Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-12-14

fIlOus duu CCCNpLHSS NAoH SSioAo OVAtC
Of contention, I've are content to sit
down like paupsrs, and availourselYes
of the labors ofSthers. In the Language
of the address, We have not been.
slow i'll appropriating to ourselves the
gains Of the labors Of foreign nations,
until Guy commercial marine has be-
come % extensive, that we must now
look TO ourselves for its protection.
Tardy indeed has been the policy pur-
sued by those with whom rested the le-
gitimate conduct Of the business, for
although the question has been agitated
during almost every administration for
the last five and twenty years, yet it
was not until the congressional session
Of 1921, that it came before that bo-
tly as public measure.
At that period, the East India ma
rine society of Massachusetts, the le-
gislatures Of Maryland, Pennsylvania,
and Ohio, with other bodies Of acknowl
edgedcommercial importance, strongly
memorialized congress upon the SUBJ
ject, and so forcibly were the appeals
made that select committee was APP
|pointed to inquire into the expediency
of the proposed expedition. The sub
lject at that time was novel, and the
public mind scarce awake to sense of
its importance, but the committee in
their researches became fully impress
ed with the utility of the measures en-
braced in the design, and reference
was made of it to the navy department.
Much delay was subsequently expert
enced, and despite of strong memoir
ais from other states, our own in parti-
cular, which in qestion so intimately
associated with commerce should be
respectfully attended to, the progress.
made during the years up to 1886 was
SO slow, as almost to cause its most in-
defatigable advocate to abandon it
Hon. Samuel L. Southland, who, when
the subject was first introduced to the
attention of congress, was secretary of
the navy, replied to the committee on
naval affairs who nad solicited his opin-
ion, in the following language, which
conveys, at this ate period, a tacit re-
proach upon our government, whileit
clearly points out the absolute necessity
ofthe expedition. He says-"We now
navigate the ocean, and acquire our
knowledge of the globe, its divisions
and properties, almost entirely from
the contributions Of others. BY send
ing an expeditioninto that immense re-
gion, SO little known to the civilized
world, we shall add something to the
common stock Of geographical knowl-
edge, which is not merely useful to
commerce, but connects itself with al
most all the concerns of society; and
while we make our contributions to
the general stock, we shall not, fail to
derive the best advantage to ourselves,
and be richly paid, even in a. calcula-
ton of expenditure and profit"
Up to the last session Of congress,
the business remained in is,cerlo, but
through the perseverance OF the pro-
jector, affairs were brought to crisis,
and aresolution authorising the survey
and providing the means, passed both
houses by decisive vote. Nothing,
therefore, can now retard the sailing Of
the expedition, SO soon as the nccessa-
ry arrangements can be completed, and
it is cfcialiy announced that the Uni
ted States frigate Macet!opian, two
barques Of two hundred and thirty, tons
cach' store ship, and one or more
tenders are now in active preparation,
and will sail as soon as possible. The I
sum appropriated is $4,000, and tbs
command has been vested in Capt. Tho |
mas Ap C. Jones, an experienced, in
telligent, and in every respect merito-
rions officer. Upon Mr.. Reynolds will
devolve those duties for which the ex-
petition is especially devoted, & when
his known character as a man Of sci
ence. and a navigator Of extensive re-
search, is taken into consideration, we
can ask no betterwarranty for the sue
cessful result of the survey. IN s,a,
3 From the earliest discussion. of this
subject, Mr.. Reynolds has stood imme-
diately identified with il, in the public
mind, and during the tedious dclibcra-
lions Of congress, he maintained his
ground, removing the ill-founded pre-
JUDGES Of the few, who, not feeling
connected with it commercially, re-
NAMED neutral or openly expressed OPP /
position to the measure as visionary & 4
unimportant. For years previous to
its introduction before congress, he
iabored to combine the facts requisite
to prove its utility. During the sum
mer Of 1928, he visited all the. north
crn and sastern sea psrts, and careful !
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