The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-12-02
COMMUNICATION.
Communication with the P.clnc.-No. II.
To the Delegates of the Memphis Convention and their
Constituents.

To the Delegates Of the Memphis Convention and their
il Constituents
\ STEAMBOAT "ALEcK SCorTn
i mississippi river, November 8, 1s49.
regard the Pacific railroad and commercial thorough
fare across the sthmus as links in the chain They
are parts OF the great whole, which, when completed is
to effect revolution in the Of trade and change
in the commercial business and relations of different ma
tons. the like of which has never been known
In order rightly to appreciate the effects which the
peton Of this last link in the great chain to have upon
the commerce OF the world and the destniesI weigh
the word desies Of nations, il is necessary first TO
consider the geographical position Of the Gulf OF Mexico
and Its twin basin, the Caribbean their commercial
resources and elaons the Of the winds and the
currents Of the sea, and other Typographical features
which govern the of navigation and which make
one part OF the sea horoughfare, another desoate
gon that is seldom or never traversed sse i4 VI,
III all parts OF the earth produced the articles for
the same amount OF labor there would be commerce
Commerce. consists in the conveying Of articles from
place. where they not wanted TO another place where
they are wanted II has always been great object with
commercial nations to open intercourse with new eli
consume does not wish to exchange his Surplus for the
sugar OF his neghbor He wants to buy with it corn or
wheat, beef or porkanything and everything except
favorable for the cultivation OF sugar, but which is more
than his for the production Of some other ar
Starting from this point Of view, we see how vastly
important in its bearings upon his prosperity and the COM
Of his country is the which the river that
gives him his marketway has to run in order to get to
river that east west crosses parallels of
latitude consequently, as it flows towards the sea,
MOI e. cnane Il os me same S
also at its sources and from end to the other OF
there is no variety Of productions It's all wheat and
corn wine oil. other staple. Assorted
goes therefore, cannot be made up from the produce
which such river brings down to market
On the other hand, river that runs north or south
turn, and as the traveller descends H. he every day
new agricultural staples Astounding Such river bears
down to the sea variety OF productions some Of which
is sure 70 want and for which each will send to the
markets at its mouth the port whence they are distrb
uted over the world. The assortmens of merchandise
afforded by such river is the life Of commerce They
give il energy activity and scope Such river is the
Mississippi and the Mississippi is the only such river in
the world
Again. an arm bay gulf OF the commercially
important in proportion to the back country for the
produce of which i is the receptacle or outlet Its ports
and harbors like distributing post offices in the mail
system packages and parcels from all parts of its back
country are sent Them and from them sent to all other
parts of the worldwhere market is TO be found
The Red Sea has no river emptyng into It; the Red
Sea has back country to drain OF surplus produce;
and consequently the Red Sea has nothing to distribute
and has therefore never been in the business Of the world
to ships what the desert is TO the carayanonly barren
waste nterposed on the road TO lenghen the way from
But The Gulf Of Mexico and the Caribbean sea-call
them the inertropcal sea Of America. for they are in
fact but sessre supported BY the mos. magnificent
1
country on the face Of the earth The rivers which
empty into this American sea drain more back country
DO Al hs FL Of and wSsS e 0e
any one OF the three great oceans.
This intercepted the receptacle and outlet for all
the variety Of produce that is known to the climates and
the Amazon as tributary to the Caribbean sea- and will
show il SO to be( The back country which supports
and supplies with the elements OF commerce this sea oil
ours, extends from zoe south to 500 north The land
within this region is fruitful beyond measure; it includes
all the producing ATTITUDES on the face OF Gods footsoo
Spices that the three grand kingdoms of nature Afford
TO be found here in the greatest perfection, profuson
and abundance. Coal measures without limit; noun
tans OF iron the best silver and the richest copper mines
and all the materials OF mineral wealth abound in this
region they do nowhere else Nor is the vegetable
kingdom less prolific or beautiful The finest OF wheat
the best Of fruits, without measure, hemp cotton,
rice, sugar, wine, OIL indigo, coffee and India rubber,
tobacco and timber dyestus, and the finest Of woods,
all to be found in this magnificent system Of basins in
vast quantities and in great beauty and perfection.
! Nor are the supplies from the animal kingdom on
scale less grand Everything that island or mountain,
sea shore or inland basin, plains and pampas, herras
tempadas teas calientes, produce. are brogh,
down 10 enrich this great cornucopia OF commerce. II
occupies geographical position that makes i the com.
mercial centre OF the and account OF TINS very
position possesses advantages which other part Of
The wide ocean has enjoyed. IL Is between Two
hemisphere has continent to the north and con- n,
nent TO the south When il is seed time on one side OF
it, is harvest time on the other; and there VIII be,
when its back country is settled up, perpetual delivery
OF crops IN It's markets
With Europe TO the east and Asia TO the west, il 10
midway between the two parts OF the Old World, and Il
stands eminence in navigation and commerce which
places all parts OF the earth its feet and from which II
may be made TO send its surplus produce down the cur
rents Of the before the winds OF heaven, TO the
people Of every city and cline who are TO be found on
/ the sea shore.
An ocean current sweeps past the mouth Of the Amazon
into the Caribbean sea and makes that river discharge
there This current runs thence through the Yucaan
pass brushes by the Baze and, dashing along at the
rate OF four miles the hour, whrs through the stats OF
Florida and enters the Atlantic ocean in the shape OF the
benignant gulf stream, which tempers with itswarmth
the climates OF Europe, and bears along thence the sur
plus produce that s delivered to from this magnificent
system OF American rivers and river basins. On the
other sde this interropc is separated BY narrow
strip OF land from the Pacific across which good
OF the world practically and commercially, where II is
geographically, viz: midway between Europe and Asia
From this proposed opening. the trade winds OF the
Pacific blow from the eastward to the westward and ex-
tend entirely across that ocean They blow with won
derful regularity, steadness, and consistency In run
ming down the trades the mariner enjoys the most beau
ul navigation Without care for his safety he sails be-
fore them day after day, for weeks together never once
touching brace or handing sail In them the il
always smooth, the weather ne and the climate deli
cious Gales OF wind unknown, and life there be-
comes so delightful TO the sailor, that with nothing to do
he congratuates himself in wantonness with the re-
mark that il is well all parts OF the had NOT been So
else his mother would have been sailor"
i The trade winds embrace belt of ocean about nifty
degrees OF latitude i breadth, extending from twenty
Eve or thirty degrees north to twenty-five or nry oe-
gees south An ordinary saer, 10 running them aown,
L. IA l.. ..Ir m