Western Sun & General Advertiser, Volume 17, Number 47, Vincennes, Knox County, 30 December 1826 — Page 2

prove in a proper manner oiir numerous highways to such an extent as a due respects for individual rights will admit of Wnoevcr refl:cts that labor Upon the public highway is not industry lost, bestowed to accomplish a puipose of common advantage to the whole community, in which each individual can participate, with cheerfully comply with any reasonable demand which you may think fit to make Tlu patriotic citizen will submit to it with alacrity Your law on this subject, should contain what the existing one does not, a severe punitory clause against the supervisor for neglect of duty. The present laws arc barely directory and have no sanction. I would give the supervisor a compensation, and then compel him to a strict performance of the law. Without some such course as this, we shall continue as we are, having our statutes violated with impunity, and our roads neglected. Mr. Knight, the enterprizing individual, entrusted with the location of the National road, has at length reached Indianapolis with a random line ; and to tne line dividing Ohio from Indiana, with a permanent location In the spring, he will repair westward tovvardsthe point of destination A renewed expression of our belief, that congress will continue to make adequate annual appropriations for the continuation of this extensive thoroughfare from Est to West, will be allowable, interested as we are in its speedy completion. We cannot suppose that the plighted faith inthu particular will be violated, but that the road will goon with the same regularity that has hitherto marked its progress, until it comes in contact with the dark vacs of the Mis-aissmni.

Y iur attention is again called to the situation of tne tsvo White rivers and Wniiewater. These streams afford a good navigation during several months in the year. The fl u bottomed boat can descend them with her cargo; but there are several places in the rivers where large piles of driftwood are collected, extend ing across the stream, which, subject the vessels to imminent danger of being Wrecked. These collections of drift with some sawyetsin the bed of the channel, and one or two considerabie tails in the White rivers, embrace the impediments to the navigation of these water courses. Considering the extent of country which these streams pass through, the density of the population near them, and the multitude that depend upon them, for the exportation of their surplus produce, as well as the same amount of money which will be required to move the obstructions in them, I would respectfully recommend an appropriation fo this purpose. 1 am a,i prized that there are other water courses in the state, that also deserve your favorable notice, but as our means arc inconsiderable yet, for any o these objects, the largest ami most useful snould fu st enlist our attention. By the attention of our delegation in Congress, and the special favor of the heads of department of the general government, a corpse of Engineers entered the state during the last spring, with the view of operating here, with the worthy, but now deceased Mr Shriver at their head. The intelligent Mr. Shmcr's plan of oppcrations for the season was to enquire into the practicability of the White Water cml,by making an examination of the country from the Ohio rive, at

Lawretu cburgh. through the valley of White Water, to Tort Wayne ; and to ascertain the practicability of connecting the waters of the Maumce with the Wabash by artificial channel ; and to make surveys and estimates of a route tor a ca nal through the valley of that stream if necessary. After attending to these two projects, he expected to repair to the Falls of the Onio, and to prepare a plan and estimates of the same. A summons to leave the world has taken this competent engineer away, without allowing him to ffect his purposes to any enmi h laMc extent. Hut Major Moore is the successor of the deceased, w ho has been some time in the field, in the execution of the above mentioned plan. His labors have been crowned with complete success is j the north. He has ascertained that the i connection of the Wabash and Maumee j is altogether practicable and easy. The i two waters can be made to mingle at an J expense not to be compared with the magnitude of the work From the St IWatys, the adopted feeder, to the mouth of Little river of the Wabash, the deepest cut through the summit level is only twen'v feet. Major Moore, not having completed his examinations in that quarter this fall, expects to return to his station in the spring, when we shall be turn ishtd with official estimate h of this contemplated canal. So sooti as ihis takes p'aceit will deserve the most mm ions consideration o" the legislature, whether the honui and interest of the fctatc will not

strongly invite ber to complete this al-1

most natural connection between two navigable streams, whose waters flow to a not thern lake, and towards the Atlantic ocean. We icmain uninformed, whether any thing thrthcr has been done, at the Falls of the Ohio, in Whitewater country, or elsewhere, by the board ot cnginceis, which would seem to require any special attention at this lime. In inviting your attention to an improvement of the Wabash tails, near the mouth of White river, it is with much satisfaction that I can bear testimony to the lib eral spirit indicated by the state of Illinois, to assist in the removal of those obstructions, in that great common highway to market. From a copy of an act of the state of Illinois, which has been transmitted to me, together with a memorial relating thereto, (all of which 1 lay before you) it will appear that, that state has incoiporalcd a company under the belief, and possessing efficiency only on the contingency, that Indiana will meet the proposition of that state by the passage of a similar law. Ueiug satisfied of the urgency of this measure and the usctuincss of the design. I musliecommend a hearty and an immediate cooperation with our sister state in this laudable scheme. As the proposition first emanated from us, to make this impiovement, and has been genet ous'.y responded to by Iilinois.a charter with powers coextensive with theirs, and commensurate with the high object, is expected hum you.

