The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

414 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1785.
The hopes of General Washington, in regard to his
favorite scheme of internal navigation were more than
realized. The legislature of Virginia, after duly considering his letter to the governor, not only appointed
the commission for surveys, but organized two companies, called the Potomac Company and the James
River Company, for the purpose of carrying the plan
into effect. They moreover complimented him, with-,out a dissenting voice, by a donation of fifty shares in
the former company, and one hundred shares in the
latter; the fifty shares being estimated at ten thousand
dollars, and the others at five thousand pounds sterling.
Aware of his delicacy on the subject of receiving money
from the public, the legislature contrived to frame the
preamble of the act in such language, as, it was hoped,
would remove his scruples. "It is the desire of the
representatives of this commonwealth to embrace every
suitable occasion of testifying their sense of the unexampled merits of George Washington towards his country; and it is their wish in particular, that those great
works for its improvement, which, both as springing
from the liberty which he has been so instrumental in
establishing, and as encouraged by his patronage, will
be durable monuments of his glory, may be made
monuments also of the gratitude of his country."
If he was highly gratified, as he must have been,
with this public testimony of affection and respect, he.was scarcely less embarrassed by it. Not that he
hesitated, as to the course he should pursue; but the
grant had been made in so liberal a manner, and from
motives so pure, that he feared a refusal might be
regarded in an unfavorable light, as evincing either
ingratitude to his friends, or a disposition to gain
applause by a show of disinterestedness, unusual if
not unnecessary. He stated his difficulties freely in