confidently predict that we cannot get it taken at any rate. If this be so, it appears to us clear, that good policy, to say nothing of good faith, would dictate that those privileges should remain un. impaired. Without means being raised by the company, it would be impossible for the Territory to accomplish the work. The sale of its lands if judiciously managed, will probably pay one-half of the expense, and but little if any more. Where would the remain. der be obtained? We as citizens of the Territory would not ad. vocate the contracting a debt on behalf of the Territory for that purpose, to be paid by taxation, even if the Territory had the law. ful right to contract such a debt, which we believe not to be the case without express authority from Congress. If then the Ter ritory cannot and ought not to contract such a debt, ard possesses no means of revenue, it is evident that, single handed, she could not perform this work, and the attempt would be futile.

A spirit of amity, and an united co-operation of all the available financial elements properly applicable to this measure ought to be cultivated; and with such a spirit we feel no doubt but it will be completely successful. Let the work be commenced under favora. ble auspices, and we feel every assurance that its obvious advan. tages are such as will enlist the public sentiment and feeling in its support, and insure the investment of capital sufficient for its com. pletion; and not only will it attract the attention of capitalists to itself, but to other portions of our favored country, where the faci. lities and advantages it affords for similar improvements are appa. rent, and thus secure their completion at an early period, which otherwise might remain unimproved and unoccupied an indefinite length of time.

The members of this company are, also, citizens and members of this community, and feel a common interest with our fellow. citizens in the general prosperity of the country. We are fully sensible that whatever shall promote the general interest, will also promote our individual interest in common with that of every citi. zen. This company is no monopoly, and if it possesses any valuable privilege, that privilege is open to the acceptance of every citizen of the Territory, and we should be happy if the people of

the Territory had the means within themselves to advance for the completion of the work, and thus secure to themselves whatever advantages might be found to result. Our great and paramount ob ject is to see the canal in successful operation, and we would wil. lingly forego all the direct advantages likely to result to us grow. ing out of the charter, if by so doing we could have the assurance of its speedy and certain completion by any other means. Let us but have the full assurance that the canal can and will be com. pleted by any other means, and we will gladly lay down our char ter at the feet of the Legislature. We ask no rights or privileges which are not open to the people of the whole Territory, and we invite the co-operation of the people of every section to come forward and invest their money and share equally in the benefits to be derived from the work, and we extend this invitation to those who have assailed us most violently and bitterly. Let them but invest their means, and we will freely yield to them all the advantage that can be derived from the privileges which are conferred on us. But those opponents will not do this. Their object is not thus to advance the interests of the country by aiding in public improve. ments; and it is worthy of remark that the persons in this county who have been most hostile to the canal, have never themselves advanced one dollar for any public measure of any kind, for the benefit of the country.

We have labored indefatigably in this cause, and not only devo. ted to it our time, but a considerable amount of our private means; the result of which, thus far, is chiefly in having secured to the Territory a munificent grant to aid in the prosecution of this ines. timable work. Shall it be said, then, that the country is willing to receive the fruits of our labor, and that in return for our exertions an attempt should be made to disfranchise us not only of rights previously conferred by solemn enactments, but also of the ordinary rights of citizens conferred by a beneficent power superior to all human legislation? Shall we be the first and only persons in the community restricted from the exercise of their natural faculties, in securing such personal benefits as are incident to the

progressive improvement of the country, of which every citizen has a right to avail himself? We trust not.

Your memorialists would further respectfully represent, that, feeling as they have before said, a deep anxiety for the successf prosecution of this work, and consequently for an economical and judicious expenditre of the amount which may be raised from the sale of canal lands, they would most respectfully suggest for the consideration of your body, certain modifications in the act of February last, whereby a considerable saving may be made in the current expenditures, without in any measure affecting the perma. nent interests of the work.

