The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-02
The Boston Festival.

Yesterday morning the committee of the
municipal authorities Of Boston. Messrs. f..
BRINLEY, IL. NJ. HoLBRooK, EZRA LINCOLN,
n. A. THOMPSON, II. J. GARDNER, OTIs KIM
BALL, and A. Il. Minor, waited upon the Sc
cRETARY OF THE TREASURY, the SECRETARY
OF THE INTERIOR, the SECRETARY OF WAR,
and the SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, and pre-
scented them invitations from the Mayor and
Aldermen of their city to be present at the
contemplated celebration of the 18th, 18th,
and 10Th of September. Each of the Secre'
taries declared himself highly gratitied at the
honor which had been conferred on him by the
invitation, and expressed an anxious desire to
accept it; but all were compelled to with
hold an answer to the invitation until circum-
stances should indicate whether or not they
could comply with the wishes of the citizens
of Boston consistently with the exigences of
the public service.
At 3 O'Clock the committee waited upon the
PRESIDENT to receive his answer to the invita-
ton with which they were charged, the com
munication of which we have previously no
ticed. We understand that the PRESIDENT in
formed the committee that, if called upon to an
swer at once, he should be compelled to decline
the invitation; but that, if he might be permit
ted to withhold his reply, and be governed by
the demands of the public service, he might be
able al some future day previous to the ceIebra-
ton to accept the invitation with which he had
been honored. With this understanding, as we
rlearn, the committee parted from the PREsl
DENT, and left last evening in the cars for Boston
The following circular from the MAYOR Of
Boston indicates the entertainment TO which
the PRESIDENT and the members of his Cabinet
have been invited:
1 RAILROAD CELEBRATION.
To THE CITIzANs OF BosToN: The city government
of Boston propose to celebrate, in appropriate
manner the final completion of the great lines OF
| railway uniting the tide water at Boston with the
Canadas and the great West, and also the establish
! ment Of American lines of steamers between Bos-
ton and Liverpool. The importance of these events
to the great social and commercial interests OF our
city can hardly be exaggerated. We are now
about to realize, it is believed, the full benefit Of
those great enterprises in the perecting of which
we have expended much capital. There are
now completed and in operation in Massachusetts
i
England about 2,4e0 miles. Massachusetts has ex-
pended in the completion of these roads the enor-
NOUS amount of S54, 200 900; and it appears from
the reports of the several railroad corporations this
State made TO the last Legislature, that there were
! transported over the Massachusetts roads alone
during the year 1850, $780, 900 passengers and
$500 900 tons Of freight. This statement, however
but imperfectly presents the advantages which we
are to derive from these works. The railways OF
Massachusetts are but small link in the great
lines which connect US with remoter sections Of
our country.
The several lines connecting us with the Cana
das, northern New York. the great lakes and the
far West are completed, uniting US by rail.
road and steam navigation with thirteen States Of
| the Union, comprising area of 42S, 1876 square
mies; the two Capadas, the lakes, with their 5000
miles of coast; and bringing within our CONNER
cial sphere population of ten millions of inhabit-
ants. The business Of the lakes and the Canadas
and its rapid yearly increase, worthy of espe-
cial consideration. 1t is estimated that the i'm
ports and exports of the lake harbors, exclusive Of
the Canadas, during the present year, will be
! 5000 100000 The annual increase of this bust
ncss is found to be IT. per cent, thus doubling
tselfin less than six years. In addition to this
the imports and exports of the Canadas will amount
during the present year to 5 so, 900, 900.
| And now what are the advantages which Boston
possesses for doing this immense business? These
are 60 manifest, that their Importance will bt
readily appreciated. Her harbor is of the
finest in the world. Her wharves and storage &C
Communications equal, il not superior, to thos.
Of any other city, and capable of indefinite extern
sion. Her local position ia unrivalled, and the
enterprise and integrity of her merchants vel
known. The lines of railway to which hav,
alluded all centre in her and radiate from her. Il
is ascerained, from the actual results Of this year.
business, that under favorable circumstances al
kinds of provisions be brought from the West
through these new lines of communication, to Bos
ten, more speedily and at a less expense than t.
any other Atlantic port.
In this connexion it may not be amss to remark
that the books of the custom house show that thu
merchandise transported to the Canadas, from thu
district of Boston and Charlestown, for the 81,
months ending June 80, 1851, was moro than quad
ripple that Of the six months next preceding Jan
uary l, 1851.
Merchandise can be landed at Ogdensburg oil
Lake Ontario, put on board the at that place
brought TO Boston without transhipment, and from
here exported to England by means of our steam
ships, in much less time than il be done by an
other route. II seems to US, then, that Boston ha
| every facility for becoming a great exporting a
well importing city Cargoes from Liverpoo
in steamships, via Boston, may be delivered il
| Montreal in twelve days.
This fact, taken in connexion with the fact tina
the St. Lawrence is closed by ice during five month";
of the year, and that the communication with Bos
ton is uninterrupted during the whole year, mus
make Boston, asst seems to US, the port of entry 70
the Canadas, thus opening to us business the ex
tent Of which we have not begun to realize. Tn
eligibility of our location shipping port for tn
Canadas will be by the following statemen
Of distances as compared with New York:
From Liverpool, via Halifax, 10 Boston, 2,67
miles; to New York. 3 093 miles.
From Liverpool direct to Boston, 1856; to New
York, 3,073 miles.
From Halifax to Boston, 36S miles; to New York