Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-04-11

L further and continued debate. Suffer
ne, then, to ask, for what purpose are we
these three chains of railroad
across this state, and from what source do
We expect to obtain the interest and prlncl-
pal of the cost Of their construction 7 On
what does the city Of Detroit subsist p
Why is she sad and gloomy in the winter
season Her heart beats this moment in
expectation of the floating wealth which will
come to her aid whenthe ice shall have dis.
appeared from the lower lakes. Without
il, she is bcnumbed, without vital action
Yes, sir, it is 10 the east we are looking for |
reasons why we should attempt to construct
these roads. But a few years since, and
these mighty lakes were only ruhledb by the
winds, the Indian canoe, and the few sfrag.
Cling companies of Indian traders. What
is the spectacle now The whole Of Lake
Erie is in commotion, clouds of canvass
are in mo.ion, steamboats,, like SO many
monsiers of tho deep, are ploughng to pie
ces its peaceful bosom. What has produ.
ced this mighty change The fertile wes-
lcrn world mas been discovered lis invita-.
tons cannot be resisted Europe is send.
ing over thousands, our own eastern states
are sending west their countess numbers.
And where is this increasing living mass
moving 10 /? TO tho west, to the west -
And where is the natural line of commu.
nication Where should this state con-
struct her great thoroughfares What is
her true policy! Look to the west, and
YOU discover Lake Michigan, reaching
north and south three hundred miles, por-
ton of the year impassnhle. all communi.
cation cut Oft from large portion of our
own territory. Look further west, over
the rich valleys. blooming prairies, mighty
rivers, stretching far and wide to the foot OF
the Rocky Mountains. They now lie in
peaceful sIumbers, unbroken, save by the
warlike tribes of Indians, and the moving
lords Of Butialoes-yet the whole bosom
of the earth, richly pregnant with the staff
of life, OILY to be approached TO yield its
thousand fold. And thousands and tens OF
thousands, moving in strong phalanx,
swinging In from the east, and pitching their
tents in thousand different places, in that
delightful region and through. all time to
come, no hope is left but to wend their way,
in their passage in the winter season, round
the southern extremity Of Lake Michigan.
1t is to be the carriers OF this moving ar
my, that Michigan is induced TO construct
this work it is from that source she expects
to obtain the interest and cost of construc-
ton. Yes, her statesmen may well ask,
will not the east continue TO pour forth her
increasing numbers, thousands crowdlng
upon the heels of thousands, until the mil
lions of acres, now unoccup ed, shall be
covered, shall he cultivated; until towns
shall give place to cities, until the west, the
far west, shall echo back TO the east, am
| full AS well wIshers 10 our own dear
state, with these truths before US, the abso-
lutte certainty that the whole western travel,
when the navigation is closed, must pass
the southern extremity Of Lake Michigan
that large portion of our own state lies
on the west side ofthat Lake that the moss
direct communication from the east, by the
lakes, will touch at Monroe, as one Of the
first harbors that the chain of communi.
cation is more direct from Monroe to New
Buffalo, than at any other points across this
state that constant travel will be kept
up along the margin of Lake Erie in the
winter season, increasing beyond computa
ton that the southern railroad is better
located than any other in this state to in
tercept this travel shall we grovelingly
fall back from Ohio on the east, or Indiana
on the wcstl Were it not better to bear
up against Ohio at the starting point, anC
compete with Toledo, and crowd the state
OF Indiana on the west, to compete witt
Michigan City, and become the carriers o
the fertile portions Of the northern section
Of the state Of Indiana? Would not The
state of Indiana as readily pass through
our own state as the state of Ohio, in choos
ing a means OF conveyance to an eastern
market and would not the emigrant from
the east as readily enter the harbor at Mon
roe, and pass over 10 New Bu alo, as t
enter at Toledo and pass over to Michigan
City T? Is it not admitted by US ALL that tn
harbor at New Buffalo is far preferable 2
Will it not be conceded, that those VIII,
take any road from Lake Erie, with view
decreasing Lake Michigan,wiil choose SOM
E harbor out Of which they can pass wit
+ safety And the same reason will induc
those travelling east to enter for some POI
on the east side Of Lake Michigan, int
which vessels can put at all times. Is
not admitted, that the state Of Indiana ha
refused to appropriate, as state, for tn
construction Of communication fror
Michigan City to the Ohio line, in the direc
, lion of Toledo? Do we not all agree tht
{ the larest portion of the state of Indian
is embraced in her northern tier Of cour
tics, and a. all points within one days driv
, of our southern road Is i,not in evidenc
before US, that the state OF Indiana has, ,
a this time, thirty millions pledged for tn
construction of her projected works of If
i ternal improvement Is it not believes
; that no point on the whole line is of so con
handing Importance as Bertrand An
4 from a view Of the situation Of Laport
> and the facilities with which a commune,
lion may be made with Bertrand, by raj
e road of some twenty miles 10 length, their
by connecting it with the nayigable waite
of the Kankekee, thus opening out con
q munication to the falls Of the Illinois rive
!, shall we lift the location Of the southel
railroad, and remove il down the river TO
> less eligible poinil Will we, then, from
: just and impartial view Of the situation
!. our own state, and its natural and positi,
= bearing towards Indiana, and the absolu
r necessity Of our SO shaping the course