Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-08
HARBoR AND RIVER CONVENTION.
ADDRESS OF THE CHICAGO coMMIrTEE

several public meetings TO be held in sections
of the country for the purpose Of devsng the of
remedyng these and other evils of which the great mass Of
the people interested in complaining. AT all
these meetings the propety Of holding Convention some
convenient point discussed and universally concuned in
In consequence Of Chicago having been generally named
the proper point its citizens called meeting named the
fifth of July the appropriate tme and chose the undersign-
ed committee draught addre setting forth the objects of
the Convention. # tit tht& St 81 a~a&
1.-THE in this matter have been, from the first like
the undersigned, of entirely different politics. and SO far from
there being in the remote degree any political design
the contemplated convention, of the chief objects Of
to call together for object the men Of an parties
and to convince the people every where that the improvements
desired not now have BEEN and never should DO
connected with Party fOcS in the ordinary use of that
term Such connexion would the minds of all interest
ed have very deeterious tendency cannot he denied
that there is Pedispostion among all politicians to sup
port the Of Chief Magistrate of their own party
and hence have Western Representatives originally
supporting hartor and river improvements and elected upon
express pledges do finally support ptto of bills
providing for that purpose and assigning therefor
that their duty TO sustain Executive of their own
selection though be press opposition to the wishes
and interests of their constituents Repeated instances Of this
kind must eventually give this question somewhat Of political
cast which the undersigned and all who cooperate with them
| would seriously regret. WEN. 91s .8 &@a 1tE
The construction Of hnboS upon Northern Lakes as
well upon the Atlantic with the improvement of great
whose commerce OF national character necessarily
involves questions of party difference They
that must interest all parties, they do all classes alike ad
harbor and river bills have been supported by the abest
Of both the great political parties which divide this country.
This subject has entered into any Presidential canvass
each party has always taken for granted that the
ddae of the other above suspicion upon matter Of such
preemmen Importance. The first Congress that
bled under the present constitutions many of whose members
helped to frame it, passed law deaying oil expenses which
should after the 18th Of August 1889, in the
sar support maintenance and repairs Of all lighthouses bea
buoys and public piers erected placed sunk before
the passage of this act at the entrance Of or within bay
inlet hbo ports of the United States rendering The
navigation thereof easy and safe. Gen. Washington signed
this bill and bills for the continuance Of such works
also successfully signed by Presidents the elder Adams JEFF
ferson, and Madison The first lake harb0r bill signed
by Mr. Monroe He raised the constitutional question
do the Congressional debates of those days show that airy
members Of either branch of Congress made any distinction
between salt and fresh Improvements, between for
eign and domestic commerce All at that time acknow
lodged alike deserving the fostering of the General Gov
ernmen they also during the administrations of the
younger Adams, Gen Jackson and Mr. Van Buren, Though
remarkably scrupuous the to which the power
works of internal Improvement should be exercised
General Jackson and Mr. Van Buren, signed bills for the i'm
provement of rivers and construction of habos the amount
ST. $780, 000 and the bills signed by Gen. Jackson
1885 contained less than eighty items, and the bill of
1887 less than fy-nne After the General Government
has expended upwards OF seventeen millions Of dollars for
of internal improvement and mostly in the old States
the consent and support of the trainers of the cons
tuition and their contemporaries and by too, of all po
cry that sit is unconstitutional or the plan Of single poll
teal party extend the advantages of such works
States and to such portions of the old States have thus far
/ been neglected.
tion the friends of harbor and river improvements
the only which ghtfuy be raised aud that is
the question of necessity Is to protect
domestic well as our foreign commerce. Shall protect
the lesser and neglect the greater For the past years
petitions have been presented Congress in Senators
and Representatives in Congress have spoken in vain the
present Secretary of War; in his official reports has
mended and the whole Typographical corps has est
mated in vain. Our bills have invariably been vetoed and
have been unable to twothids of the popular
branch. Confident that there wanting knowledge Of the
necessity of these improvements among the People their
Representatives, all efforts have failed il has
been thought that general contention and consultation with
personal observation might do much for There
State the conedeacy but that touches the axes ocean,
or the great of the West The lakes line almost our
northern frontier and separate from foreign
and the rivers like arteries through whole
try constituting extent Of navigation sufficient reach
| round the globe.
These great waters for whose safe navigation this conven
ton is called to be united by the completion Of the
Illinois and Michigan canal The commerce of Boston, of
Philadelphia, of Baltimore, of New York. of New Orleans
Cincinnati St. Louis and indeed of the whole country thence
becomes in great connected II has common in
teles and injury could and the greatest advantages might
from a consultation. II is fact that
during tendency of harbor and river bills be-
fore Congress, made the highest personal authority
which would be made if the authors had had per-
s0na observation OF great waters OF
could realize the necessity Of the millions whose lives and
property eopaded by them Delegates attendance will
only have the advantages Of their observation take
back with them, but they profit Others meeting them
here by consultation the best of redressng
listing wrongs Having done this they mpa the proper
feelings their neghbor and thus aid in arousng the people
to take this matter into their hands and that their
chief interests longer neglected II confidently hoped
that intimate acquaintance with the claims Of these
great waters formed by congegaed for this special pur
pose from all parts of the Unon will result in sufficiently
convictng and awakening tho public mind the
situona majority should harbor bill again be vetoed
This convention is designed be Of free discussion and
hoped that the opponents well the friends Of lake
and river improvements will attend and, especially
since is generally believed that they have only for
themselves in order be convinced that these demands
ing from all great waters founded in Justice.
Although the construction Of harbors and the improvement
Of rivers will be the prominent subject before the
yet whatever matters appean to the prosperity Of the West
and the development of its will properly be-
fore it. and all plans and suggestions will be freely entertained
the Unon and TENDER in behalf Of their fellow citizens the
interest," ct honor them by their presence on
| the occasion. JOHN WENTWORTH,
| GEO. MANIERRE,
J. YOUNG SCAMMON,
| l. N. ARNOLD,
! GRANT GOODRICH,
/ s." ....... Committee.
ta. New YoRK, Mar 3, IS47.
The excitement and phenzy that existed here time
since about the Emgrdnt passenger business has received
its quieius by the passage Of bill which gives satisfaction