The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-10-11
following report:

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for this convention ask leave to report as follows
They recommend the appointment OF q con
m;t,ee Of members to draft and forward a meme
j rial to Congress urging upon that body the i'm
peratiye necessity Of making an adequate appro
priation to further the objects Of this convention
said memorial to embody such statistics as vii
/ tend 10 convince Cngress OF the reasonabenes
Of such request.
They also recommend the appointment OF
committee Of three members to collect and pre-
sent statistics to this convention, including tiios
| 10 be presented to this body, and also such a
NAV be forwarded to the said committee before
the first Of November next.
They also recommend the appointment OF
committee OF three members, whose duty i
shall be to print and circulate petition in ac
cordance with the memorial TO Congress, among
the people.
They likewise recommend the appointment
Of Finance committee of three members to OBJ.
tain the means to defray the printing expenses
of the convention, the Finance committee to at
tend to the printing.
They also recommend for the consideration OF
the convention the following preamble and res
olutions.
Haereas the object Of this convention composed
OF delegates from the valley OF the upper Miss
issippi is 10 procure an appropriation Tor the
removal Of the distractions to the navigation
OF the Rapids so as to secure a free navigation
for Steamboats,, and other water crafts; and
whereas the surveys and experiments OF Lent.
now Maj. Lee, demonstrate the prac'icability
ofsecuring this by excavating and widening
the channel Of the Upper and Lower Rapids;
and whereas we believe this to be speedy and
economical mode of removing those obstruct-
IONS; and whereas an expensive and thorough
rvey OF Rapids, having been already made and
kney having been appropriated by Congress
Is TO secure the commencement ofthis work
whereas we believe that large majority
a. people ofihe Upper Mississippi are in
favor of excavating and widening the channel
of the Rapids therefore.
Resoltei that our Senator's and Representatives
in Congress be requested TO use their influence
in obtaining atan early day an adequate appro-
priation 10 remove the distractions to the nav
iga.ion in the Mississippi River, and that they
urge upon that body the imperative necessity
OF making provision to secure the completion
ofths improvement during the next year.
Resided, that it is the sense OF this convention
that the distractions presented us on the upper
& lowerrapids Of the Mississippi river are in the
highest degree detrimental 10 the vital interests
of the whole country watefei by the Upper
Mississippi 4 its tributaries.
Resolued, that as the great laudholder of The
country living in this & the adjacent states & Ter
rtories the direct benefits 10 TIE United States
from this improvement would far overbaiance
thSexpenaiiures incurred thereby.
Re.olted further that such improvements are
works which concern the people of the whole
and as WORK of national Importance
should be affected at The national expense.
I.esolref that they urge upon Congress the
adoption Of the plan already commenced Il in
Dictated in the report OF lent now Maj Lee, Of
the Corps OF Engineers for the improvement 81
the Lower Rapids Of the Mississippi river s,
such other plan as may hereafter be deemed
practicable for the improvement OF the Up
per rapids OF the said river baseing the amount
OF appropriation on the estimates OF said Lee
with the addition of the extra expense to be
Incurred necessarily in the purchase of such
boats and machinery as VIII be requisite in
recommending the work.
Re-olced that with the knowledge he possesses
Of the work TO be done, and the manner OF doing
il, and in considel alton of The confidence we have
10 his ability, our Senators, &c, and Representa-
lives in Congress, are hereby requested 10 recon-
mend the disappointment of Maj. Lee, in the
OF this work.
Resoieed, that We view the removal Of these
as national work, acknowledged to
De such BY all parties, and we hereby further re-
quest our Senators and Representatives in Con
,ress, to urge upon that body the reasonabeness
md necessity Of making the appropriation asked
or by separate aid distinct bill, thus placing
his desirable improvement on its own merits.
On motion the repor, was accepted:
.Wr Langworlhy, of Dubuque, moved TO adopt
report.
Judge Rorer, of Des MONIES, moved to amend,
,y adopting the report, andhat the resolutions be
considered severaly anu adopted: the amend
ment being accepted by the mover OF the reso-
luton, the motion was adopted.
The suggestions of the committee were taken
up and adopted.
The committees contemplated by the sugges-
tons were then appointed as follows:
Finance ommittce-.nessrs. Edwards, San
ders, Cossett.
Committee on .Siatisiics-Messrs. Ewing,
S arr, III SOP.
Committee on Petitions-.Nessrs. Johnson,
Starr, Espy, Rorer, Butler
Judge Mason oil Burlington, addressed the
convention followed by II ~ Starr, Esq.
The committee on Finance reported the sum
OF so, necessary topay for the printing contem.
nloted-an6 the amount was collected IuStanter