Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1846-03-07
WHOLE NO. Qss.
ASIATlC COMMERCE..
Written By Hon. 7. H. Bkxrox in 1919.
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V. NGw RouTE BY tins CoLuMsIA AND
Missouri RlvERs.-Columbus was the
first who conceived the idea Of goins ives,
TO arrive At the East.Indies. His discov.
cry OF America was owing to that idea
lie was IN search Of western passage
10 the eastern coast Of Asia. when he was
arrested by the unexpected Intervention of
The American continent. Nor had he any
idea that he had found new world. he
believed himself OIL the coast Of India, and
under that impression gave the name of
Indians 10 the inhabitants; . name which
Tfuy h--e-~esAino4l- aaA.a inrn alfhnuuh
the error on which j, was founded has
been long since exploded. Robertson,
La Sale. founder Of the French colony
in the Valley Of the Mississippi, a man
pronounced by Mr.. Adams 10 be second
only 10 Columbus in the list Of grea, dis
coveIers, was the next who cherished tho
idea Of going ives. to India. The French
were then masieIs of the Canadas, and
were daily extending their discoveries 10
the interior Of North America The ex-
is.ence Of chain Of grea, lakes being as>
certaned. he believed that AN inland pas.
sage to China nigh. be discovered by
means Of these lakes and the rivers fow-
ing from them to the Pacific Ocean. (S,od.
dar..) Full Of this idea, he left Montreal
about the year 1850, in the hope of i'm.
mortaizing himself by opening to his
country new and direc. route to the Eas,
Indies. Parting from his friends eigb.
miles above Montreal, the last word he
said TO them was, China. and the spot re-
tans the name La Chine ever since
But death arrested him in the valley Of the
Mississippi, having met on the banks Of
the Arkansas the fate which Columbus
had so narrowl y escaped. tina. Of being as.
sassin a,ed by his own followers, who had
not courage to follow him any further.
The English, of all others the most av-
aricious Of the India trade, aleo turned their
views to the discovery Of western pas.
sage TO Asia. A passag round the Amer.
lean continent, above Hud.on's Bay. was
for long time favori.e objec. with the
English Government, and still occupies
its attention. Numerous squadrons have
been fitted out, and repeatedly undertook
west, oy bnefrg .'':ss a,.s. svn.sa ss-i J.
the northeast, through Iludson's Bay and
Davis straits. The multiplied efforts 10
discover this passage show the value
which the English place on the discovery
Of direct route to Asia. But they have
no, confined themselves TO sea voyages.
Taking up the idea of La Sallle, they have
sought an inland passage by means Of riv-
ers and lakes. This project was trusted
TO Mckenzie. Confined to the northern
parts Of our continent, he could only pros
ecute his discoveries north Of The heads Of
the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. He
was confined TO high northern la,i,udes.
but succeeded in showing the existence
of a water communication, with few
porages, from Hudson's Bay, north lat
SIS, 10 the Pacific ocean, in north latitude
As. The Mississippi, the Peace river.
the Columbia, aud some lakes, formed the
means Of this communication and little
useful as it would seem to US in a latitude
so high. il was yet deemed a discovery Of
great moment by the English. McKen-
zie received the honor Of knighthood for
his enterprise /; the British fur traders i'm
media.ely began to export their furs to
China by the direc. route of the Columbia.
and the privilege Of navigating that river
for ten years has lately been occurred to
them by treaty. .s.4ge4 e q.
The Missouri river, above the Msndan
villages, was yet unknown. From tho
mouth OF the Mississippi, man Of geni-
US projected its discovery. In 1896, the
Baron de Carondelet. Governor-general OF
Louisiana, planned an expedition to the
sources of the Missouri. and thence to the
Pacific Ocean. He obtained the appro.
baton of Charles w, King Of Spain. A
liberal compensation was offered by tho
King, and the Baron announced an add
,onal reward Of three thousand dollars TO
the person who should first see the great
Ocean. The expedition was undertaken
by Don Jacques Clamorgan, an enserprl'.
ing citizen Of ST. Louis, who prosecuted
i. some distance up the Missouri. at great
expense, bu, without accomplishing tho
views of the Spanish Government. ,9
4 few years afterwards Louisiana shift
ed its master. The eyes Of Mr.. Jefferson.
taking the direction OF so many eminent
men, were turned upon the Pacific Ocean,
and under his auspices the labors OF Lew
is and Clark have demonstrated the exist
ence Of a water communication, with .
few portages, through the hear. and CEN
ire Of the Republic from the Atlantic 10
the Pacific. The rivers Columbia. Mis-.
souri, and Ohio form this line. and open .
channel TO Asia. short. direct. safe. cheap.
! and exclusively American, which invites
the enterprise Of American citizens. and
promises 10 them splendid participation