It appears by an official communica'iun made by the Governor of Michigan, to the council of that tertitory. on the 6th u It. that an opinion is entertained by him. that the northern bound u y of this stale is yet unsettled ; and thai our boundary extends ten miles too Tar no ill. He sc.ms to predicate this opinion upon the ordinance of '.ongress of the l.'Uh July, 17S7, which, formed the basis ot the governments north of the Ohio i ivcr. lie pie sunes that the comp.ictn.xes a definite line between the state and terriloiy, north, which remains unaltered. If tills question were lu be tested by the compact alone, the easi and west lines ol Indiana, by a iibesal cons' i uetion of that imtrnmnt, might be e::um!?d on parallels, to the Hi iiish dnminwr . nori'", until Congress think fit to form aiolhci state in too middle ium,voi talcs authorized by tbc ordinance. Tin' v h rv 'tele of ?lv.

c mi met ai h ;r:zs-s congress to lo. :u either imee or nve scales at tiie-ir discretion wihin cor '.m limits ; and but three have y:t b-'en formed. Th U avtici;: also reads irvdev a "is- " that if Congress shall he i can or (in I it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two stales in that part of said territory, which lies north of a line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Like Michigan" Xow, this is only a power delegated to Congress, wiuco they nuy or may not exercise. They are nut bound l i torm even o;u state north of this live ; and may do one or the other of two ih'ogs, as to boundary. The worthy O ovennv of Michigan seiz es upon this disjunctive phraseology in tlu co upac , an.! make.- it read " southerly ex reme," giving it a : uijunctive in terpret ui on in suppo' t of ins position. Without now atiempMng to shew the im mense difference betw een tnese twopiopositions, suffice il to , i , t hat the kind of language used in that member of the sentence, was suificient to in tifv an c; es sion ol Congress on the subject, and to induce them to iletine the bnmdoy: the lather so, as it depended upon political contingencies, whether that t . : j i ( ry wouid eer he org mized into a state Here Congress passed an act autlvn izing Indiana to lo;m a eon.-Titudon a id Mate government olie lo.-n;-, her constitution, and i i it she establishes her bo'i: da:y, ten miles north of the ;out!icin extreme of Lake M icing m ; and through the southern bend ol the same, in tlu- language of the ordinance. This e o: .stii nth -n un derwent the most solemn ordeal befo-c the Kepi esentativo ot a I ti e Mate, by a nte was tcrrtve.l, and the state admitted into tne Union with this article. As the ordinance did not establish the line, but only gae power lo do soil" Congicss thought it cxjK div nt. the s'.ate had a right to propose to that body to fix it, in her constitution. Wi re thcteany doubts as to the tu rns id me compact, aic lhe not i tunned by the lot ma! consent of the states to the i atification cf the constitution, including Vngir.ia? The conclusion which I would d.i aw, is, that thci e was no definite ooundaiy tixeii by the ordinance, and if there were, V e whole is rescinded. In the mouth of October last, the diplomatic agents of the United States, held attcaty with the Miami and Pottawattama Indians, in the vallty and on ihc north bank of the Wabash in this state, with the view of extinguishing their title to lands. This negotiation, with great labor, resulted in a cession of between

