The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-03-28
VOL. V.-NO. Al.

all TO the Lakes are as close as the unbil.
ical cord. Every State has general in.
teres, IN Lake defences, but each of these
States has particular and an especial in.
terest besides-,herefore address myself
particularly TO tlem.-It becomes them
and their people, their statesmen and
presses to make the first move IN so i'm
porlani matter as the question of Lake
delcnces has now become. There is no
wan. of patriotism or of national spirit in
the land-and if these States in particular
will take up the subject, their defences
are sure.
With the Illinois Canal for passing
steamers, and the Navy Yard at Memphis
in the condition which the resources, the
welfare and interests of the Mississippi
Valley require il to be. we could, at the
first notes of war, pour the whole Naval
strength of the Mississippi Valley right
into the Lakes. In three or four days
the entire Steam Navy Of the West could
be assembled there, and then having the
FIRST blow, we could follow il up with
deadly effect. The command of the
Lakes would be ours; we could shut up
the Weland and Rideau Canals, and
choose where to land in Canada, and fix
upon our own time and point Of attack.
Thus fortified, our lake commerce might
be as active and as safe, and the revenue
OF the Lake Canals as greaa, and as Sc
cure in war as in peace.
In the last war we built two fleets on
the Lakes and captured two more from
the enemy. Now, had this canal been
opened, those fleets might have been at
New Orleans TO assist the gun.boa,s
there. or they might have been ont upon
the sea, there again 10 'meel the enemy
and make them ours At the least, when
the war was. over, the Lake Navy nigh.
have been drawn off through ii to the sea,
and thus saved the country millions Of
dollars. which it Immediately after the
war proceeded to expend in building Just
such fleet for the Atlantic. The Lake
Navy was of no use when the war was
done; il was left there in 'cold obs,rdc.
,ion' and finally sold for what it would
brlng.-Could it have been got 10 the sea,
the increased value of il. when there,
would have been quite sufficient TO COM
plcte this canal. Without this canal, the
public loss. the suffering and national in
convenience to be undergone by the coun-
try in the next war then, if il could be
told in dollars, would be sufficient TO drain
the Lakes, and TO turn Superior and Erie
into the Mississippi river.
Thrice is he armed who hath his quar-
rel us,:- few thousand seamen armed
with right and fighting for their home
steads on the Lakes, would be stronger
and more valiant than all the pressed
men that England could send against
them. l. is wise; it is republican and
there is strength in the very idea, that in
providing for the general defence. tho
system should be so arranged, that each
citizen should have the defending Of his
own freside. The Marblelead sailor, in
the day Of battle, always true and brave,
surely would fight with s,ou,er heart
and stronger arm off Cape Cod, and in
sigh, of lis litlle white cottage. than it
would be in the nature Of man To do far
away and when home was not in danger,
as off the Balize for instance. Here the
strongest man Of the East would be a
Samson still, but he would be only Sam.
son in a wig. The waterman of the West,
on the other hand, would feel that he 100
was shorn of half his strength, if he were
sent To fight off Sandy Hook when New
Orleans was attacked lie wild beast
IN his den. and for lis young, and man as
hs home fighting in defence of his own,
are the mos, terrible ipbaille.
In providing for the general defence,
be considesale; take advantage Of this
principle, and be strong in the hearts Of
the people. Establish your delences and
conduc, your wars, as far as practicable.
upon these principles. When the poor
man falls in battle, let it be, if possible,
near home and lis endearmenis---do not
! send him from the West 10 the East
, while you send another from the South
, to take his place. But rather leave eacl,
+ one 10 defend his own Preside and then
, no enemy eau Withstand him. Let tho
, Nan,uckc. man fight for his whalebone
, and oil, the western man for his loamy
bottoms and cotton bags, and then let the
: strong help The weak wherever they ap
E pear. This is the great source OF strength
: in the Memphis Dock lard, Tor II places
4 the Gulf delences in the hands Of the Gul
!, people.
# This feature is another Of those natura
!. advantages 10 be derived from the propo
;. sed measures Of defence. The plan O