Democratic banner., 1847-07-19
ST.. LOUIS, June 20, 1877.

- L-S ShOHs KID w ALSt,
JAS. T. YEATMAs AND OTHERS. a COMMITTEE,
&c.
GeIRlemen: In my brief note addressed
to you On my return from Jefferson City, l
expressed the qualification I should have
felt in going with the g. Louis De- ---'io7
- t..o Chicago Convention. and made
known the reason which would prevent me
from having that pleasure.
The Lake and River navigation of the
Great West, to promote which the Conven-
tion is called, very early had a share OF my
attention, and | never had a doubt of the
constitutioualisy or expediency of bringing
that navigation within the circle of internal
improvement by the Federal Government,
when the object to be improved should be
one of general and national Importance.
The junction of the two great systems of
waters which occupy SO much of our
country the Northern Lakes on one
hand, and tie Mississippi River and its
tributaries on the other-appeared TO me to
be an object Of that character, and Chicago.
the proper point for eff citing the union
and near thirty years ago, | wrote and pub
lished articles in a St. Louis newspaper in
favor Of that object, indicated, and almost
accomplished by nature herself, and want
ing but a helping hand from man 10 COM
plete it. Articles in he ST. Lolis Enquir-
er of April, 1919, express the opinions which
| then entertained, and the "report' Of
that period, published in the same paper,
to the Secretary at War, by Messrs. Ora
ham and Phillips. in fdvar If that canal and,
which "report' I wrote) was probably the
first formal communication, upon authentic
data, in favor Of the Chicago canal. These
gentlemen, with MIR. John c. Sullivan, of
Missouri, had been appointed by the Sec.
rotary at War, TO run i line from tho south
end Of Lake Michigan TO the Mississippi.
l proposed TO them 10 examine the GROUND
between Chicago and the head waters Of
the Illinois River. with a view TO tie con-
struction Of a canalby the Fedora! Govern
ment. They did 50: and OF their return to,
st. Louis, submitted all their observations
to me: and hence the publications in the
newspapers, and tho rcport to the Sccrcta-
~ at War. Imcntina this 70 show that my
opinions on this sUh;ect are Of long stand
ing; and that the nationality Of the Chicago
canal, and, of course, of the harbor at its
mouth, are by no means new conceptions
with me. But, | must confess, that ! did
not forcsoe then what / have since seen!
the Falls OF Niagara surmountcd ~ ship,
canal! and a schooner clearing from Chica-
60 for Liverpool!
The river navigation of the Great West
is the most wonderful on the globe, and
since the application of steam power to the
propulsion Of vessels, possesses the essen
tial qualities of ocean navigation. Speed,
distance, cheapness, magnitude of cargoes,
are all there, and without the perils of the
sea from storms and enemies. The steam
boat is the ship of the river, and finds in
the Mississippi and its tributaries the am
plest theatre for the diffusion of its use,
and the display of its power. Wonderful
river! connecting with seas by the Lead
and by the Notwithstanding its arms to-
wards the Atlantic and the Paciic-lying
in a valley, which is a valley from the Gulf
of Mexico to Hudson's Bay-drawing its
first waters not from ragged mountains, but
from a plateau of lakes in the centre of
the continent, and in communication with
the sources of the st. Lawrence and the
streams which take their course north to
Hudson's Bay-draining the largest extent
of richest land-collecting the products Of
every cline, even the frigid, to bear the
whole to a genial market in the sunny south, !
and there to meet the products of the en-
tire world: Such is the Mississippi! And :
who can calculate the aggregate of its adj
vantages, and the magnitude Of its future I
commercial results? +