Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-06-05

az ni4u 10 @VVuV But the Amazon and Its majestic tr-
butaries wind through inland navgatonof such
tent that II stretched in ne its length would be
enough 70 eLcrcle the earth three times. Ii is set down
as high as 600 miles The Amazon is said to be navi
ga3e lor vessels OF the largest class up to the foot Of the
Andes the Pennsylvania IA may ascend that high And
s0aversed with navgable streams and is
the great Atlantic slope of South America that there
in IT no les than 800 miles OF furos," or natural
canals roagh which is practicable for vessels to
from one river over into another.
We're is valley settled up and subdued to cultivation
the inmes IN commercial sense, would thereby be
lifted up and placed at DOORS for all the productions
OF the East flourish there And jealous and afraid Of
such result was Portugal in her day Of East India pos
sessions aad commerce. that by royal ordinance 1t be-
came Unlawful to cultivate in the great Amazon basin
sinG ng spice, plant of East India growth q pro-
epubics Of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia have
~ ych provinces upon the head navigahle waters
= ~ 4oIsnss ~ Bsssii ia sSs @ SsSsr fsrsrs con, On,
Of the AmGson and it's tributaries would at 0nce and with
out ado give rise to considerable commerce. As
to its prospective value and importance, it is useless to
speculate.
The navigation of the Amazon would divert from the
Pacific of those republics valuable portion of that
trade which now goes around Cape Horn and reaches
this Amazonan watershed by transportation the backs
of sheep and across the SUBMITS of the Andes.
remarkable feature in the profile OF the South Ame
rican coast line is its want Of articulation.
The shore line of that part Of the world is almost
stiff and rigid as are the three sides of rghtangled tri-
angle, which it resembles.
1t is without any considerable indentations and no
where among the Southern continents do We find those
uttng promontores and peninsulas, those encrcng
and CUFFS of the sea- which in the northern hemi
sphere increase the length of shore ne and give that
articulation to the continental proles which enable ships
as in the Mediterranean the Red Sea- the Gulf OF Mexico,
about the peninsuas Of India and the northern seas of
Europe to sail up into the interior and penetrate with
commerce the very heart Of countries that but for such
indentaton Of shore line would be thousands OF miles
from the sea and its commerce.
AT best, trading vessels by but fringe with
the outskirts South America for its shore
line, already mentioned, is without indentation As
yet the heart Of that country has neyerbeen ouched and
unless its magnificent rivers and majestic sheets Of fresh
water be opened to navigation the commercial enterprise
of the world reach the great interior Of South
America Naturally the whole of that continent, except
the strip between the summit of the Andes and the
Pacific slopes down to the Atlantic 1t is tributary to
the Atlantic and into the Atlantic destined to pour its
The country drained by the Amazon and the La
Plata embraces larger than the continent Of Eu
rope. The navigation of those streams would divert
large portion Of the Cape Horn trade and throw at
feet for we perceive from the statements already made
that Of the winds and currents of the the
mouth of the Amazon is in close physical connexion with
Southern ports and to make that connexion one Of
business, profit and friendship, have but to devise
plan which, by encouraging commerce and navigation
there SHALL with the of the Powers concern
ed give impulse also to the settlement Of that valley and
to merchants the right Of trade up and down
that river on fair and liberal terms.
Bearing in mind, therefore, all these things, and taking
into consideration the geographcn position of that
basn and our situation with regard to its outlet
sdering It's climates its Soils its resources, and its capa-
bies that the foundations Of its prosperity to rest
on liberal commercial policy, and that its industrial
pursuits must receive tone character, and direction
from those who conduct that commerce; considering
that it is the policy Of the United States cultivate the
relations of peace with all nations through the bonds Of
mutual interests and good w considering also that
this river basin for the most part wilderness and that
ii is therefore like TO receive impressions from
merce considering too that the laws of Brazil touching
immigration into that valley said to be Of the
liberal character considering, moreover the liberation
of those laws and the classes of people who already
there considering all these things let it be represent
ed your memoriais is deeply impressed with the impor
of the subject He beholds in it question Of i'm
magnitude The question of navigation and COM
with the Amazon and up the Amazonthe greatest
river and the most fertile rverbasn in the worlds the
greatest commercial question of the world.
The bearing and the influences Of such question upon
the future webeng and prosperity of this country can
not their scope and extent be taken n unless by the
most expanded view Of the most arsghted craftsmanship
Your memoast, therefore, prays for such constitu-
onal and rghu legislation the part Of your honora-
BILE bodies shall tend TO encourage commerce and
navigation with that magnificent shed-among the
collateral results incident TO udicous Of legsa
ton Now upon such subject may be counted, sooner
or later tide Of immigration there, followed by settle
ment tlage which in turn win lead TO the development
of the boundess commercial resources Of that unparalleled
region and to the establishment Of those business ties,
social relations and happy connexions which active
and frequent intercourse never fail to beget be-
tween nations.
Imagine an immigrant, poor laboring man he may be,
TO arrive from the interior of Europe settler in the
valley of the Amazon Where he was his labor could but
support himself in the frugal manner, and he was
then no customer Of But in his home, where,
with teeminr soil and fine climate responding to his
husbandry and where the labor of day in is
said to be enough his board with plenty he works
with his wonted diligence and out Of his abundance he
has wherewithal Of his producecoee it may be,
drugs or spices gums, cocoa rice tobacco
some other Of the great staples Of that valley but be il
what may be has enough TO give largely in exchange
with us for all the manufactured articles whether Of
fancy necessity, luxury, that he the most In
the long list Of what the immigrant there win require Of
may be included that great assortment Of goods known
as Yankee notions also, picked beef and pork hams,
and -four butter lard and the like for the climate Of the
Amazon not favorable to the production and stowage Of
any Of those things is particularly unavorabe TO the
curing of meats and the grinding Of -four it is also una
yorabe for all indoor occupations; and in the settling up
of the valley Of the Amazon considering that New York
and Boston but eighteen twenty days under
from the mouth Of that river considering that the winds
are fair for going and free for coming and that the At
lanc ports Of the United States the only market
places for which the winds thus propous considering
all the physical advantages which thus enjoy, and re-
cardnr this immigrant the type of class il may be
pected whenever the tide of immigration, guided and sus
tanned by American enterprise and energy shall begin to
set into that valley that New York and Boston, with the
manufacturing States will have to supply those people
with every article Of the loom the shop from the axe
and the hoe up to gala dresses and river steamers.
The man. therefore who in his native Europe could not
buy cents worth Of American produce simply by being
transferred settler in the valley Of the Amazon, be-
comes at once producer and Of the best customers
Ana n