Mr.  Geddes's  report  was  made  to  the  Surveyor  General,  and  was  by
him  communicated  to  the  Legislature.  But  nothing  appears  to  have  been
done,  till  in  March,  eighteen  hundred  and  ten,  when  Jonas  Piatt,  Esquire,  then
a  member  ot  the  Senate,  who  has  been  among  the  foremost,  on  so  many
occasions,  to  encourage  and  support  this  great  enterprise,  proposed,  in  that
body,  a  resolution  which  was  unanimously  adopted  by  the  Senate,  and
concurred  in  by  the  Assembly,  to  appoint  Gouverneur  Morris,  Stephen  Van
Rensselaer,  William  North,  Thomas  Eddy,  and  Peter  B.  Porter,  "  commis-
sioners to  explore  the  whole  route  for  inland  navigation,  from  the  Hudson
River  to  Lake  Ontario,  and  to  Lake  Erie."

The  Legislature  had  before  them,  at  that  Session,  memorials  from
many  citizens  in  different  parts  of  the  State,  representing  that  Canada  was
attracting  the  greatest  part  of  our  internal  commerce,  in  consequence  of
the  facilities  which  were  afforded  by  water  communications,  to  transport
commodities  to  her  markets.  These  representations,  no  doubt,  had  their
influence,  but  the  above  resolution,  it  appears,  was  brought  forward  by
Judge  Piatt,  at  this  time,  on  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Thomas  Eddy,  the  gen-
tleman before  mentioned,  who  had  taken  so  active  and  leading  a  part  in  the
concerns  of  the  Inland  Lock  Navigation  Companies,  and  who  was  so  long
the  zealous  and  active  friend  of  the  Canals.  Judge  Piatt  and  Mr.  Eddy
engaged  our  present  Governor,  De  Witt  Clinton,  who  was  then  also  a  mem-
ber of  the  Senate,  to  support  Mr.  Piatt's  proposition.  From  that  time,
Mr.  Clinton  has  been  the  able,  constant,  indefatigable,  and  undaunted  advo-
cate and  supporter  of  these  great  works.
They  also  found,  at  about  this  time,  an  able  advocate  in  the  late  Doctor
Hugh  Williamson.
