About two years since, conversing with Mr. Eddy in relation to the important services he had rendered to the state, particularly in fostering our schools, our benevolent institutions, and especially in promoting the late improvements in canal navigation; at the same time observing his health to be rapidly declining, I urged upon him the importance of committing to paper, some details of the services he had contributed. After his lamented death, which took place on the 13^th September, 1827, a number of memoranda were found, which probably had been prepared in consequence of the suggestion before mentioned. Upon the subject of the canals of this state, the following are the remarks he has committed to paper, which his family have kindly placed in my hands. Upon another occasion, his observations upon other interesting topics may also be communicated to the public.

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Canals.

"I was one of the first directors of the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, and continued as a director, and treasurer, until the company disposed of their property to the state in 1820. I applied myself with much zeal in forwarding the views of the company, in improving the internal navigation of the state. Our funds were not sufficient to extend any improvement further than a few miles west of Rome. The company had in their service William Weston, an eminent engineer from England, and in company with him and General Schuyler, the president, I made several journies to the westward, in order to explore and examine the country as far as Seneca Lake, with the view to ascertain the practicability of making improvements in the navigation as far as that place. Being well satisfied from my own observation, of the practicability of making extensive improvements by means of canals, &c. through the western parts of the state, and considering the incalculable advantages that would result from the completion of such a magnificent work, my mind was devoted to its accomplishment. As I was active in the prosecution of the improvements made by the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, the geography and topography of the western parts of this state were very familiar to my mind; and having been exceedingly intimate with William Weston, when he was in this country employed by the company as canal engineer, and having accompanied him in exploring the country from Rome to Cayuga Lake, in 1796, and being repeatedly with him, whilst he was employed on the canals on the Mohawk River, my knowledge of the whole face of the country fixed in my mind an ardent desire to extend a complete canal navigation from Rome to Seneca River. Occasionally for many years, I urged the Western Canal Company to extend their improvements further west. A vast sum of money had been expended by them in improving the navigation of the Mohawk, which for many years absorbed the tolls, and prevented a dividend being made among the stockholders. Under these circumstances, no importunities of mine could prevail on the company to make advances for further improvements. In March 1810, I was at Albany, and it occurred to me that possibly the legislature might be induced to appoint commissioners to examine and explore the western parts of this state, for the purpose of ascertaining the practicability of extending canal navigation, and to estimate the expense and report thereon. I was perfectly convinced that if commissioners should be appointed, they would make a very favourable report. My friend Jonas Platt, now one of the judges of the supreme court, was then a member of the senate, and on the evening of the 12^th of March, I called upon him, and suggested to him a plan, on which I had never consulted any person, of proposing to the legislature to appoint commissioners as before mentioned, and I proposed to him that he should use his endeavours in the senate to further the plan. He replied he very highly approved of my proposition, and asked, why not make it the duty of these commissioners to explore the country as far as Lake Erie, with the view to ascertain the practicability of making a complete canal from thence to the Hudson? We then agreed to its being made in this way, and he immediately drafted a joint resolution to be offered to both branches of the legislature, which it was agreed he should present to the senate next morning. We also thought it would be proper for us then to fix on suitable names to offer to the senate as commissioners, and we agreed as to the necessity of selecting persons equally from the two great political parties which then divided the state. This we did, according to the best judgment we could form, and the following gentlemen were nominated, viz. Gouverneur Morris, De Witt Clinton, Stephen Van Rensselaer, Simeon De Witt, William North, Thomas Eddy, and Peter B. Porter. It was concluded that I should meet Judge Platt at the senate chamber next morning, when I accordingly attended, and we called out De Witt Clinton, and showed him the resolution. He expressed his hearty concurrence with our plan, and as soon as the senate was formed, Judge Platt presented the resolution which we had prepared the previous evening, It was seconded by Mr. Clinton, and passed without a dissenting voice. It was immediately sent to the assembly, and passed that house in the same manner, within an hour after. In the summer of 1810, I accompanied the other commissioners, in exploring the country as far as Lake Erie. In 1811, we made our first report to the legislature.

"Several laws were enacted favourable to the prosecution of the project, notwithstanding which, the measure met with a serious and warm opposition. - The war with England seemed to put a stop to all further proceedings, and many persons entertained serious doubts of the practicability of the undertaking, and if practicable, whether the resources of the state were competent to secure its completion. Besides these difficulties, the measure was opposed with great warmth on party grounds. Thus circumstanced, after the war the friends of the project appeared to be entirely discouraged, and to have given up all hopes of the legislature being induced again to take up the subject, or to adopt any measure to prosecute the scheme. However I could not thus resign a favourite project, and it appeared to me that one more effort should be made; and Judge Platt being then (in the autumn of 1815) in the city, holding a court, I wrote him a note inviting him to breakfast with me the succeeding morning. He came, when I proposed to him, that if it met his approbation, I would undertake to get up a public meeting, to be held at the City Hotel, in order to urge the propriety and policy of offering a memorial to the legislature, pressing them to prosecute the canal from Erie to the Hudson. Judge Platt readily agreed to my proposition, and consented to open the business to the meeting if one could be obtained. I then called on De Witt Clinton, who united with me in adopting measures to procure a public meeting. Accordingly a large and respectable meeting was held at the City Hotel. William Bayard was chairman. Judge Platt made an introductory speech, and was followed by De Witt Clinton, John Swarthout, and others. - Cadwallader D. Colden, De Witt Clinton, John Swarthout, and myself were appointed a committee to draft a memorial to the legislature. This memorial was drawn up by De Witt Clinton; and from the masterly manner in which it was written, it was evident he had a complete knowledge of the subject, and evinced the uncommon talents of the author. It was signed by many thousands in this city, and throughout the state. With the legislature it had the desired effect, and was the means of establishing the canal policy on a firm basis, and producing the law of 15^th April, 1817, directing the work to be commenced, which was accordingly done the 4^th of July following.

"From the period of presenting the first report of the commissioners to the legislature, in 1812, to the passing of the act of 1817, (excepting two years during the war with England,) I attended the several sessions of the legislature for the purpose of interesting the members in favour of the great project of the proposed canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson River. De Witt Clinton and myself were uniformly engaged in using every means in our power, by distributing pamphlets, and endeavouring to explain to the members the great value and importance of such a canal, and showing them the immense advantages the state would derive, as to its agricultural and commercial improvements, and the great increase of revenue arising from tolls. We were encouraged to pursue further exertions by procuring an act, in 1813, which authorised the commissioners to obtain a loan of five millions of dollars, to enable the state to prosecute the grand undertaking. This act was afterwards repealed, and nothing further was done during the war, and from the period of its termination, until the meeting held at the City Hotel, in the latter part of the year 1815. The friends of the plan were much discouraged, in consequence of the violent opposition it met with from men not capable of forming a correct judgment as to the practicability of the work.

"From the year 1810, I devoted most of my time in endeavouring, in connexion with De Witt Clinton and Robert Fulton, to enlighten the public mind respecting it, by publishing pamphlets, essays in newspapers, &c. &c."

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Transcribed from the original text and html prepared by Bill Carr, last updated 5/22/99.