of their Lands to our Markets, and see how astonishingly our exports will be encreased; and these States benefitted in a commercial point of view—wch alone is an object of such Magnitude as to claim our closest attention—but when the subject is considered in a political point of view, it appears of much greater importance."
By means of letters, urging these private speculations on public attention, to Governor Harrison and James Madison, the matter of improvement of the Potomac was brought before the Virginia legislature. The consent and coöperation of Maryland being of greatest importance, General Washington, General Gates, and Colonel Blackburn were appointed by the legislature to obtain the concurrent action of the Maryland legislature. On December 20, 1784, the deputation, with the exception of Colonel Blackburn who was detained by illness, reached the Maryland capital. A committee from that state being duly appointed to confer upon the matter in hand, a conclusion was reached as contained in the following report.
"That it is the opinion of this confer-
