| On December 13, 1784, the Virginia House of Delegates appointed a committee
consisting of Washington, Horatio Gates, and Thomas Blackburn, to travel to Annapolis to meet
with Maryland representatives." Washington and Gates departed for Annapolis, where Gates fell
ill. and "the entire matter rested on Washington."6'
On December 22, 1784, Washington met with a committee of the Maryland General
Assembly to discuss the proposal.` Washington chaired the meeting.13Also participating were
Object, the rendering navigable the River Potomack from Tide Water. - It was unanimously
Resolved, That every possible Effort ought to be exerted to render these Waters navigable to
their utmost sources. In consequence Petitions to the respective Honorable Assemblies were
prepared praying to form a Company. with such Immunities as might seem meet to them to
grant .... The opening of the Navigation of Potomack is, perhaps, a Work of more political than
commercial Consequence, as it will be one of the grandest Chains for preserving the federal
Union, the Western World will have free Access to us, and we shall be one and the same People,
whatever System of European Politics may be adopted.-In short, it is a Work so big, that the
intellectual Faculties cannot take it at a View.").
611 Journal of Virginia House of Delegates (1784), supra note 29, at 65; 27 Fitzpatrick!
supra note 43, at 480 n.56; Delaplaine, supra note 30, at 390.
6' 27 Fitzpatrick, supra note 43, at 480 n.56. Washington wrote from Annapolis to the
Marquis de Lafayette that he was there "at the request of the Assembly of Virginia, to fix matters
with the Assembly of this State respecting the extension of the inland navigation of Potomac, and
the communication between it and the Western waters; and hope a plan will be agreed upon to
the mutual satisfaction of both States, and to the advantage of the Union at large." 28 John C.
Fitzpatrick, The Writings of George Washington 17 (1938) (Letter from Washington to Lafayette
of 12/23/1784) [hereinafter "28 Fitzpatrick"]. Shortly before, Washington had written to Richard
Henry Lee, on the occasion of his election as president of the Congress, stating: "The Assemblies
of Virginia and Maryland have now under consideration the extension of the inland navigation of
the rivers Potomac and James, and opening a communication between them and the Western
waters: they seem fully impressed with the political as well as the commercial advantages which
would result from the accomplishment of these great objects; and I hope will embrace the present
moment to put them in train for speedy execution." Id. at 11 (Letter from Washington to Lee of
12/14/1784).
6' Report of the Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland (January 22, 1785), reprinted
in Sen. Doc. 610. 26t' Cong., 15` Sess. 74-75 (1840).
6' Id. at 74
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