The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-06-20

10 the navy, the richest adulations have been
poured forth upon our Atlantic sailors; and
all very deserve lily, so far as know. But in
ehivaric enterprise, faithful pers verance. lofty
sense of honor and duty, collected spirits amid
impending danger and death, our upperlake
seamen have no superiors on this mundane
sphere. Mostly born within the roar of these
ever.turbulent waters, their first lessons are in
Drawing the storms and tempeSis, and setting
the angry elements at defiance. They sail
thousands of miles along an unprotected coast,
without light houses, breakwateIs, or haIbors,
with every cloud fore boding wreck. Unlike
your Atlantic sailors, they do not rejoice at the
sight of land, since it is ever before them
Their rejoicings are on the opposite extreme.
They pray 10 be beyond the reach of rocks
reefs, and bars, which they seldom are. could
recount some Of their daring exploits that would
freeze your very hearts blood, could you but
see shadow OF their awful reality Take, for
example the story of the pilot of the burning
towards the land, not only until the last passen-
ger had deserted her. but until he himself was
developed in flames, and died a victim TO his
own high sense of duty. When found, the
flesh had burnt from his hands, and the wood
from the handles of The wheel bat there were
the crisped sinews and the brittle bones grasp
ing the iron, burnt almost TO cinder A no.
bic example of the sailors valor
In the fall of the year, many, very many of our
vessels are driven ashore for the want Of light.
houses and harbors But what care our intrepid
mariners for this! As soon as the vessel
strikes the beach, though thick darkness wells
The night though the gale skaters masts and
rigging though the mountain waves sweep
the deck though the iciclcs bangle from their
clothing-the stouthearted tar ialors not but +,
tossing what of The cargo he can into the small
boat he Jumps aboard, and then, sir, freezes as
he tugs at the oar. The tongue of eloquence
cannot give reality 10 such scenes Of human
suifering-cannot paint the hardihood the en-
durance, the inirepidity and devotion CT our
neglected seamen. | have witnessed many
wrecks myself wrecks not only Of vessels and
of cargoes, but of human life. And, on the
day of my election, when l saw 50 many OF
these gallant spirits monumen,S of Gods spar
ing mercy-mcre fragments, wrecks Of men,,
(though with sailors noble heart still beating
high within them with their canes and crutch i.
eS, their cork legs and wooden arms, come up
to Gepositc their vote for me, what else could [
do but swear to devote all my energies TO an
ameioration Of their grievances, and 10 make a
Just and loo long neglected representation OF
their full deserts on this hOoil And when
hear the Atlantic sailor so Stoutly praised who
sails about buoys, bearons, breakwatcrs, we'll
constructed hars ors and lighthouses in the
skies, or Off in the high seas beyond the reach
of rocks, reefs, or beaches, and that, too, under
tic protection OF some orouI various government
sQuadrons, cannot but rise, and without delract
ing from the high deserts Of the one, call your
attention 10 the long neg ted merits o'the other.
Astonishing az it may appear to this House,
these poor fellows, numbering, IN the course OF
yOar, a..te G-o- .i'ousuut inherent persons,
have not even hospital provided for hcm
after having had their hospital money regularly
deducted from their pay. In their Sickness
distress, and want, they are the objects of com
mon charity, though they regularly contribute
their quota to the hospital fund. This, sir, is
the very extreme Of cruelty. have already in
troduced resolution inqurIng in what manner
this money is expended; and, before the close
of the session, hope TO present a plan for the
erection of such much needed institution,
from The sales Of Sove7nnlnt property in the
West, now gong 20 waste. As look upon ii,
we have not only treated this class of our cili.
zens with neglect, but with great cruelty and
downright extorton. We have robbed them 10
get treasures Tor our navy to fitch from us.
1t is the part of a wise man, when he finds
himself unable to meet his liabilities, and tank
ruptcy impending, to cast his eye about for ex-
penSes which he can curiai, and for that pro-
perty which he can keep TO the best advantage,
aud render the most productive of a sinking fund
with which TO liquidate / is debts. We certainly
should curtail tho estimates Tor orr navy.
believe s., 800 900 would answer every emer-
gency for this branch Of our government And
then, sir, the most extravagant demands of the
western rivers, including the Cumberland road
and the northern frontier waters, wouJ be sat.
ished with 81 ,00000O sum superior to what
all these interests have had within the past five
years, whilst $50 .0G0,0O0 have been consumed
by our navy. The great Mississippi alone
washes Inc borders Of seven States and two
Territories. a Population of 5000 coo are
directly interested in its trade-a trade which
has amounted 10 $3.50 coo, 900 the past season.
over $iOO,OOO QUO Ga SUN bat little less than
the annual amount of all our foreign exports) of
agricultural products alone have been exported
overher bosom, uptedwilh bars, snagS, rocks
and long rapids, and various other obstruc
tons, within that time. And yet there has been
bat SEQ, 600 appropriated to her improve nent,
and that Of her tributaries, embracing a navica.
ton OF more than 1900 miles, in the pasLGve
years. $4,000 last year, and $50, O09if6
year before. The average annual losses an his
stream must reach s 100000; and in onctyf4Ir,
no less than 60 boats were lost frog. v4fipns
appointments 10 its navigation.
than S5t first appropriation was in 1924; and less
this date upper Miss s wSieS
mean that part abe he mou,b ~ N. WE" Nj.
souti-nas been almost, &C not cutie ontreIv
neglected. This is navsablo q, i Sar o". ,ho
mouth OF the st. Peters for boats oil $50 10 200
tons burden-a distance of $50 miles aboy. The
junction OF The Mississippi. And on its bed alo
10 h'at, on their way to the great southern com
mercial emporium, not only the vast agricutu.
raj products of this fertile region but the bound
less wealth oil the great copper and lead mines
OF the north: The principal Instructions 10 its
sale navigation are sandy shoals, sunken LOGS,
impending trees, sawyers, snags, and-what
ought especially TO be dwelt upon, and
what Will be the most difficult to overcome
about - miles of rapids. The first are The Dcs
MONIES rapids, $50 miles above the Missouri,
extending through distance Ola little over ten
miles. The second are the Rock Island rapids,
35o miles above the Missouri, extending 4i
miles. These rapids arc the mos, important OBJ
sIruclons TO The safe navigation of tho Misss
slppi; and tn ther ought the attention of this
Congress TO be primordaly directed Bu,wilh
!rt'ng outlay, compared with The mass Of