icitude the interests
of the whole, Washington now took a more enlarged view of the
advantages to be derived from opening both the eastern and the western
waters; and for this, as well as for other purposes, after peace had
been proclaimed, he traversed the western parts of New England and New
York. "I have lately," said he in a letter to the Marquis of
Chastellux, a nobleman in pursuit of literary as well as of military
fame, "made a tour through the lakes George and Champlain as far as
Crown Point;--then returning to Schenectady, I proceeded up the Mohawk
river to fort Schuyler, crossed over to Wood creek which empties into
the Oneida lake, and affords the water communication with Ontario. I
then traversed the country to the head of the eastern branch of the
Susquehanna, and viewed the lake Otswego, and the portage between that
lake and the Mohawk river at Cotnajohario. Prompted by these actual
observations, I could not help taking a more contemplative and
extensive view of the vast inland navigation of these United States,
and could not but be struck with the immense diffusion and importance
of it; and with the goodness of that Providence which has dealt his
favours to us with so profuse a hand. Would to God we may have wisdom
enough to improve them. I shall not rest contented until I have
explored the western country, and traversed those lines (or great part
of them) which have given bounds to a new empire."

[Footnote 21: About one hundred and fifty miles.]

Scarcely had he answered those spontaneous offerings of the heart,
which flowed in upon him from every part of a grateful nation, when
his views were once more seriously turned to this truly interesting
subject. Its magnitude was also impressed on others; and the value of
obtaining the aid which his influence and active interference would
afford to any exertions for giving this direction to the public mind,
and for securing the happy execution of the plan which might be
devised, was perceived by all those who attached to the great work its
real importance. A gentleman[22] who had taken an expanded view of it,
concluded a letter to General Washington, containing a detailed
statement of his ideas on the subject in these terms:

[Footnote 22: Mr. Jefferson.]

"But a most powerful objection always arises to propositions of this
kind. It is, that public undertakings are carelessly managed, and much
money spent to little purpose. To obviate this objecti