A. L. Bishop — The State Works of Pennsylvania. 179 



Committee" of the Improvement Society rendered valuable assist- 

 ance in this matter. 



The memorial* was duly prepared and the organization for its 

 extensive circulation was carried out even to the minutest details. 

 Ward and district committees in every county in the state were 

 engaged to secure signatures. An examination of the county 

 newspapers of this date shows that the memorial aroused much 

 interest. Public meetings were held in the halls or schoolhouses in 

 many communities to discuss the various phases of the question at 

 issue. It took but a few days to complete the canvass in some dis- 

 tricts, while in others the matter required more time. By the 

 middle of February, the memorials began to be presented to the 

 legislature, and, for some weeks afterwards, they continued to pour 

 in.f Their effect was reflected in a billlj: reported in the senate on 

 the last day of February, 1825, entitled, "An Act to appoint a Board 

 of Canal Commissioners." It passed the third reading on the 

 eighth of the following month and thenext day the clerk of the 

 senate presented it to the legislature for concurrence. With vari- 

 ous changes and amendments it passed the third reading in the 

 house on April 6th by a vote of 63 to 15. A compromise on the 

 points of difference was easily adjusted and on April 11th it was 

 duly approved§ by Governor Shultze. 



This act repealed the one of March 27th, 1824, and now empow- 

 ered the governor to appoint five canal commissioners. Their duty 

 was to take all necessary steps in preparation for "the establish- 

 ment of a navigable communication between the eastern and western 

 waters of the state, and Lake Erie." The board was to choose one 

 of their number for a president. Also the appointment of a suit- 

 able secretary with an adequate remuneration rested in their hands. 



* For the full text of this' niemoiial see Appendix I, p. 261. 



f See J. H. Rep., 1824-25, Vol. I. The following pages contain notices of 

 petitions, as above, being presented: 341, 344, 352, 358, 359, 364, 371 (eight 

 different ones, Febrnary 16th, 1825), 376, 384 (five, February 18th, 1825), 

 391, 392 (ten, February lOth. 1825), 397 (fourteen, Februaiy 21st, 1825), 

 401, 416, 417, 424, 430, 435, 443, 454, 461, 467, 477, 482, 493, 499, 500, 

 507, 515, 518, 523, .529, 536, 547, 557. 574, .586, 598, 619, 686. 716, 741 (April 

 7t.h, 1825). See also Senate Journal, 1824-25. 



$ Senate Journal, 1824-25, p. 519. 



§ J. H. Rep., 1824-25, I, p. 816. Full text of act in Pamphlet Laws, 1824. 

 25, p. 238. 



