Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-10-20

cussioIs concerning II, winch TOOK place
in the Legislature of that R REPUBLIC, we
have thought that il would not be unin.
teresling to our readers, TO lay before
them a brief abstract of the terms and
conditions of the Contract We under
stand that it has been submitted to the
inspection OF the SECRETARY OF STATE,
and SECRETARY OF THE Treasury; and
that they have both expressed their de-
cided appreciation OF the great object Of
uniting the two oceans by means OF ca
nal tor ship navigation, and their great
satisfaction that, il work OF such tran
scendaDt importance to the commerce
of the world should be executed by any
company, that company should be COM
posed OF citizens Of the United States,
For ourselves, we entertain no doubt o
The practcability OF the enterprise, and
at an expense that may be considered in,
significant, when compared with the I'M
calculable advantages which must be de-
rived to commerce in general, and par
ticularly 10 that of the United States,
from ship channel across the Isthmus
1t was probably to such direc, commu-
nicatioD as this between the Atlantic and
j Pacific, that the SECRETARY oil the TREA-
sURY alluded 10 III his very interesting
and able Report of The 18th February
last, in which he discusses the interests
OF our foreign commerce, with the prn-
cipes that should govern it. As our
readers may not have that Report at
hand, we extract the following passage,
which may be regarded as almos, pro-
phetic, and which supersedes the neces-
siiy OF our adding another word on the
subject:
/" Whilst repudia'iug for ourselves all
claim TO special iavors, we must not be
insenslbie to, by failing 10 improve the
Iranscendant advantages which nature
and Providence have placed before US.
Amongst these, most especially 10 be
ranked at the present Iuncture, is that OF
the physical position assigned 10 US upon
the globe. Besides the ascendancy
which this, in conjunction wih The exist
ing amount and perfection OF our mer-
camille marine, is calculated to give US
over the chief commercial operations oil
this continent, vista is opened by the
recent emancipation OF the latter from
European tbraldom, to q new era IN ORR
entail trade. Amongst the consequences
bound up in this great event, that OF in
creasing to the United States the com
mercial, if net The geographical iacili-
lies OF intercourse with China and the
East Indies, may safely be looked 10 as
one. Placed at a middle point between
Asia and Europe, with some oil their
ports stretching almost 10 the southern
Atlantic, others opening on the Gulf Of
Mexico, whilst new ones may be expect
ed 10 rise Up even upon their maritime
border, at he remote NVesl-ihe coss,
OF the Pacific, it may reasonably be be-
ilsved, that they will become largely
the connecting link Of trade between The
new Republic and The East, besides
greatly extending, through these in
creased lacililes, the trade with the East,
more properly their own, and .ha, also
which consist in carrying the produc IONS
OF the East to Europe. The enterprising
and experienced navigaiors OF the Unit
ed States, already familiar with all The
coasts and islands of the Asiatc seas,
vii! not be slow to avail themselves of
every new opening, TO traffic with re.
glons SO neutrality-suspicious. exhaustless
from their fertility, and The population
with which; they teen; that have SWELL
ed the tide oil wealth 10 ancient kingdoms
and empires, as TO modern Venice. Por-
iugal and England; their own wealth
seeming to be perpetual, the foundations
OF II sNil continuing to exist, as .hey
were originally laid, as well in the costly
and exquisite fabrcations of art, ever
distinguished those regions, as in their
immense natural riches. It the chan
nels OF intercourse with the Oriental
world were once through the internal
seas and Cults of Asia, and afterwards
round the southern promon,ory Of Alri-
ca, there is nothing unreasonable in the
belief that the next great change, a
change springing out OF the force oil ma
tural, no less than political causes, will
be through this continent; at all events
that new and inviting channels 10 this in
tercoursc are destined to run in this d.
rectioD. Under every prospective and
future view, therefore, of the resolution
submitted to the House; under every
anticipation of its effect, whether imme-
date and certain, or probable, though
more remote, it is believed that that eli.
feet upon the commerce and nayiga,io
OF the United States, will be propitous
and that the nrasen, ,,ornant 10 H., =,