During the administration of Mr. Jefferson, a most extensive and elegant plan was suggested for the improvement of the country generally by canals and roads, under the auspices of the general government; but many circumstances have occurred to retard its operation hitherto, and all that has yet been done by the general government was to construct a road from Cumberland, on the Potomac, to Wheeling, on the Ohio; and surveys have been made, and it is now extending from Wheeling to St. Louis. As the Cumberland road is an object of public importance in itself, and runs through an interesting tract of country, it has been judged proper to prepare a map of it for this work.*

As the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the subject of canals and roads, during Mr. Jefferson's administration, is very interesting in a geographical point of view, the following extracts are made from it:

would, if completed, perfect an inland navigation from Boston to St. Mary's, in Georgia, a distance of more than one thousand miles.

II. INLAND NAVIGATION.

Improvement of the Susquehanna, Poto

mac, James, and Santee Rivers, calcu

$1,500,000

300,000

waters, Susquehanna, Potomac, James
River, Santee, or Savannah, with the
Alleghany, Monongahela, Kanhaway,
and Tennessee,

Four post roads from the following points,
Tuscarawas River to Detroit, Cincinnati
to St. Louis, Nashville to Natchez, and
Athens, in Georgia, to Natchez,

$4,800,000

2,800,000

200,000

7,800,000

Amount brought forward, $16,600,000

It was proposed to add for local improve

ments a fund of

3,400,000

$20,000,000

GOVERNMENT AND LAWS.-In the historical view of the United States, inserted in page 75, the political progress of the United States up to the adoption of the Federal Constitution can be clearly traced. This important instrument cements the whole territory into a Federal Republic; of which each member manages its own internal concerns. The government therefore being peculiar in its nature, it is judged of importance in this description, to present the leading features of the constitution of the general government in this place; the outlines of the state governments will appear under the heads of the respective states.

The powers of the federal government are Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary.

1. The LEGISLATIVE POWER is vested in a Congress of the United States, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives.

The members of the House of Representatives are chosen every second year by the people of the several states and the electors in each state must have the qualifications requisite for the electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. A representative must be 25 years of age, and have been 7 years a citizen of the United States; and be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen. The representatives are at present chosen in the several states in the proportion of one for every 35,000, in which enumeration the Indians and two-fifths of the people of colour are not included;

15

after the ensuing year the proportion will be one member for every 40,000.

The Senate is composed of two members from each state, chosen for six years by the respective state legislatures; and the seats of one-third are vacated every two years. A senator must be 30 years of age, and have been 9 years a citizen of the United States, and at the time of his election an inhabitant of the state for which he is chosen. The vice-president of the United States is president of the senate, but has no vote unless they are equally divided.

Congress must assemble at least once every year. The meetings shall be on the first Monday in December, unless a different day shall be appointed by law.

No law can be passed without the concurrence of both houses. When that is obtained, it is presented to the president, who, if he approves, signs it; if not, he returns it, with his objections, for the reconsideration of congress, and it cannot in that case become a law without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members. The president must return it within 10 days, otherwise it becomes a law without his approbation.

The congress have power

1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence, and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts, and excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States.

2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States.

3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.

4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization; and

uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, throughout the United States.

5. To coin money; to regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin; and fix the standard of weights and

measures.

6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States.

7. To establish post-offices and post-roads.

8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times, to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.

9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the supreme

court.

10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations.

11. To declare war; grant letters of and remarque prisal; and make rules concerning captures on land and

water.

12. To raise and support armies. But no appropriation of money for that use shall be for a longer term than two years.

13. To provide and maintain a navy.

14. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces.

15. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions.

16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States; reserving to the states respectively the appointment of the