Page:Journal of the Sixth Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan.djvu/77

10.] Grand River road, where it angles to take its course for Detroit, near the mouth of the Looking Glass river.

The advantages arising from a communication directly across the central part of the peninsula of Michigan, leading from au important military post, through a fertile country, to the mouth of a navigable river, offering a safe and commodious habor for the largest class of vessels that navigate our northern lakes, must be obvious to the most casual observer.

The rapid sales of public lands, and the benefits accruing to government therefrom, which have hitherto resulted from opening roads into those sections of our country that were inaccessible to the emigrant, and laying the foundation for improvements that otherwise might have been delayed for years, have been appreciated and acknowledged. The territory being mostly surrounded by the province of a foreign government, and its waters contiguous thereto, present to a belligerent residing on our north, every opportunity of molesting our shipping, and thus preventing a safe and ready passage through our lakes and rivers.

It therefore becomes indispensably necessary, that roads be laid out and constructed by the government, that will, at all times, insure a safe passage for troops and munitions of war, and render our country free from impediments, in case of hostile attacks. Our settlements at present, are but in their infancy, and not able to bear the burden requisite for the construction of necessary roads; consequently require the attention of government, in affording such assistance to its citizens, as will facilitate the sale of public lands and remove those obstacles which to us are insurmountable. A grant has been already made for more than one hundred miles of this desirable route—about one hundred and twenty remains to be provided for, in which case, in the opinion of your memorialists, a road will be constructed in due time of more importance to the general government, of more direct interest to the inhabitants of its vicinity, and of more interest in prospect to emigrants for years to come, than any similar appropriation for which your honorable body has been petitioned.

It is therefore the earnest prayer of your memorialists, that the subject of this petition receive due consideration, and that such appropriation be made as may be deemed sufficient to effect the object of our request; for which, in duty bound, we will ever pray.

Mr. Martin, from the committee on the judiciary, to whom was referred the resolution instructing said committee to inquire into the expediency of repealing the act prohibiting the circulation of foreign bank bills of a less denomination than five dollars, made an unfavorable report thereon; which was concurred in, and the committee discharged from the further consideration of the subject.

Mr. Farnsworth, from the committee on the library, to whom