In the second section of said act, it is enacted that "the regis. ter and receiver shall each receive for their serviees an annual salary of one thousand dollars, and the acting commissioner, an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars; provided that the whole compensation to be received by either the register or receiver in salary, commissions or otherwise, shall not exceed the sum of fif teen hundred dollars in any one year." Now we believe it will be conceded that for the services rendered during the present year, these salaries are extravagantly high. There has been but one sale of lands requiring the official attention of the register and re ceiver, which, together with the examination and registry of im proved claims, would consume a few hours per day during about two months of their time. In addition to this, they are required to report to the Governor quarterly and annually, the condition of the affairs of the canal as connected with their departments, making four reports per annum, which ordinarily may require two or three days each, but which during the present year, would probably not require that length of time. In relation to the acting commission. er's duties, they are for the present year merely nominal, and so must be until a loan shall be obtained on the part of the Territory, and applied to the construction of the canal. The appropriate duties of the acting commissioner for the present year have not probably occupied a week of time in the whole, and yet by law he is authorized to receive $1200 for less than one week's actual ser.

vice. From these facts, it is apparent that the compensation is greatly disproportionate to the services required, and we have understood from one of the commissioners that he so conceives it to be himself.

In the original bill drawn by the president of this company, and which was taken as a basis by the committee who reported the original bill to the legislature last winter, it is provided that the register and receiver be each enti led to receive one per centum of the amount by them received in payment for lands, and one per centum on all moneys by them paid out in the manner provided by law, and fees for other special duties; which compensation would always be proportional to the amount of business which they must necessarily transact. Also in that bill a commission of appraisers was provided for, with a compensation of three dollars. per day, for the time actually employed. Establishing this as the rule of payment, the register and receiver would this year receive about one hundred and thirty dollars cach, as per centage; and perhaps as much more for fees, which it is believed would be a fair compensation for the services rendered. And as regards the act. ing commissioner, he having no appropriate services to perform, would consequently be entitled to no compensation. Whenever a loan shall have been obtained, the acting commissioner will have some duties to perform; but on a canal, the extent of this, they will never be arduous; and it is believed that three dollars per day, for the time devoted to the public service, will command the services of any of our ablest men who feel an interest in the success of the canal. If these prices were this year paid, instead of the salaries allowed by law, the amount chargeable to the canal fund for commissioner's salaries, would be about $260, instead of $3,200; making a saving of $2,940, without any detriment to the public service. Again,

In the 15th section of the act of February last, it is enacted that "the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Council, shall appoint a competent and skillful engineer who shall be known as the chief engineer, whose salary shall be three thou sand dollars per annum," which provision presents two subjects

worthy of consideration; first in relation to the salary, and se. cond in relation to the manner of appointment.

In relation to the salary we will barely remark, that the original bill was reported with the words "not exceeding," which would have authorized the payment of a salary "not exceeding three thousand dollars per year, and would thereby have left the subject open to the discretion of the governor; but the terms “not excecding," being stricken out, as was the case by way of amend. ment, rendered it obligatory on the governor to make the appoint. ment subject to that precise provision as to salary. It has, how. ever, been satisfactorily ascertained that the office might have been filled with a salary of $2,000, and thus have saved the canal fund $1,000. A still farther reduction might have been secured, and may in future be made by merging the Territorial engineer and the company engineer in one; and this brings us to the sub. ject of appointment.

We believe it is usual in the states to confer upon the commis. sioners the power of appointing their engineers, for the reason that being themselves in the superintendence of the work and con versant with the operative affairs connected with it, as well as a personal knowledge of the persons, employed, they are more com. petent to judge of their qualifications, and the manner in which they discharge their duties, than the Legisluture or Executive of the state could be. If that system were adopted here, it is believ ed that the commissioners on the part of the Territory, and the di rectors on the part of the company, would be able to agree in the appointment of an engineer, and it will be apparent to every one, that one engineer is sufficient to conduct the affairs of a canal sixty miles in length as well as a greater number.

The engineer, appointed under the act of February last, did not conceive it his duty to bear an active part in the location of the line; and, consequently, the company were under the necessity of employing another engineer to perform that duty, thereby incur. ring the expenses of two officers of the same class to perform du ties which could be discharged by one. The Territorial authori ties having failed in making a loan, it would appear quite super