two and three millions of acres of br.d to j the United States, lying within the limits ; ct this stale ; which, will doubtltss soon be survtyul and oflered for sale. Ilav- ' ing explored a ron idcrable portion of this newly ac quit i d ten itm y in person, ! can speak witn cct laimy as to itsieal value', and advantages. 1 his countt v l.s ou the ! not th and west sides of the. Wabash. wet j and south of the two St Tnephs and bordei i- g on Lake Michigan Nonewcounti y can ptoent greater inJueemcnts to the emigi ant. It cannot belaid, tiiat it I is the gai ilen of the Ilespcidcs ; hut with its rich soil, pe rmanent sti cams for rnanutat tr t ics, li ig pi ings, extensive quarlies ol limestone, ihic.k and dinab e limber, health lu! appcai ancc, and good natutal posiii-.n lcr comnuice, it may be esteemed aslhe fust ih w country in value, now in mavkit in the government. In it, an industrious ard economical people may gi ow ? ich a (1 I. an. v. i he limid indum parted with ibis Xcellt nt coiiutty vi'.h j.mininl re'uc'ai ce. M danchfdy cxpeiierce tcils ilurti tic consequence ol it Ti.ey know il a' thfir game will fly Irom the appioch of that busiie, whn li acco.npanii 5 ihe- n la.ion of t tie w 'ni eman ; and tin y love, ihf eounti y oi thf I;- hit tii, and the hmne, and t: i a es of tbt ir Faiiiet , to well lo follow it I 'ne Miamies retain a tittle spot of knd o live on, wnich liuy ctiii im irl.id, which, l)ey have resolved never io part uitli. It contains the bones ol their rmccstois This ba'-'ul of Miamies is a pioud, though feeble remnant of a or.ee poeoiul nation. l'hey l ine daindied iSownintoa lew families, u uh r ihe o; erat'mu of thenown liorrible, revengr iul, and ictaliatorv lavs. They now rea'I the'u d siir.y, in the approximation ot civilized socic'y I Uey aie wa-iing away, :u,d will soon be t;one, without a cnaiige in then1 manneis aid customs. Iki g uncubiva ed and sa- i nge inthe'n1 v iy '!:tur s- wh n spiritous ! liquors find their way amongst them, w hich tliey always use to excess, all the native, fieice and fiend iike passions of their soul, arc amused by its influence, and i hey cause blood to flow copiously horn each other veins These frightful revels, produce tnuider upon mutdcr in cool blood, to gratiiy a luii .us spitii of reveuge. 'I hose, though o; ce cur enemies, are human beings and are under the sov- i rc-ign jurisdiction of the spile. Shall we J stand still, unmoved, at these spectacles, ; giving a license to such bmul butcheiy ? 1 Can we see them thus sinking under the c'ods of the valley , unnoticed uninformed unrestrained in tluir deeds of violence ? Is their blood not spilt in our peace, on our soil, under our eye? Nor is it always Indian bloxl. I am inform? d there are not twen'v genuine Miamies in that nation. The white nnde and female, have long since intermarrtt d with thrm ; and the colour of their skin is changed. This being the rorditi'm of ihe native pcop'e of this land, si: ,11 wc- ur interpose j and ch.'wk son.e- of ihese pi ev ailing sins i amongst them ? A law i . dieting a heavy j punishment upn s.;c!i as snail give or j v end spn itous ii'ju ns loan Indian, would have the trot yj'b.jta-y cfVcct; and let ihe j penalty bo given to the intormer, as an inliucement hr di uo to i::g tiie i fiei.der. ; d'iie Potluw .Pam.es ito not call) ibis exterminating ;u ineip'.c, to such cruel j lengths us the Miamies ; (!ut tb.cy revet- i the le-s love whiskey ti.o ;) tm y bei'nve it is con cciuess, and wouid feel the happy consequence ef liic law. The time bus been, w her. they ha-. e .til iiv ed w ithout this mad water, and they can do so again. Hut whilst we a.e lashing the foibles of ihe Indian, shad wa permit the same vice in ihe who eo.au to escape our notice ? The use of ardent spii its toexcess, with us. is beginning i make alarming stains deep, n.U link impressions, on our own c!i i:accr. In some ot ihc ' states it is s.id habitual diunkenness is ' punished iuaiio-:s: id' co;:eeii n. and in ' othet s soim ot he r punishment is infliclcd. , Some odium ought to he. attached to the practice in Imii.o a. Wh'.cver is so ic- j gauikssio socrd doty, as lo destroy himself by stier.g u-ii.k o 'he iojuiy oi him- ! self or family, under I r.i iti., t i:it.Nic ti- J on. should be made to so. at t under a penal J law of some kind. 1 caiocsily ucom- j mend ibis subjvet to youi eonsitleration, ; reljing up..u .-ui bwUci jLclguient ioi an appropriate pi.idsluue-tit. i

Hy the treaty wuh the I'ottiwatpmies, a j valuable and extensive grant ol lands is I made to ihe government for an important and intercMmg national and btatc object. ! That we .may be -cisibly pir.tuatccl wuh j iu viagtntt de ;u d nt'ilby. 1 v. ill ask you to j indulge n.e iu making a few cuisoty re-' marks inupj oit it tne grand ptoje'et Michigan bei. g the only iakc in the noi lii, that belongs e.rc.visively to the U. States, it is but reasonable to infer, that wc will be more pat'ial to it, than to thoc in which the kingdom ol G Hi "nain claims a common light with us lo occupy. On this large and splendid lake, a navy can

sail on water that is altogether Americas. On every bl.oic ol it toi uficatioiis may be erected, on giound thai is our own, and there our fl -g cn wave. Iler.cc, if our old enemy slu.u (1 ever ai;r.in call us to the stn'e ot battle, we must expect lo meet hei m ihe not tii ; a: d this lake being li.e iicaicst to ihc bu k of western toi lie: v. vid be hoktd to as the theatic ot opeiati' ns. The first land to the north of this l .ke is England's, and will be tl.c

