Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-12-07
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WEST.

II cannot be too often repeated that the parental
eye OF the Federal Government seldom reaches the
Far West, and that the stream of her benevolence
seems to be abruptly checked at the eastern base of
the Allegheny Mountains. The Western Press
should speak out upon this subject, now that Con-
gress is about to assemble. The immense losses
sustained by St Louis alone, by the smuggling of
her boats during the past season, would have been
more than sufficient to have kept the river clear
for five years, The trade and commercial mpor-
lance OF the West rapidly increasing, that
Congress must no longer shut its ears to our de-
mands. Our co-laborer of the Argus breaks ground
yesterday in the following judicous and we'll timed
article, and hasten to follow his lead.
fit is right to build and keep afoat on every
ocean an expensive Navy to protect the ships briggs
and sChooners OF the eastern merchants, it is right
to do the things for western merchandise de-
srabe. If 1t IS right to build light houses near
dangerous rocks and shoals, and keep lights burn
ing in them every hight in order that merchant YES
sells navigating the Ocean and Lakes the may do so
in safety, 1t is right to build light houses on the
western waters to indicate the presence of sheals
rocks and snags If it is right to build harbors
and breakwaters and piers for the convenience of
eastern merchant vessels, it is right do the same
thing for the accommodation of western merchant
vessels.
A few thousand dollars a year will keep the
Mississippi, the Missouri, the Red, the Arkansas
the Ohio the Usage, and the Illinois River free
from every obstruction. Millions are annually
layshcd upon the Navy for the protection of eastern
cOmmerce--Amerlcan ships of war are to be seen
upon the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian
occans In the Mediterranean, the Baltic, the Brit
ish and the China as well as the Caribbean seas,
and in the frozen Bays and Cults of the North. To
do this, western men vote without respect to party
Yet the west cannot obtain the smallest sums to
remove the most ordinary Instructions in the west
ern waters. The cost Of building single ship of
war would clear out the rapids of the Mississippi
and confer an incacuIabe blessing upon the entire
population of the north western portion of the
inhabited part of the United States. But as the
Yankee shipping interest would not be Immediate
ly interested, the appropriation cannot be made
The cost of victualing a common Frigate for one
year, would render the Usage river, which is one
OF the best In America, navigablc to the territory
of the Indians Crowded upon our western borders)
midway between the Arkansas and the Missouri
rivers. The money expended upon the "Pea
Patch to crafty eastern merchants, would render
| the Ohio easy of navigation and benefit more than
three millions of people. The money paid for the
ship Pennsylvania would clear out Red river to the
Texas line and the Missouri to the foot of the
Rocky Mountains. money expended upon
light houses and breallwaters, alone, would clear
out the Red River Raft, cut Steam Boat channel
through the Mississippi Rapids, construct a Steam
Boat canal of the largest class around the Ohio
Falls at Louisville, and dig a Steam Boat canal
from the Illinois River to Lake Michigan and thus
connect Lake Superior and the Lake of the Woods,
as well as Huron, Erie, and Ontario with the Mis-
sssippi River (This short, but to the Government
in time of war Of the most important canals ia
the United States, is being built by Illinois and will
soon be inished.)
1t is OF the utmost importance that Congress
should turn it's attention to the commerce-the
shamefuy ne elected and underyaued commerce of
the West, and exhibit portion of that sunny coun-
tenancc hitherto visible only to dwellers upon the
eastern side of the Allegheny Mountains. We
would not desire our Government to love the inte-
rests of the commerce of the eastern and Atlantic
States less, but the commercial interests of the
Valley States, mOre.-jSt. Louis Pcnuaat