The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-11-14
Fro the Boston rs'r.o,
Right to .s'lriyde Ae 8. Lu0fen,

been agliated, II sun. ri th- \ York 81
southern papers, has excited cohsi,lrf.,Il..
interest III tins quarter, and deserve. ia.
serious attention OF every Amrricau M.
thrrio 10 great advantages We're Ia be d,.r;Z
we'd from u-fn5 iho>e waters, hut as ,,,
population = rapidly extending along ,l..
! borders Of the great Lakes on ne barL. =.
til It majestic river, within the L. Staff. ),
! i, highly Important, that earI, and pron,,s
measures should be taken, To- ,indIcat, ,n.f
secure the right of nas igalion to uLicL -.
are most indiSPutdbiy eHtMed. Althoneb =
is more immediately important 10 the s,aI.s
and territories of the north, stlil the whoI.
/ Union will derive advantages from this ne.,
| claancl for imports aud exports.
| So connected are the great interests nf all
the statesin agriculture, ,oruncr, . and M.
nufaciures, that the prosperity Of each has
direct tendency tn brncfit the others
/ The navigation OF the Mississippi preyjou,
to the acquisition of Louisiana, was deemed
rs important tn the Atlantic states, AZ IN
Those of the west.
The commerce of the east wonld have
been greatly affected if there had not been
Il free navigation of that liver. The whol.
nation was excited almost to declaration
ut war, when Spain at one time attempted
to deprive rs of the right Of dcposire at N.
Orleans, and thus exclude all The states and
territories west Of the mountains from tbe
ocean No one can doubt the injurious
consequences which would have resulted if
the Mississippi had been closed against US
ny 70 this period, Dis has been the St. Law
renee.
The same national policy which has Sc.
cured us the navigation of the former. should
be extended to the acquisition of that of the
latter. Nc sectional feelings should be er
cited, the exercise of the right should
not be advocated on any other principles
than those which govern the proceedings
of the general government in all eases of n
public character. The questions of terri
tory have claimed the united attention of
the republic, when only small portion Of
the citizens was directly Interested In
fact, the chief object Of the confederation Of
the states was the protection ofthe rights of
each state and those of every citizen, from
foreign aggression, and the honor of the na-
ton rs Ia be maintained, by prompt exer.
cise OF the power With which the national
government has been invested for that pur-
! pose. Ii matters not how trihing is the
wrong done 10 a single ndi, idudl, it isp-
0ongh that he declares, an, q citizen Of
me United States, % and my rights have been
violated by foreign nation. His appeal
Tor redress is made with confidence, for the
dignity of the nation is at stake, and he
sIorlcs in the proud satisfaction that Il ne.
rer can, or miu be compromised But here isa
question presented that Immediately in.
| 81 ipt 6, G ,,I
the exercise ola great national right is to be
claimed or abandoned benefit to be Sc
cured, which affects every portion Of tie
republic and demands the most grave co =
sldeiation of the executive aud national IL.
5isiature. Whether we have 4 natural right
| to the free navigation @fthe ST. Lawrence or
not, does not affect the main subject Of
inquiry, for it il shall be ascertainrd that
tie use off waters of that river beyond
the domain of the United States will be
highly advantageous, it becomes the mpt-
rlous duty of the national government To
acquire bencfcia! right, by treaty st-
puation, if it cannot be clamcd in cunfor-
NIFTY to the established laws of nations,
nhich, hoWerer, cannot be doubied +; or per-
haps 1t would BIZ advisable IT, purchase the
whole OF the British possessions 10 North
America.
| large portion Of the state OF VI inc IS
waicrcd by rivers which FIJI into the St
Lawrence, which naturally indicate the
course her exports and imports must take
New Hampshire is in degree similarly ST.
tuated, as the market for the northern part
oft must be at some point on the St. Las.
renee" !; Vermont is bounded on the west
two thirds OF its length, by Lake Cham
PLAN, aud Lake Memphramaso extendsfar
INTO The northern part of the state, while
both receiving large portion of lis princi-
pal rivers, empty into the St Lawrence
These three states would be but partially
and indirectly benefited by mere nation
II right to navigate the st. Lawrence, bat
the acquisition of the Canadian and eastern
provinces OF u. Britain would be inyalua-
BILE TO them. Ne" York, being boundeda
thlfd OF its length, on the east, by Lake
Champaign, and for over one hundred miles
on the northwest by the ST. Lawrence,
while the whole of Lake Ontario and
portion of Lake Erie complete its northern
and " estern bounds, is deeply interested,
not only IN the navigation of the St. Law
renee, but the acquisition of the Canadas.
Pennsylvania touches Lake Erie, on the
shores of which she will have commercial
emporium for the northwestern portion Of
the state. Two thirds of the northern
bounds of Ohio are washed by Lake Erie
and many of her chief rivers fall into it.
Indiana and Illinois extend mouth to The
shores of Lake Michigan and tbs lake.
with those of Huron, II. Clair ard Ere,
aud the connecting rivers of the three lat
ter nearly surround a large portion OF MI
chigan territory, the remainder of whchr'
bounded on the north by Lake Superior
which also pIunges far into the northwes-
tern territory ard receives many ofthe nu'