Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-07-22
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS,

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
On the 9Th instant National Convention,
composed Of delegates in great numbers from
various parts Of the Union, met at Chicago, for
the purpose Of taking measures to secure i'm
provements in the navigation of the Lakes and
Rivers Of the United States by the General
Governments measure Of vast Importance 10
which Congress has repeatedly given lis assent,
but which has twice been defeated by the Exec
utiye VETO since Mr.. Polk has occupied the
Presidential Chair. In this matter Vermont has
no inconsiderable interest, remote as she is both
from the Atlantic aud the great Lakes; for
whatsoever serves TO improve the navigation of
any of the lakes and rivers in the West, or else
where, and thus TO reduce the risk and cost of
transportation, serves both TO reduce the cost of
various articles which Vefmonters consume and
to facilitate the sale of such as we may send
abroad. Vermont, too has more immediate
interest IN her own Lake small, TO be sure, in
comparison with the Western Seas, but yet the
thoroughfare for great and rapidly increasing
commerce. We cannot doubt therefore that our
readers will be interested in this Convention,
and we therefore copy the material parts Of
declaration of sentiments which was adopted:
Hon. John G.. Wright of Ohio, from the Com
mittee Oh resolutions, reported declaration of
sentiments, to be submitted by the Convention to
their fellow citizens and to the Federal Govern-
ment. These enter into a discussion in fifteen
resolutions Of the Constitutional question as to
Internal improvement.
After speaking at length Of the true view of
the National powers with regard to commerce,
and the application which has been made Of
them on the seaboard, these resolves continue:
2. That Foreign Commerce" is dependent
upon internal trade for the distribution of its
ireights, and for the means of paying for them,
co that whatever improves the one advances the
other, and they are SO inseparable that they
should he regarded as one. That export from
the American shore TO British port in Canada,
Is as much foreign commerce as If it had been
directly TO Liverpool, and that an expectation to
Liverpool neither gains or loses any OF the char
acter;stcs Of foreign commerce by the direct
ness or circshy OF the route, whether 1t passes
through custom house OH the British side OF the
St. Lawrence or descends through that rvcr
and its connecting canals othe ocean, or 'wheih-
er it passes along the artificial communications
and latlral streams Of any ot the States on the
Atlantic.
8. That the general government, by extending
its jurisdiction over the lakes and navlgable riv-
ers, subiecng them TO the same laws which
prevail on the ocean, and on its bays and ports,
not only for purposes of revenue, butte give Sc
curity to life and property, by the regulation OF
steamboats,, has precluded itself from denying
that jurisdiction for any ether legitimate regula-
ton Of commerce. If it has power to control and
restrain, it must have the same power to protect,
assist and facilitate; and if it denies the jurs-
dicion in the one mode OF action, 1t should re-
nounce it in the other.
O. That in consequence of the peculiar dan
gers of the navigation of the lakes, arising from
want of harbors for shelter, and of the western
rivers from snags and other distractions, there
arc no parts of the United States more emPhatl'
cay demanding the prompt and continued care
of the government Ia dihinsh those dangers,
and to protect the property and life exposed to
them; and that any one who can regard provis
ions for those purposes as sectional, local and
not national, must be wanting in Information o.
the extent of the commerce carried on upon those
lakes and rivers and Of the amount OF teemins
population occupied or Interested IN that naVlga
ton.
10. That having regard to the relative popula
ton. or to the extent OF commerce, the approprl
atoms heretofore made for the interior rivers ant
lakes, and the streams connecting them with tn
ocean, have not been in just and fair proportion
to those made for the benefit Of the Atlantic
coast; and that the time has arrived when thl
Injustice should be corrected in the only mod
in which it can be done by the united, de;erlnln
ed and persevering efforts of those whose right
have been overlooked.
They proceed to ctlm improvements as
means of defence to protest against any fear c
sectional combination; to claim for all parts u
the country a share in the uses of a revenue con
tributed BY all and to disaVow any partisan IN
tentions.
Messrs. Spencer and Field of NewYork the
spoke on these resolves, and were followed b.
several other gentlemen, all OF whom taVore
the passage of this declaration.
The Newly Journal OF Commerce give
the following abstract of report on the CON
merce of the valley of the Mississippi, drawn u
by Thomas Allen, Esq, OF the delegates OF 5
Louis. 1t is an able, learned wellwrltte
pamphlet of 30 pages, filled with important sta
tistice, facts and arguments. In 1916 the re
cepts at New Orleans from the upper countr
amounted to II millions Of dollars; the steam
boats engaged in the trade of St Louis wer
251; and the whole number on the Wester
rivers nearly 1900, valued at l6 millions of do
lars. TO which are 70 be added 1000 keel and fl
boats The annual cost OF transportation is
millions. The total value Of the domestic pr
ducts put ahoat upon the waters OF the valley
260 millions; and the value OF the whoie cor
merce ahoat is 430 millions, being double u
amount of the whole foreign commerce OF q
DUllGu oluleSs HC HulIuci vi SNSu"SN"'S -
in 1912 was So; in 1916 the number was 81.
The annual loss of lives is l6O The SndgS 1t
well known, have caused many of these disaste
But to this commerce of 400 millions the GO
eminent does not give even snog boat, nor
farhlng light to designate the place OF da
ger" Nothing ia, given for this commer'
while the foreign commerce is protected at
expense of nine or ten millions annually.
The number of persons in Chicago on
occasion of this Convention is estimated at TIVE
ty thousand, of whom ten thousand came to
tend the Convention. Eighteen States We
represented, and an Executive Committee OF t
from each State was appointed to gather stat
tics and present the same to Congress. Il
Convention dissolved on tho 9Th, on which d
the editor OF the Albany Evening Journal wrt
as follows:
The Convention has this moment (l2 o'clo
adjourned. The reply of the President to a "
of thanks, which was excellent. drew forth
most enthusiastic cheers IRON The Conventi
over three thousand delegates being present.
A letter from Mr. Webster was read to
Convention this morning, which elected thr