The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-04

commerce the great otitlet Of majestic Chesa-
lpeake; and they who conceived and executed the
design Of this canal have, with unerring sagacI-
tty devoted their labor to establish and confirm,
on the surest foundation, that channel Of trade.
throughout that valley, from where the first toun-
tains of the Susquehanna are embosomed IN the
solitudes of the Allegheny, down to where the
ocean tides embrase and mingle with IT'S spark,
ling waters, is spread race OF enlightened ana
sturdy freemen, whose industry is even now
amassinr the treasures of nation; this race shall
multiply as the leaves of their forests, and them
trade will ere long suffice to build cities equal to
: the stateliest of those which the old world mas
. scattered over her bosom: an empire OF busy men
will people these fertile tracts, and every dWeei
there, through long lapse of ages, viii bless
:, the forethought and the toll which have con-
4 structed the work upon whose margin we arr
E now gathered together, and whose comPle'i0"
has furnished the occasion of this festival
If the first impulse WAS given to this undertake
ing in MARYLAND, Pennsylvania may claim even
: greater share of honor, not only from inc i"ei
ality of her contribution, but because her co-cP-
Grafton in the enterprise was ATTENDED, WIN many
: s.cr;fces of opinion of great weight with her
neonJa and with what many believed the surren-
i. der of important interests. Surrounding those
preiudices which are so apt to embarrass the
commerce of contiguous States, discarding all
narrow views of apprehended rivalry, and look
| ing over the broad field of public good with an
expansive and intelligent forecast that sums up
the prospective as we'll the resent interests oil
her policy, Pennsylvania has given her hand to
this labor with an earnest and generous patriot
| ism which shall find its proper return IN long
| continued blessings upon her people.
Rejecting upon the beneheence OF this pohey,
and foreseeing in it the creation of new bonds OF
! friendship in the more intimate relations which
| il is about to ensender between US, we take a
peculiar pleasure in uniting with you, gentlemen
Of Pennsylvania, in the present celebration,-
and, once more; feryently and from the bottom OF
our hearts we bid YOU welcome into Maryland
from whom, we would fondly hope, you and
your children and their descendants to the latest
day, may ever find an increasing estimate OF the
value We set upon this connection
| MR.. JOHNSON'S REPLY.
| To this tender of cordial welcome Within the
territory Of MARYLAND, OVID F. JOHNSON,
ESQ.,, Attorney General of Pennsylvania, made,
in substance, the following eloquent reply
Called unexpectedly a few moments ago, to re-
| spond on behalf of the citizens of Pennsylvania
who are present, to the kind ana courteous well
come rendered US by the gentlemen who has just
addressed us in the name Of the citizens of Mary
land, must express my deep regret that lndispo-
sition and physical weaknessrender 1t impossible
for me to return our thanks for your welcome,
and to reciprocate our feelings OF mutual good
will, in manner suitable to the occasion. lean
only, in few words, assure yoJ that not only the
Pennsylyanians who are here, but ninety-nlne
hundredths of those who are absent, Join in meet
ing the citizens of Maryland this occasion, with
the highest qualification, to commemorate the
completion of tins great undertaking. The time
has been, when the Susquehannah and Tide W a.
liter Canal was viewed with unfavorable feelings in
Pennsy = ania; it was deemed by some a work
calculated to enrich Baltimore at the expense OF
Philadelphia; but that day has passed by. An
enlarged consideration of public policy and an
enlightened survey of State interests, have com
pletey extinguished all feelings Of Jealousy, and
removed all apprehension. We know full well
that either State Legislation refusal 10 legis
late, is equally vain and impotent, when they
seek to control the laws of trade and OF nature
We know that il would be almost as easy to roll
back the Susquehanna on its original sources, b!
!. acts Of Assembly, as to say that the immens'
mass Of coal, iron, lumber and agricultural ..-o
auctions, that find its waters the direct highway
to market, shall stop at particular point ana
4 proceed no further. The finger of nature has
traced the road to market for the boundless re-
, gions watered by the SusGuehanna river, and its
tributaries, touched by the different raIRifca-
tons of the Pennsyl vania improvements. Resist
f it as we may, that path must and will be taken
The citizens Of Pennsylvania, and of Philadel-
n h;a in particular, feel no apprehensions now
about the injurious operation of this canal on their
trade. Connected as it is, by immediate water
Communication with that great emporium of
PENNSYLVANIA. it is Justly regarded furnishing
an additional medium ST communication between
it and the interior of that State, the North and
! the West, and is iookedupon an extension and
final Atlantic completion Of the stupendous sys-
tenn of public Improvements, constructed by that
State at an enormous expense and under the most
: embarrassing discouragements.
/ Philadelphia is conscious that to retain the
, trade which passes through the Public Improve
ments of Pennsylvania, she must struggle for 1t
with generous emulation and manly enterprise.
: She must meet Baltimore lin the present state OF
her improvements at Hayre-de-Grace, instead OF
Middleton or Columbia, and she surveys the con-
test without doubt or fear. She believes the
trade will be enough for both, and equally advan-
: tageous to herself. She will enjoy the tri
n umph of her efforts, with the same magnaminots
feelings that will actuate Baltimore, if the tri-
! umph falls 70 her lot. There IS room enough in
this great country for both cities;iet their con-
test for superiority be one worthy of this enlght-
} ened and liberal age. Integral parts of one Ma
tonal Confederaey, the prosperity of either is, in
great measure, the prosperity of both, and re-
fleets portion ofits renown on all parts of our
common country.
Tothc interior and Northern portions of Penn
syivania, this improF enent is of the most ncaIct-
liable value. The periIous navigation of the
Susquehanna river, running near and along side
of this canal presented almost insuperable obsta-
I al es to both descending and ascending trade
To venture, was half the time, to lose The
danger is now avoided, the Instructions are
Iremoyed-tkis stupendous canal opens broad and
wide the road to market.
Nearly two thirds Of the coal, iron and
lumber of Pennsylvania, will seek this outlet to
the sea-Doard,--and in return, will furnish the
supplies required for the comfort and happiness of
the hundreds Of thousands Of hardy and industri-
trious freemen who dwell within her borders-I
Constant and countless viii be the products Of
industry, and the mineral treasures, that will
pour down upon the Atlantic markets, from the
cxhaustless hills and valleys of Pennsylvania,
New York and the Great West. No region on
the face Of the globe, Of the same extent, can
boast ofricbes andmore abundant resources. than
those that lie embedded in the hills and valleys
adjacent to the Sasquchanna and its tributary
streams.
We rejoice to find this canal constructed in
manner worthy ofthe great object it is designed
l to answer. It's workmanship Is alike durable.