A. L. Bishop— The State Works of Pennsylvania. 263 



make the necessary preliminary arrangements for cutting a canal; 

 or if it existed, it was entirely unknown. But now we have exam- 

 ples before us of canals in active and profitable operation, and in 

 almost every stage of progress towards completion. The mode of 

 constructing them, and their uses and profits when constructed, 

 are no longer matters of speculation, but of actual and satisfactory 

 experiment. At the same time, the requisite skill has been supplied 

 from the talents of our countrymen, who with their usual ingenuity 

 have invented improved methods of working, adapted to our circum- 

 stances, so that the State would have no difficulty at this time in 

 obtaining immediately, within the United States, the aid of an 

 adequate number of skilful and experienced engineers, to survey and 

 lay out a route, and direct the execution of the work, whose well- 

 established reputation would secure the public confidence in what- 

 ever plan they might adopt and recommend, and be a sufficient 

 guarantee to the State for its unquestionable title to preference. 



To these considerations your Memorialists would add, that, since 

 the period referred to, the invention of steamboats by Fulton, a 

 native of Pennsyh^ania, has served more fully to disclose an inland 

 navigation towards the northwest of many hundreds of miles beyond 

 the town of Erie, the benefits of which would be opened to the State 

 of Pennsylvania by the woi-k now proposed. 



But there is one consideration of such paramount importance as 

 to deserve, in the opinion of your Memorialists, the most serious 

 attention of the Legislature, and of every citizen of Pennsylvania. 

 It is this, — that henceforward the intercourse between the East and 

 West is to be carried on by means of inland navigation. This is 

 decided by what is already done. ISTo State, therefore, can expect 

 to participate largely or beneficially in this interesting intercourse, 

 unless she offer such a channel of communication. The cheapness 

 and expedition of transportation by water are so far beyond those 

 of any other mode of conveyance within our reach, as to put com- 

 petition entirely out of the question. This single fact your Memo- 

 rialists believe to be of sufficient weight to render all argument 

 superfluous, unless we are disposed to give up the well-earned 

 reputation of Pennsylvania, and to suffer her to fall back from her 

 established character and standing. 



Your Memorialists would not be understood to make any invidious 

 comparisons, nor to indulge in unworthy jealousies, nor to endeavor 

 to excite unreasonable State feeling. They rejoice in the successful 

 efforts of our brethren in other states in the cause of internal 

 improvement, as a valuable contribution to the honor and strength 

 of the whole, and would note them only as examples to be imitated. 

 But they would at the same time remark, that whoever considers 

 with due attention the structure of the Federal Government, and 

 the foundation upon which it rests, must be fully and feelingly con- 

 vinced of this great truth, that no State performs her duty well to 

 the Union, that does not well perform her duty to herself. 



With all the advantages possessed by Pennsylvania, in her institu- 

 tions, her climate, her soil, her mineral resources, her moral and 



