Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-12-23

They constitute and must remain monu-
ments Of the early wisdom, enterprise, and
public spirit of the people Of Ohio. They
have contributed tothe development of the
resources of the country, and to them may
be ascribed, TO considerable extent, the
unexampled growth OF the State in pop
ulation, wealth and prosperity. These pub
lie works constructed by the State, ,traverse
an extent of nearly eight hundred miles,
connecting the interior with the extreme
points of the State in various directions;
and, through the Wabash and Erie Canal
communicating with the interior OF Indian
and Illinois. Besides the public works
constructed by the State,the numerous turn
pixies, canals. railroads, and other works
constructed in this State by private compa-
nies have created extensive facilities for
communication with almost all parts of The
State. And there are yet many other pub
lie improvements in progress of construc-
ton by companies, in diffirent directions
through tho State, some of which are mag
nifcent In their conceptions and in the OBJ
ects contemplated. Within another year
a railroad communication between Cincin-
ali and Lake Erie will be completed.r-
With these vast facilities for communication
and for commerce, embracing an extnt,
of country unsurpassed in richness and fer
tility, and occupied by two millions of peo-
pie distinguished for industry, enterprise,
and energy Of character, it is evident that
q high destiny awaits our State.
Those great public works in the interior
Of our State are intimately connected in
business with the commerce on the Lakes,
and on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers
, Lake Erie on our north, communicating
| with our public works at several different
, points, forms link in the chain of direc
, and easy communication from Green Bay
, to the Atlantic cities. The Ohio river, on
, our southeast, in like manner connected
with the channels of CT nmu ncation run.
: ming into the interior OF the State, forms o
, link in the chain of navigable water, ex
, tending from the Gulfof Mexico to the inte
, rior of Pennsylvania. Business on the va
3 rious public works, extending in all direc
, tions over the interior of the State, will be
productive and prosperous in proportion as
. trade on the great thoroughfares on our
, northern and southern limits is cherished
| or depressed. Immense loss Of life and
, property is every year sustained for want
, of the improvement Of harbors at proper
poins on the lakes and on the OHIO and Mis-.
) sssippi rivers. The duty Of improving
these harbors appropriately belongs to the
national government.
Since the formation of the government
a large proportion Of IFS expenditures have
been made in the improvement of the har-
bors ahd other works along the sea coast.
These appropriations have been made un-
der the powers given to Congress "to pro-
vide for the common defence and general
welfare of the United States, and to regu-
lale commerce with foreign nations and be-
tween the several States" To accomplish
the same great purposes OF the national
government, the improvement Of the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers and the inland seas
Of our country, is as essential as the i'm
provement of the sea coast. Lake Erie
constitutes boundary between the United
States and one Of the most powerful COM
mercial nations Of the world. The COM
merce of the lakes and rivers, although not
so extensive, has as direct q connection
with the foreign commerce of the country
as that of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.
After the immense expenditure which has
been made on the Atlantic coast for the
Improvement Of harbors, &C., a constitu-
tional objection to similar appropriations for
the same kind Of works on the great in
land seas Of the country, is not to be sus-
Iained by an intelligent people. The in
terests Of The several Western States, and
the honor of the Union, alike demand that
this lmprovidence and partlalty of the gen.
eral Government be met by an energetic
and effective remonstrance from every le-
climate authority.
deem it but proper to call your especial
attention to an enterprise which is proposed,
Of great national character, magnificent
in its object, and having q direct bearing
upon the future commerce of Ohio, as we'll
as that Of the entire Union; and probably OF
the whole world. Mr.. Asa Whitney, n
gentleman of intelligence, ofpractical busi-
mes capacity and extraordinary energy of
character, has suggested the means and
submitted to Congress proposition for the
construction of a National Railroad from
lake Michigan to the pacific ocean, near
the mouth of the Columbia river. This
projected public improvement would COM
plete q chain of communication by means
of railroad and navigable waters between
the Atlantic cities and the Pacific ocean
crossing the State Of Ohio in its course.
1t would connect together the vast interests
OF our extensive country, make the COM
merce Of the Pacific tributary to the United
States, and open to us an immediate, easy
and direct communication with China and
other countries Of Asia, the eastern Arch-
polago and other islands of the Pacific, as
well as with the countries on the western
coast of North America. Such chain
of communication across our continent be-
ing on the nearest and most direct route,
and furnishing by far the safest, easiest and