The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-05-02
From The National Intelhgencer.
The State of mississippi and the Nav
igatiOn Of the river Mississippi. The
numerous disputes achich aoOuld eaSue
IF this Union should be dissoLUed.
FROM 4 C0RREsPoNpENT IN THR WEST.

FROM A CORRESPONDENT IN THE WEST.
| 1t will be remembered that one of the schemes
of the last Nashville Convention was the ap
preparation of the mouths Of The Mississippi and
the control Of its navigation. As having d.
rect bearing npon that subject, we noticed re-
Gently the ordinance of the Convention of the
State of Mississippi. which formed its Constifu.
| ton in 1917. and which is appended to that in.
strument. The following is an extract:
Whereas. il Is required by the act Of Con-
gress under whirhthis Convention is assembled
that certain provisions should be made by an or
dinance of this Convention: Therefore, this
Convention, for and in behalf OF the people in.
biting this State. do agree. nrdain, and declare
that = = The river Mississippi, and the navi-
gable rivers and waters leading into the same,
or into the Gulf of Mexicn, shall be common
highways and FOREVER FREE. as well TO the in
habants of this State AS To other citizens of the
United States. without any duty, tax, impost, or
toll therior, imposed by this Siate and this ordi-
nance is hereby declared IRREvocABLE without
the consent of the United States"
We believe that there are 10 the State but
very few whn are disposed To maintain The South
Carolina doctrine Of ''ihe right of secession. -
Even they wnuld be compelled to admit that
the STATE could never in any event, assume any
righilu control Of the river Mississin5i l.witbon
the consent ni The United States" Our object
in this quotation is TO draw attention TO the nj
rerlv REVOLUTIONARY character of any scheme
proposing 20 place that great river under the
control of distinct nations. No portion of the
United States wpuli ever consent to any such
appropriation. II is true thai no ordinance was
required 10 show that fact The immense inter.
osf. II Tho rrroat 30 IIo,, f e.,
dit, as we'll as this solemn, unaierable compact.
which is expressly binding 'forerer" upon the
people and Stale Of Mississippi. 1t is worthy
of notice that similar compact is made, in al
most the same words. by the ordinance of the
Convention of the State Of Alabama in 1919.
in reference to ''all nayigable waters Within
that State.
The good penple of Mississippi doubtless have
just claims TO ask the General Government to
improve the navigation of the Mississippi, the
State having. by the ordinance above qnOfpd
yielded all right 10 impose toll or tax Tor that
or any other purpose. They are as much inter-
esied as the people of any State 10 such inn
provements being made, either at IFS mouth or
any portion of It's whole lengths Indeed. this
declaring all navigable waters farerer free, is
making them emphstically inland seas, like the
Mediterranean, (as Mr.. CALHoUN said al The
Memphis Conyention.) open tnihe commerce Of
the whole Union These ordinances certainly
give an additional argument as to the duty OF
Congress to improve such rivers.
At this jnncture Of our affairs II IL salntafy to
contemplate what an infinite multitude of causes
for war would exist if the schemes of dis.
disunion were ever consummaied What, FOR
instance. cnnld be more PREGNANT with difficult
ties Than this subject of the navigation Of the
Mississippi The Stale on if$ upper waters
ronld ever point 10 this irrerocable ordinance as
ground fns their demand. They could say tnat
It gave Them fee simple TO its navigation more
absolute and perpetual than that by which they
could own an acre Of land. Bat this ia but nne
of a countless number III causes for contro.
verry and war which would inevitably arise.
We believe that ii would be useful iar our
countrymen 10 bear In mind the utility Of our