89 • t 32 J 
plislied. Tlie immcillatc offor to sale of this fine bodj? of land, in a 
mild climate, intersected by great and by small rivers, could not but 
induce the emigration of a yoiithuil, biave, and resoluie ponulation, 
from evci-y Atlantic state. 
The provisions of the constitution were thus fulfilk-dJ aiul in tinie^ 
young states became j)ai'tneis with their old [;arents"Mi the achantagf^ 
of civil liberty. Money paid into the common treasury purchased a 
title to their farms; but thoy can'ied witii them> or inherited a title 
to equal prosperity under tliat compact, wliicli establishes power ta 
provide for the general welfare. 
This p!-osperity, it is clear, can be attained only w-lieu the gco- 
grapliical isolation of a large portion of the country siiall cease, and 
avenues be opened to a participation, on equal teruvs, in the c<)maierce 
of the woi-ld^ From the AlU';r!iany mountain to the Wabash; from 
the Tennessee to the Lakes, there is a great aiul valuable portion o^ 
the interior romote from every seaport, and intcrcej)ted by nearci-. hut 
not more fertile regions from the accessible markets, especially i,^ 
the ea!-ly spving. Industi-y is indeed so depressed, that, notw ithstand- 
ing the modern mode of navigation pi-evails largely, produce is so low 
as to bear land carriage (by tiie National road) three hundt cd miles* 
This section of our country compieheudsono sixth of Virginia, ono 
fourth of Pennsylvania, with the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Ken- 
tucky, (Containing eighty-five millions of acres and at least one mil- 
lion six hundred thousand inhabitants. But not these only — all be- 
yond them are interested in an ultimate system of internal communi- 
cations, and all, too, on this side, since our internal pro'4|)crity is the 
support of our external commerce — our navigation, which clierishes 
our best means of pi'escrviitg |)eace, by eniciency in m ar. The eight 
AVestern states contain two hundred and forty-eight miliioiis of acjes, 
and at least two million five hundred thousand iniialvitants. Ifth» 
]and may average five dollars an acre, its value is twelve bundled and 
forty millions oi'dollars, andto this maj' be sup»^rad.'iod. the four ter-. 
ritories* contfiinirfg sev<n l^Hndred and eighty-six millions of acies, 
much of which is already likewise valuable. How small a percent- 
age oil this value would amount to the cost of all the internal im- 
provements!. IloNV certainly good communications must double thai; 
value! 
That these and other great results in c«ntcm])lAtion of gov<?rnmentf 
cannot be produced and secured by any single canal in execution or 
contemplation by the states which extend beyond the mountains, is 
demonstrable. Consti'ucted by theircitisans for thcajjiclves, if equaii 
when accomjilished, to their accommodation only, they would surely 
Lave the best right. No compact-^ no dtity presciibes that they should- 
make and maintain commercial means of intercourse for the generaL 
welfare, or keep open such as they may have, made, beyond the limits 
of their own interest. The states may take care of themselves; but 
the United States, of all. Hitherto, the business of the West had 
been thought essential to an income proportionate to the cost of pub- 
lip works of this kind; but tliis apprehension is dissipated by thcstc- 
1J2. 
