The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-08
LETTER FROM CINCINNATI.


The Canal at the Falls of the Ohio-Maine
Liquor Lap in Ohio-Roman Catholic Pop,i-
ldtiosi IA Cincinnati-RiUer-Bts iness--Pork
Trade, &c.
CINCINNATI, March 25, 1852.
To the Editor of the National Era,
We, in the West are glad to hear. that the
improvement of the Ohio at the Falls is re-
ceiying some attention from Congress, and that
there is good prospect of something being
done in matter which concerns vitality the
interests of the entire West Mr. Disney the
Representative from this district brought bill
before the House some weeks since. and urged
the matter until as we understand, the Com
mittee on Roads and Canals have determined
that the wants of commerce require two canals
around the Falls, and will report bill for the
construction of canal ON the Indiana side,
and the enlargement Of the present canal, both
6Fbc free from toll Mr. Chase it is stated,
has presented the memorial of 1000 of our
citizens on the subject in the Senate, and the
proper committee having given it full exami-
nation, will report similar bill. This is en-
cOuraging and it is TO be hoped that a bill
giving the action asked for will be passed this
session. The Kentucky delegation will very
likely oppose it, as the Louisville Canal Com
pany and citizens generally wish only pur-
chase by the Government of the stock in the
present canal, which any intelligent man can
see, on a little reflection would be entirely in
sufficient to remedy the existing evils
At an early period of our history the CON-
merce of the upper Ohio hardly felt the Falls
to be an impediment as it grew, the present
canal and locks were built, and considered suf-
ticient for all emergencies-few then having
the sagacity to foresee the very rapid growth
and vast extent of Western commerce That
work is now trifling affair, impossible for
the great majority of the magnificent steamers
which plough our waters from Pittsburg to st.
Louis and New Orleans. The Ohio is the great
central natural highway of the Great West,
and its uninterrupted navigation is indispensa-
BILE to our prosperity The Falls at Louisville
is the only permanent obstruction to free
communication between the Northwest and
Southwest; and nothing will satisfy us but
canal ample enough to float the largest steam
ers at all seasons, and made as free as the
ocean and rivers are now. This is asked and
expected by at least the whole Northwest, with
great unanimity.
There is no little stir in our State at this
time in regard to the passage of :" Maine Lii
quor law" by the Legislature, and petitions are
podinS III qudiVc uhu uShillnt
the passage of such law. The temperance
men generally 60 for it, and all interested in
the traffic however Indirectly. are making all
the opposition they can to a law of any kind.
Some papers, among which the Daify Enquirer
of this city stands foremost are strenuous in OPP
position and loud and even fierce in their de-
nunciations of such despotic and tyrannica
code,o taking away sens property, and regu-
la finy thar rnnralu tho trial hxy
invading personal rights, &c. These watchful
guardians of the rights of the people were too
blind to perceive, or too oowardly to denounce
in anything like such style the iniquitous
provisions of the Fugitive Law" its mockery
of impartial justice, denial of jury trial, its viz
tual denial Of benefit from writ of habeas COR
pus or its other fragrant violations of the safe
guards Of freedom. A law to uphold slavery,
however unjust is to be submitted to without
discusson--a law to restrain intemperance is
to be dissected sifted exposed and Qny other
law on the subject at all, totally opposed
Such is the patent Democracy of our day
As to the merits of the question, it seems in
expedient to me to enact just such law as
that of Maine in this State. IL may have
worked well there but in the extent of the man
ufacture and some circumstances of the traffic,
we are differently situated, and several of the
provisions of the Maine law if enacted, would
prove dead letter here. am satisfied that
they would not be sustained by public senti-
ment, except in some very thorough temperance
districts, where there il little capital involved
in the trade and would never be carried into
operation. A law less stringent in its provi-
sions, tending to restrain the traffic, might well
be passed, which would be backed by the same
public opinion which so triumphantly at the
time of the adoption of the new Constitution
voted against all license of the traffic by the
State, and would result in good
Your readers may remember that last year
and the year previous, gave some statistics
showing the strength of the Roman Catholic
population here, (which is almost wholly COM
posed of Irish and German cmigrants) as in
dicated by the annual tables Of Marriages,
Baptsms and Deaths, published officially by
that Church The tables for 1851 have lately
been published, and, compared with. previous
years, exhibit the following results in Cincinnati
and ihprties