the Memorial of the Merchants and others residing in the Counties in Virginia & Maryland which border on the Potowmack River most respectfully sheweth

     That the number of Inhabitants in the Counties in Virginia & Maryland which border on the Potowmack River according to the enumerations taken under the authority of Congress in this present Year amounts: to three hundred & seventeen thousand one hundred and ninety eight.

     That this District of very great extent and in general is fertile & healthy and in some parts is well populated & cultivated— the productions in Wheat Indian Corn Tobacco Rye Flax Hemp Flaxseed and other Articles which are exported to Foreign and other ports of the United States may be computed in Value to exceed the Sum of Two Millions of Dollars.¹

     That there are Sundry flourishing Towns upon the Banks of the River and others elsewhere in the neighbourhood thereof naturally connected therewith, which contain upaards of Twelve thousand people, a great proportion of whom are in the mercantile line of business —-

     That annually the products of the Country are increasing as well as the number of Inhabitants, and at this time the greater part of the Trade from hence is carried on for the use of persons residing in Foreign Countries or in some other of the United States. —

     That the intercourse between some of the Towns with distant Countries is daily increasing and the duties on Foreign Trade within this District of Country amounts to about 100,000 Dollars & An. That there is the greatest probability that the Inland Navigation of the River will be completed from tide water to the Alleghany Mountains in the space of Three Years, which will afford an easy & quick transportation of the heavy productions to some place of exportation and thereby make necessary a greater Sum of money than is now circulating here which is even inadequate to the present demands of Trade. —

     Under these circumstances your Memorialists are of Opinion that a branch of the United States Bank to the extent of Five hundred thousand Dollars established at the Town of Alexandria might be managed with considerable profit to the Stock holders, and with general advantage to this part of the community— Your Memorialists will further add that the monies to be expended in the erection of the public buildings in the City of Washington, which will arise either from the Sale of the Lots or from the donations of the two States, would most conveniently be deposited with this branch— And they pray that the premises may be considered and a branch of the United States Bank to the extent of Five hundred thousand dollars may be established at the Town of Alexandria under such regulations as shall be deemed most conducive to the good of the Institution &ca.