The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-07-14
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENT.

"The Convention submit to their fellow citi-
gems and to the Federal Government the fol-
lowing propositions as expressing their own
sentim ents and those Of their constituents
First, That the Constitution of the u. States
framed by practical men, for practical purposes, de-
clared in its Preamble "To provide for the common
Defence to promote the general welfare and to secure
the blessings Of Liberty" and was mainly designed
would be adequate to the protection Of the common
interests of all the States of two more Of them,
which could not be maintained by the action Of the
separated States. That in strict accordance with
this object the revenues derived from commerce were
surrendvred'to the General Government, with the
express understanding that they should DO applied 10
the promotion Of those common interests. .t
Second That among these common interests and
objects were lst. Foreign Commerce. to the rcgula-
ton Of which the powers Of tho States sevcrally
confesscdy inadequate, and I'd. Internal trade
and navigation, wherever the concurrence of two or
more States was necessary to it's preservation, or
whore the expense Of its maintenance should be
equitably borne by two more States and where Of
course those States must necessarily have voice in
its regulation and hence resulted the constitutional
with foreign nations and among the States"
Third, That being thus possessed both Of The
means and Of the power which were denied to the
States respectively, Congress became obligated by
cry consideration Of good faith and common justice,
to cherish and increase both the kinds Of commerce
thus committed to its care by expanding md extend
ing the means OF conducting Them and Of afYording
them all those facilities and all that protection which
the States individually would heve afforded, had tho
revenue and the authority been left to them.
Fourth, That this obligation has ever been recog-
missed from the foundation of the government and
has been fulfilled partially BY erecting lighthouse
building piers for harbor breakwaters and sea-wss
removing distractions in rivers and providing other
facilities from the commerce carried on from the
ports Of the Atlantic coast and the same Obligations
have been fulfilled to much less extent providing
similar facilities for commerce among the States
and that the principle has been most emphatically
acknowledged to embrace the Western Lakes and
Rivers, BY appropriations for numerous lighthouses
upon them, which appropriations have never been
questioned in Congress as wanting constitutional
authority. .s1a ge 9aagH
Fifth, Thst thus BY = series Of acts which have
received the sanction Of the people Of the United
States and Of every department Of the Federal Gov
eminent, under all administrations, the common un-
Outstanding Of The intent and objects Of The trainers
Of the Constitution in granting to Congress the pow
or to-regulate commerce has been manifested and has
been confirmed BY the People, and this understand
ing has become as much part Of that instrument
as any one Of its most explicit provisions: sf,,
Sirth. That the power ITO regulate commerce
with foreign nations and amongst the States and
with the Indian TRIBES on its face 90 palpaby sp-
plicable in its whole extent 10 each Of the subjects
enumerated equally and in the same manner, as to
render any attempts to make it moro explicit idle
and futile and that those who admit the ghtful APP
plication of the power to Foreign Commerce BY "a
cltatng and protecting its operations by improving
harbors and clearing out navigable rivers, cannot
consistently deny that il equally authorizes similar
facilities to Commerce among the States
Seventh. That Foreign Commerce" is dependent
upon Internal trade or the distribution Of It's frsghs,
and for tho means of paying for them, 60 that what
ever improves the advances the other, and they
50 inscparable that thoy should be regarded as
one. That an export from the American shore to
a British port in Canada is as much foreign COM
merce as if it had been directly to Liverpool, and
loses any Of the characteristics Of foreign commerce
by the dircctness or circuy Of the route whether it
passes through custom house On the British side
Of the ST. Lawrence, or descends through that river
and its connecting canals TO the ocean,. or whether
it passes along the artificial communications and ma
tura streams Of any Of the States to the Atlantic.
Eighth. That the General Government, by ex-
tending its jurisdiction over Lakes and navigable
Rivers, sutjec,ng them TO the same laws which pre-
vail on the Ocean, and on its bays and ports, not
only for purposes of revenue, but to give security TO
life and property by the regulation Of steamboats,
has precluded itself from denying that jurisdiction
for any other legitimate regulation Of commerce. II it
has power to control and restrain, it must have the
same power to protect assist, and facilitates and If it
denies the Jurisdiction in the mode Of action, il
should renouncc it in the other.
| Ninth. That in consequence Of the peculiar dan
gers Of the navigation Of the Lakes, arising from the
want Of harbors to shelter and Of the Western Rivers
from snags aud other distractions, there areno parts
| Of the United States more emphatically demanding
the prompt and continued Of the Government to
diminish those DANGERS and 70 protect the property
and life exposed to Them and that any one who can