Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-07-20
Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazette
Letter from Cincinnati Delegate.
CHICAGO, july 9th, 1917.


diliaent and has nenrly closed its business
Tho Committee raised last evening, Of two
from each state. to prepare business for
tho action Of the Convention, and to whom
was referred tho resolutions, &c, before
tho Convention, were engaged in their
dulles all tho morning.
MI. Wright, Of your city, the Chairman
Of the Committee, reported this afternoon
. series Of propositions, affirming the con-
stitutional power Of tho Federal Govern
mont to improve the harbors md rivers,
and declaring this The proper time to pro-
secute the work which met the general ap-
probation Of the multitude, and, with the
exception Of few dissenting voices as to
some expressions in one or two Of the re-
solutions, were unanimously adopted. !
enclose copy Of them:
Tho Convention submit 10 their fellow
citizens and to the Federal Government
tho following propositions as expressing
their own sentiments and those of their
Constituents:
I. That the Constitution of the United States
was framed by practical men, for practical pnr-
pesos. declared in its preamble, "To provide for
common defence. to promote the general welfare
and 70 secure the blessings Of liberty" and
was mainly designed to create government
whose functions and powers should be adequate
20 the protection of those common Interests of
all the States. or of two moro of them, which
could not be maintained by the action OF the
separated States. That in strict accordance with
ehs object, the reve derived from commerce
were sure ndeTed to the general government.
with the express unde rstan ding that they should
b applied to the promotion of those common
interests.
9. That among those common interests and
objects were-lst, Foreign Commerce., TO the
~~u1a tinn If which. the OF the states
ssvsraliy were confessedly inadequate, and u,
internal trade and nav CATION, wherever the con-
cuPrsnce of two or more States was necessary
10 it, prosecution, where the expense OF its
maintenance should be equitably borne by two
or moro States, and where, Of course, those
States mast necessarily have a voice in its regu-
lstlon; and hence resulted the constitutional
grant Of power TO Congress, "to regulate com
mercs with foreign nations and among tue
6tatss.'
3. That being thus possessed, both OF the
means and Of the power which denied to the
States respectively, Congress became obligated
bv consideration Of good faith and common JUS
Ace 10 cherish and increa both the kinds of COM
nsrcs thus committed to its care, by expanding
and lending the means Of conducting them,
and Of affording to them all those facilities and
all that protection which the States Individually
would have afforded, had the revenue and au-
ihority been left to them.
4. That this obligation has ever been recognI-
Fed from the foundation Of the government, and
has been fulfilled partially, by erecting ilght-
houses, building piers for harbors. break waters
and sea walls, removing distractions in rivers
and providing other facilities for the commerce
carried on from the ports ON the Atlantic coast
and the same obligations have been fulfilled to a
much less exte mt liz providing similar facilities
fer "commerce among the States;' and that the
princplo has been most emphatically acknowl-
edged TO embrace the western lakes and rivers,
by appropriations for numerous light houses upon
them. which appropriations have never been
ting in
8. That thus, by series of acts which have
received the sanction Of the people OF the Uni
ted States and Of every department OF the Fed
srsl Government, under all Administrations. the
common understanding Of the intent and objects
Of the trainers Of tho Consttut ion in granting to
Congress the power to regulate commerce. has
been manifested, and has been confirmed by the
peopls: and this undo rstanding has become as
much . part of that instrument as any one of its
meet explicit provisions.
6. That the power "to regulate commerce
With Foreign Nations aud among the States and
with tho Indian tribes" is on its face so papabiv
applicable in its whole extent to each of the sub
iects enumerated, equally, and III the same man.
uer, as to render any attempts to make 1t more
explicit, idle and futile; and that those who ad-
init the rightful application OF the power TO for-
oi9u Commerce by facilitating and protecting ITS
operations by improving Harbors and clearing
out navgable rivers, cannot consistently deny
that il equally authorses similar facilities to
Commerce among the States
7. That "Foreign Commerce" itself IS depen-
dent upon interna! trade for the distribution OF
its fre9hts and for the means of paying for them
90 that whatever improves the one. advances the
other: and they inseparable that they
should be regarded as one. That an export from
the American shore to a British port in Canada,
u a. much foreign commerce as II 1t had been
carried directly to Liverpool. And that AN ex-
portation to Liverpool neither gains nor iooses
auy of tho characte ristics of foreign commerce.
bv the directness circuity Of the route, wheth-
Or il passes thr ough a custonl-house on the Bri-
1ish side of the st. Lawrence, or descends thro
that river and its connecting canals, to the ocean
or whether it passes along the artificial commu-
nications and natural streams OF any OF the
States of the Atlantic.
q. That the general government by extending
its jurisdiction over Lakes and navigaole rivers,
subiecting them TO the same laws which prevail
on the ocean, and on it's bays and ports, not only
for purposes Of revenue, but to give security TO
life and property, by the regulation Of steam
Boats, has precluded itself from denying thatJu-
risdiction for any other legitimate regulation oil
Commerce. If it has power TO control ana re-
straiu. il must have the same power to protect
assist and facilitate; and il denies the jurisdiction
in the one mode of action, 1t must renouhce IL
in the other.
g. That in consequence Of the peculiar dangers
AZ the navigation Of the Lakes, arising from the
,.ant Of Harbors for shelter, and of the w estern
Rivers from snags and other distractions, there
are no parts Of the United States more empha'i'
eally demanding the prompt and continued care
Of the Government TO diminish those dangers
and to protect tho property and HE EXPOSED "