The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-03-28

the last war Jack lar longht the battles
Of the Lakes. He (ought bravely and
won nobiy. But think you Mr.. Editor,
the exposures of the Lake life, the rava-
yes Of the Lake fever would have made
such havoc in our fleet there, had there
then been body Of Lake sailors Injured
10 The climate Of The Lakes, and familiar
with their waters, ready TO man 1t! The
cost of victory would not have been hall
as great.
The commerce Of the Lakes now az
fords noble body of sailors. quite equal
10 their own protection in war, if Govern
ment will but provide them with the
means. Let, therefore, this Ship Canal
be opened ;-send. now and then through
it, man-of-war steamer, built IN the
west. armed in the west and manned
from the west. Employ il Oh Lake SER
vice. Give occupation to the Navy there
by assigning TO il tho Survey Of the
Lakes. Accustom the lake people to
the Navy, by employing in it, as you
may have occasion, their knsmen and
friends in preference 10 the seamen Of
other waters. Teach them now to look
upon tho Navy for their defence in war,
and then, when war comes, the moral
force of your Lake fleet, manned by Lake
people, fighting for Lake interests and
their own safety, will Of ITSELF prove
tower Of strength that will make us truly
mvincible. Who can estimate The degree
of strength, the increase Of military pow
er and resources which such system Of
defence would give this country in war
There is moral grandeur in tho very
idea; the measure is due both to the
Lake country and the west.
Twenty millions Of dollars have been
expended in expolling the Indians from
Florida. With his own strong arm and
trusty rifle, the western man has chased
away the savage from his lurking place,
the wild beast from his haunls; he las
reclaimed wilderness. impaired value 10
the soil without cos, he has already adj |
ded millions upon millions TO Nc national
wealth, and is every day increasing the
store by princely additions. SO long as
he could meet his enemy on equal terms,
he crayed no protection, wanted no means
Of defence except free use Of The arms
which nature and art had given him. On
the open plain, or behind the bush--hc
cared not WHITEHALL he wanted was his
trusty rifle and fair chance,
Blu. times have changed, "et nos nu-
tam,r cum Ills" The pale faces and
not the red-man arc the enemy whose
movements lie has TO watch; their wcap.
ons are no, the same, and their system Of
warfare is different. Instead of the bark
canoe, dusky leviathans of war will skim
over the Lakes armed for tho contest with
artillery as terrible as the bolts Of heaven.
His pnny rifle and leaden bullet cannot
match their hollow shot and Paixhan
guns. VIVA, the west now claims from
the Federal arm is tho means Of meeting
her neighbor on the north, always on
equal terms.
We build forts and castles on the sea-
board at an enormous cxpense--we then
preserve them from decay and keep them
in repairs at perpetual and heavy charges
upon the States. Since the war not less
than 800 millions OF dollars have been
voted by Congress for the delcnccs of
the Atlantic sea-board and the protection
OF its commerce. And how much, pray,
for the Takes! No, the one hundredih
part, if the lhousand,h part Of what the
Lake country and the Lake people have
paid directly ont of their own pockets and
from their own resources into the public |
fund. II is their industry that makes The
west give TO the other States Of her sur
plus produce the yearly sum Of or 8
hundred millions Of dollars; il is their
that gives value to the public
ands: But where are the national deien.
,es for .hem' We did, indeed, at much
expense and with great labor, proceed to
rect strong fertilization at Rouse's
Point with view to Lake delences. II s
vas intended 10 command the entrance {
rom Canada into Lake Champlain and t
Ioes COMMAND. But after we had built S
his magnificent fortress it was discover a
ID that we had built i, on the English O
ide, and we had TO give it up. Sill there t
re parts Of the country where great al v
enlion is paid to national defences and n
no protection Of commerce. We run c
walls out into the sea; we deepen chan II
'els and Gu, away bars where the water o
$ salt; nay, we actually raise up, from Ii
he depths of the ocean, islands on which n
We may build forts and castles, to over.
Dok The 'yesty waves and irown upon
he angry sea in coast defence. Shall we \
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