sudden eruption of a war,
which should overtake us unprovid
ed with a single corps of cavalry.—
The Military Academy at West*
Point, under the r« strict ions of a se
verc but paternal superintendence,
recommends itself more and more to
the patronage of the Nation ; ;md
the number of meritorious officers
which it forms and introduces to the
public service, furnishes the means
of multiplying the undertakings of
public improvements, to which their
acquirements at that institution are
peculiarly adapted. The school of
Artillery practice, established at Ea
tress Monroe, is well suited to e
same purpose, and may need the
aid of further legislative provision
to the same end. The Reports from
the yarious officers at the head of
the administrative branches of the
military service, connected with the
quartering, clothing, subsistence,
health, and pay, ofthe Army, exhib
it the assiduous vigilence of those
officers in the performance of their
respective duties, and the faithful
accountability which has pervaded
every part ofthe system.
Our relations with the numerous
tribes of aboriginal natives of this
country, scattered over its extensive
surface, and so dependent, even for
tiieir existence, upon our power,
have been, during the present year,
highly interesting. An Act of Con
gress of 25th May, 1824, made an
appropriation to defray the expenses
of making Treaties of trade and
friendship with tbe Indian Tribes be
yond the Mississipi. An Act of 3d
March, 1825, authorized Treaties to
be made with the Indians for their
consent to the making of a road from
the frontier of Missouri to that of
New Mexico. And another Act, of
the same date, provided lor defray
ing the expenses of holding Treaties
with the Siox, C’hippeW’ays, Meno
hieneos, Sauxs, Foxes, Ac. lor the
purpsoe of establishing boundaries
and promoting peace between said
Tribes. The first and the last ob
jects of these Acts have been ac
complished; and the second is yet in
a process of execution. The Trea
ties which, since the last Session of
Congress, have been concluded with
the several Tribes, will be laid be
fore the Senate lor their considera
tion, conformably to the Constitu
tion. They comprise large and valu
able acquisitions of Territory ; and
they secure an adjustment of boun
daries, and give pledges of perma
nent peace between several Tribes
which had been long waging bloody
wars against each other.
On the 12th of February last, a
Treaty was- signed at the Indian
Springs, between Commissioners ap
pointed on the part of the United
States, and certain Chiefs and indi
viduals of the Creek Nation of In
dians, which was received at the
Seat of Government only a few days
before the close of the last Session
of Congress and of the late Admin
istration. The advice and consent
ofthe Senate was given to it, on the>
3d of March, too late for it to re
ceive the ratification of the then
President of the United States: it was
ratified on the 7th of March, under
the unsuspecting impression that it
had been negotiated in good faith,
and in the confidence inspired by the
recommendation of the Senate.—
The subsequent transactions in re
lation to tiiis Treaty will form the
subject of a separate Message.
The appointments made by C ti
gress, for public works, as w ell in the
eoustrusetion of fortifications, as for
purposes of interna! improvement, so
far as they have been expended,
have been faithfully applied. Their
progress has been delayed by the
want of suitable officers for superin
tending them. An increase of both
llie Corps of and
Topographical, was recommenced by
my predecessor at the last session of
Congress. The reasons upon which
that recommendation was founded,
subsist in all their force, and have
acquired additional urgency since
that time. It may also be expedi
ent to organize the Topographical
Engineers into a Corps similar to
the present esiaWishment of the
Corps of Engineers. The Military
Academy at West Point, will furnish,
from the Cadets aunually graduated
there, officers well qualified for carry
ing this measure into effect.
The Board of Engineers for Inter
nal Improvement, appointed for car
rying into execution the Act ot Con
gress of 30th ot' April, 1824, “ to pro
cure the necessary surveys, plans,
and estimates, on tde sublet of roads
ami canals,” have been actively en
gaged in that service from the close
of the last Session of Congress. —
They have completed the surveys
ncitssary tor ascertaining the prac
ticability of a Canal from the Chsa
peake Bav to the Ohio River, and
are preparing a full Report on that
subject; which, when completed,
will be laid before you. The same
observation is to he made with re
gard to two other objects of nation
al importance, upon which the Board
have been occupied; namely: the
accomplishment of a National Road
from this City to New-Orleans, and
the practicability of uniting the wa
ters of Lake Memphramagog with
Connecticut River, and tin improvc
m* nt of the navigation ol that River.
The Mirrays* have l*een made, and
are nearly completed. The Report
may he expected at an early period
during the present Session of Con.
Kress.
The Acts of Congress of the last
-sion relative to the surveying,
marking, or laving out road* in ttiv