Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-07-22
Gen. Cass on Rivers and Harbors-- His
Serfs aud Ills Big Chair.

Ii has been urged, as a reason why Gen.
Cass should be elected to the Presidency,
that he once made the voyage from ST. PEI
tiers down the Mississippi, in canoe. We
have heard a little circumstance related by
a gentleman well known here, touching
Lewis Cas-, how he used to make his land
ngs, portages, &c., during that celebrated
voyage. Il may serve to throw some light
on the ohscurity of his reasons for believing
il to be unconstitutional to improve rivers
and harbors. Indeed, If steamboat could
be picked up and faied about by serfs as he
compelled white men to do him, we do not
see that such improvements wpald he very
necessary Cass arrived here on <he 4th Of
July, 1928. He had a large easy chair fix
ed in his canoe, in which he sat, in dignified
style, while four lusty royagers put the
craft in motion with their oars. In deep
water and fair pulling, every thing went on
smoothly. But, Cas- being acorl ulent man,
the craft was heavily freighfed when he
was aboard, and il became difficult to make
shual landings. Whenhe came to the PORT
/ age, about four miles below this place, our
friend describes the manner of procedure,
as follows: The boat was made TO approach
as near as possible 10 the shore, but as it
grounded IN water foot or so in depth,
Cass woG'd compel his serfs to leap from
the boat, AID hear him in the chair on their
shoulders through the mud and water TO the
shore. In this way, the great man kept his
CLOTHES clean his feet dry. After deposiiing
/ ,heir burden on high ground, they drew the
bark over the Portage. He was then taken
up again, aud transported, like an East In
d,a nabob in his chair, through mud and
7 water, I'LL the burden was again deposited
OH board, and tho boat ireishted. In this
way be made the voyage, suffering no in
convenience whatever from the impede
8'nen,s N navigation. Aud perhaps he thinks,
lihat, IL his big bulk could be so easily navi-
gated over shoal waters and neclss Of low
land, that il is absurd for steamboat naviga-
tors 10 complain. II was, however, perfect
ly constitutional for him 10 lolI away in his
big chair, while four nien,up to their thighs
in mud and water, were Juggling him along
70 hnd and over land, but il Is wholly I'M
constitutional to expend dollar for the inn
lproyement OF our rivers and harbors,. for
the safety Of the lives of the hundreds Of
thousands who travel on our steamboats,,
and the millions of properly OH our Lakes
land Western Rivers iaa eM049 aai naaeff
4 Co Contrast the humanity actionof Gen.
Cass, borne about on the shoulders Of poor,
lwonther-heaten, laborng men, fearful Of
lwettng his feet, or Of any exposure that
could by any possibility be avoded--and
General TaJlor, in the Florida war, eating
his hard ,ru.t seated on a log, sharing I'LL
lihe hardships, deprivatlons and perils of
the lowest soldier. The latter knows how
to sympaihise with the wants Of the COM
lmon people, and sees in every man, BROTH
Ter, the former looks ON them as creatures
horn to minister to his ambition, and bear
him over the wet places and through tho
ltull grass, IN ABiG CHAlR!-Galena Ga
l-ette. i fa 'et saaEiS lwFf