landing place of he: self cr ailies. Should uch an in. wi:d cd lor calamity evcrbefal us, and a lequuiti-m shciiJd be made upon n ary ol u. estates oi the west St south tor ibi :r ip i ta ot militia, with orders to meet a he lot he north, it will be easily belie vt il, ti:at lake Michigan will be the place ol it ink k,v ous. Tu,ops and munitions oi w ai w ouk; ni cessa ily have to pass in pet tot n u;g the match, the neaicit loutc ;hi n:e h the centre ol Irciiar.a; and ot course It e it a en mist be performed on land 1 i.e impoi tci.et ot a good read lif'ti; ti e lake to the Ohio, opening a diitct con munieaiiou ije'wten thtm, ctnsrquituiy b citmts r.bvious in a national point of view. Add to ibis the faciiitiea that &utb awmk rife is to ihe emigrant Item mai y ot ti e iti-itb, who is in search oi these i icdi. i t",v o Ui.ti ics, ard even ibat vciy one which l as jnst been acquired, k itsrecojui v connixiion with the principal objects ot the tiealy, and its general usctuoiest will be still more manifest. Such a road m i.l p::nt to the heart of Kentucky, h she ought to be alive to its success, 'i In se considerations taken in connexion wnli the incalculable advantage which would fl .v. to the people of Indiana bom its roust ruction ihe character thai it would secure to the state the choice ot moi kefs that it would present t our citizens the money lhat ils creation would sca.ter amongst the laboreis lie ititluctncT's which it will hold out to settle the wj d ii'nds of the U States ihc t ii cmi. star, ccs thai ft Will cross the national toad at light angits at our seat of government the assistance that it will give to the f -.truer and mci chant in transporting heavy articles io and from the lake or the Ohio at pleasure, and the general figuie it will niake upon the map of the state ; all con bine together, to demonstrate the expedb ncy ol ihe measure. To make suih a mad ihe giant of lard was incorporated "m the titaty. One hundred feet in width from the lake to the Wabash is given tor the icad to rest upon ; and one section of good land, contiguou sto, and on each side ot the same, is also gi anted for making the road, for each mile, tiotn lake Michigan to the Ohio liver, by the way of Indianapolis. Such is the foundation which is laid for this great road it will now be for the president and senate of the U. States to appiove the giant. This 1 sincerely hope for : Sc if you think with me on this subject, 1 must request o! you a p'ompl expression of your views hy way ofmcn-oi ial. to be sent io the city ot Washington biloie tlx ticaty is acted upon. I can see no good itason why this ankle should be n jt. cud. A simiiar provision has been made lor Ohio; and the pi'uciplr has received the sanction of the stnate of the U. States. Ti e giani seven, ti e lemaini'.g Ii.oian possessions ; and when the land grao.'cd Im this put pose is settled, it witi weaken ihe attachment of the Pottaw a:t: mic to l is country. Furtheimoie the land may 1 e located in the Indian country ; and in ihe event of a nonunification will teveit lo iis oiigii.al ovneis I flatter u ystlt. the: c oic, that it v ill be ictaint db.i ti e internal impioveim nt of the muni-y. u the than to see it lost. As it is so giai d a ptojiet of national and slate tg'gu:i dizc irtr.t, let us, I nay ou, unite in so iciting us success. Ilut wljicoui best e it i git s aie exerted lo in piove H e natuial ?dvantagts, tnd lo bring mto active ai d useful exertion, the vat bus icsouttes ot ti c state, shall we leave to nigkrt, the cu.tuie cf the mind, thecrlueati: n ot our youth, and the advancement of -ciei ce and intebigei ce an'Otgst i,nr ft How citizen ? 'J hcitfliction, lhat w e ui c t i e ply tespc nsiblc to our Muct ssois and to pi stetity, for a watch c! intellect co equal with the fl uirg increase of our population with t lie Tegeneiau d spirit of the age and fur a diffusion of light and knowledge in proportion to the brightening jays which daily beam new lust! e on our falling iotts's, forbid it. The awakened zeal ot the world in the cau-o ol mind, and the golden opportunity which we possess, to shine in the it-public of iettei s, foi bid it. '1 he pi ice of our s'a'e. aroused by ti c reblc examples of hi i" Msicrs. call on us to be no lorgt r indt bted to ih m for the pi egress o know, ledge and science. And the time has fully tome, when i ur "piospt cts and c i; cumstat.ceswillperu.it this heart clccjhrsubject to receive the fosttiii g attention and countenance of the legisla'ui c. Thoi-e governments lhat exist through their usurpation, bauds and loict,and whose principle is Icar, require an iijnoiant pop-