Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-10-12
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ven a military post, at the lIou'h Of the
Columbia River. viii, if carried into ef-
feet, operate against the intyrc:t ofthis
section Of the country; and as it has
been heretofore urged by western men,
and as western measure, | take the
liberty, as one Of the former, TO state to
you jeasohs, why think you ought to
vote against it.
1t would have a tendency to take from
us emigrants that would otherwise settle
upon our fertile lands, and sttengihed
our State, and the United States; troops
that would otherwise be assigned to
protect our frontier--and for the trade,
both in its equipments and returns; and
am ut loss to conceive, what interest,
or profitable communication, we could
have with a colony distant from US $500
miles. and from which we are separated
by a lofty range OF mountains and de-
sert, only practicable to light hunting
parties.
To Judge sanely of this matter. we
must take practical facts, not imaginary
speculadoEs. The freight paid by the
government from this place to the
Council Bluffs, distant COO miles, has
never been less than 22 cents per pound
as much as ten cents per pound has
been paid, il, therefore, costs So to car
nv barrel of flour sixth part Of the
distance to the Mouth of the Columbia
River Surprising the whole route to
be. like that to the Council Bluffs,
steam boat navigation, that there were
no porta ges, no mountains to cross, no
changes in the transportation necessary,
IT would even cost $50 70 carry barrel
of flour from ST. Louis to the Mouth of
the Columbia River. Gen. Ashley whose
sagacity is equal to his enterprise, told
me, that he would have willingly given
one dollar per pound to transport his
flrs from the centre Of the Rocky
Mountains to st. Louis. Taking this
as data, the probable cost OF carrying
a barrel Of -four from the Mississippi to
the Pacific. would be $50 or 40 dollars.
/ understand that the value of freight
from New. York to Canton, is from 50
10 80 dollars per ton, which is about
dollars per barrel. One dollar per bar
rel is high freight from this to New
Orleans. One dollar more would be
paidtc carry it to Newly ork, and three
dollars would transport it from there TO
the Columbia River; SO that barrel of
flour could be AS cheapy carried from
St Louis to the Columbia by that route, |
as itcould from st. Louis to the Coun-
ell Bluffs by the other. As the cheap
est route would always be preferred,
the conclusion is inevitable, that the
aupphes TO the Indian traders, the troops,
and the colonists, instead of going from
the western country by the route OF the
Missouri, would be shipped at New
York & Philadelphia, for thei mouth OF
the Columbia, and the iurs collected IN
all that region of country, would be
carried directly to China or Europe, |
consider that the western country has
much to 'apprehend from this measure,
aud that it can be as little benefited by |
the establishment of military post, or
soIony. at the Mouth OF the Columbia,
as it is by these on the continent opPo-
site it; nor do think any part OF the
Union is to receive benefit from it. To
saw nothing Of the doubtful policy of es-
tablishing very remote colonies, when
we have seen an immense extent OF un-
settled country, and one hundred mil
lions acres of it contiguous to our pres
cnt settlements. fit for cultivation, sur
yeved and unsold, has not experience
taught us the distinction between the ra
DID advance of population where the
new settlements are contiguous to the
old. and the sic6lY growth OF issolated
colonies, 5000 miles from their primary
sources? Compare the advance made
by Kentucky and Ohio, and other, "es-
tern states, with the Iardy progress made
in the earlyssettements on the eastern
slone of the continent If We have re-
sources to spair, let them be applied to
encourage the extension OF our present
settlements. Our eastern manufacture
ers and merchants have infinitely more
70 exnect. from the creation OF a sub
stantia! market by the rapid increase OF
our population, who must be their Gus
toners. than from any thing they could
derive from supplying feeble colony,
which for a long time, viii be without
other means OF payment than those de-
rived from a source, to which they them
selves are called upon to contribute,
and which will be market for them on
" until the colonists can SGT up Tor
] themselves. aud hold direct communi-
cation with Europe and China.
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