Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-06-09

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We proposed, to-day, to give, with a short pre-
liminary history, the little Letter of Lewis Cass
to the Chicago Internal Improvement Conven-
ton, last summer But we find in the last Roch-
ester IN. W Daily American, our purpose SO
fully anticipated, and so much better executed
than we could hope to execute it, that we give
the Americans article in full. Six columns for
Slavery, and six lines for Internal Improvement !!
If this is the road to the Presidency of this I'm
ion, we shall know it next November, we sup
pose!
On the 9Th of July, 1877, n Convention assembled
at the city OF Chicago, composed OF many thousand
persons, collected from nearly every State in the I'M
ion. 1t was the most numerous delegated body which
ever met on the soil of this country. Nor was it i'm
posing by numbers alone. statesmen, orators, and
public men, business and commercial men, intelligent
and influential citizens, connected in one way or an
other with the property .ss and growth Of the country,
worthy Of the assemblage. Never since the represen-
tativcs of the old thirteen States met to protect com
merce by framing a constitution, did a more import;
ant object call citizens together for consultation and
mutual advice. Ii was to take measures tor the pro-
lection of internal trade by the improvement OF the
harbors OF our inland seas, and OF our magnificent
rivers, that the Chicago Convention was held. Emin-
ent citizens, who were unable 10 be present, sent letters
expressing their concurrence in the purposee Of the
Convention. Such communications were received
from Henry Clay, Silas Wright, Martin Van Buren,,
Thomas II. Benton, and many others, which were
read to the vast assemblaGc, and received with salts
faction and applause.
But there was one somewhat distinguished person.
age whose opinions possessed an interest from cir
cuinstauccs far beyond what intrinscally belonged to
them. The individual was Lewis Cass. lie was n
Senator in Congress. lie resided upon the magniti-
cent and beautiful strait which Joins the great lakes
above to the great lakes below, in the fair city OF De-
troit, the pride Of Michigan and OF the West On
the margin of that splendid river is the courtly domi.
Gil of Cass. From his window he bcholds n COM
mcrce worthy OF an empire-a sight to swell an A.
mcrican heart with irreprcssible eXultation. Steam
ers and sloops and schooncrS, innumerablc as the sand
OF the shore, dot the translucent face OF those bcautl
tul waters, and feast the eyes OF ! evils Cass, provided
he has any taste for such sights.
But they are not solely sights OF pleasure which
greet his vision. Almost within eyeshot are those ia
tai shoals where life and property are exposed to con
tinnal Icril, and where n little bounty from the G;cner-
al Government would remove every obstruction. -
What a locality to excite the heart and fire the path.
then the eXpectant nominee OF his party for the pres
idcncy-and what was expectation has now become
TACT. Naturally, therefore, necessarily, almost, did
every eye look, aud every ear listen, at the great Chi.
cago meeting, Tor the letter understood to have been
received from him.
OF elegant gilt edged note paper, evidently brough,
from Paris. One OF the Secretaries read it. 1t wa,
as follows.
DETROIT, May y, 1917.
Dear Sir-I am obliged To you Tor your kind a,ten-
ton in transmitting to me an invitation to attend the
Convention on Internal Improvement, which will
meet in Chicago in July. circumstances, however
will put il out OF my power to be present at that time
! am, dear sir, respectfully yours,
LEW. CASS.