The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-11-08
The Mississippi Navigation Convention at
Burlington, Town.

convention of delegates from the States On the
Northern Mississippi was held at Burlington, Iowa,
on the I'd ut. The following are the resolutions
adopted, and the memorial to Congress for mea Is
to remove the obstruction: to navigation in that
river
Resolved As the opinion OF this convention composed
Of delegates from the states OF Illinois Missouri wiscon-
sin and Iowa and tie territory Of Minneeota That the
Mississippi river great national Highway the control
and uri dicton OF which haze been reserved 10 Con-
grcs and that Is the bounten dr,y Of tAe national
legislature to make such Improvements in the navg,
equal footing with that Of the Atlantic States Of this
Union
Resolved That the interests Of ni5e States and on.
Territory imperatFey demand the prompt action G: Con-
gees in making adequate appropriations for the removal
Of the distractions 70 the nayga Of the river Mis-
Rsplds' '''@''' 49, ~ '''-'' ~ ''''N ''''''
Resolved, That experience AM tie testimony of tn.
navgbtors Of the Upper Mississippi demonstrate the cor
recEess q the surveys and report ade by Lieut. Lee
in ls37 and 1898 and that doubt is entertained by
this convention Of the practicabty Of the permanent
Improvement q the channel OF the river al the Des
MONIES and Rock River Rapids, AZ such plans should
he carried out But this convention at the same time
that 1t gives expression to this opinion ders 10 the
action Of Congress and Of the officers to whom the
cuon Of the work may be entrusiedasking only, with
all the earnsstress that rsht snd justice demand that
tree and unobstIuoted navigation shall be guaranteed
to-
Resolved, That the Senators and Representative, In
Copgtess from the several States represnted IA this
convention be, and they hereby, respectfully
quesed 10 their personal and united exertons TO
the early appropriation Of amount Of money
which fhs be adequate TO complete the removal OF the
distractions to safe and speedy navigation Of said
fiyer.
To TIE SENATE AYD HorsK or REPRESENTATIVES,
on THE UNITED STATES, IN CoNGREsS ASSEMBLED.
"lour memorialists, a convention Of two hundred
and ninety-iour delegates from the states Of Wis
consn, Iowa, Illinois, and hissouri, and the Terri
tory Of Minnesota, assembled ct Burlington, in tae
state Of Iowa, the I'D and 9th days Of October
1851, tspecfully call the attention of your honora
bic body TO the distractions 10 the navigation OF
the Mississippi, usually known as the Des Moines
and the Rock River Rapids, and ask that the same
be removed by the general government, SO that
free ard practicable channel be opened through
them.
sess, the justice and the perfect practcability Of
their request. The Mississippi being great ma
tional highway. this Is national work, and has SO
been regarded by previous Congress, in making
appropriations for the same object, which, though
too small to complete the work, resulted IN great
benefit to the navigation Of that river.
"lour memorialists further state, that the charac
ter ofthose distractions Is such greatly 10 cripple
the comm cree ofthe river during the larger portion
Of the time in which it Is open for nayigation and
that removal CT the same, while " would couduce
TO the prosperity and convenience Of the people de-
pei dent on the river as an outlet, would also
harce the value and facilitate the settlement Of the
cover nment lands Of the Northwest, situated above
said rapids, and would be economy to the govern
inert in the end, in a saving Of cost oftransporta-
ton Of supplies aud ornaments.
\ our memorialists further refer your honorable
body to the resolutions parsed by this convention,
and TO statistics which will be embodied and fur
nisbed by conf ittee Of this body
Previous TO adjournment, resolution was passed
providing that the convention shall meet at the
pose Of sustaining and carrying out the great
object which had called them together, ant TO far.
tier the general improvement OF the MISSISSIPPI
from its source to its mouth.