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one of the Judges of the Supreme Court) was then amember of the Senate, and on the evening of the 12thof March, I called upon him, and suggested to him aplan, on which I had never consulted any person, ofproposing to the Legislature, to appoint Commission-ers, as before mentioned; and I proposed to him, thathe should use his endeavours in the Senate, to far-ther the plan. He replied, he very highly approvedof my proposition, and asked why not make it theduty of these commissioners to explore the country,as far as Lake Erie, with the view to ascertain thepracticability of making a complete canal, fromthence to the Hudson? We immediately drafted ajoint resolution, to be offered to both branches of theLegislature, which it was agreed he should presentto the Senate next morning. We also thought itwould be proper for us, then to fix on suitable namesto offer to the Senate, as Commissioners, and weagreed in the necessity of selecting persons equallyfrom the two great political parties, which then divi-ded the state. This we did, according to the bestjudgment we could form, and the following gentle-men were named, viz., Gouverneur Morris, De WittClinton, Stephen Van Rensselaer, Simeon De Witt,William North, Thomas Eddy, and Peter B. Porter. It was concluded that I should meet Judge Platt, atthe Senate Chamber, next morning, when I accord-ingly attended, and we called out De Witt Clinton, and showed him the resolution. He expressed hishearty concurrence with our plan, and as soon asthe Senate was formed, Judge Platt presented theresolution, which we had prepared the previous even-ing. It was seconded by Clinton, and passed with-out a dissenting voice. It passed the house in thesame manner, within an hour after. In the summer of 1810, I accompanied the other Commissioners, inexploring the country, as far as Lake Erie. In 1811,we made our first report to the Legislature. Several laws were enacted, favourable to the prosecution of