Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-02-10
THE TRADE OFF THE SOUTH WEST
NEW ORLEANS.
The Mississippi and the Anaaon


A Railroad Convention assembled at N. Orleans
on the first Monday in January. The Committee OF
Arrangement invited Lieutenant Maury, either to be
present In person and to deliver an Address, or to
give his views by letter, in relation to the Southern
and Western commerce, the home and foreign trade,
and the manner in which they influenced by ia
cities of intercourse His response occupies
of six Of the broad columns of the Washington
Union After some preliminary facts and
he proceeds thus.
The apparent decline in the business of New Or.
leans is as have already inlimaed, due to the fife
OF the telegraph and railroad and to iaproveud
in steamship building and navigation, in which
Orleans has not been able 10 participate equal WYNN
the northern cities.
This is the root OF tho matter. What then, are
the steps which the South and West ousht to take
What are the measures which they ought to.adopt in
order to insure to them that degree of CONNIE rcaI
wealth and prosperity which their resources and their
geographical position entte them to expect
The answer to this QUESTION lies under several
hea dis, and the principal OF them are these
!, l. liberal policy on the part of New O-leans'and
the general government as to the Spanish West India
trade, and municipal fees of various kinds 10 which
the produce and shipping that comes to New Orleans
shall be subjected.
=, 2 Entertainments to confne the Mlsss in
3. To deepen the waters on one OF the sb4rs in N
passes Of the river.
4 Inc establishment of lines of sea steamers:
D.. Attention to the mineral resources of the Mis-
facilities wig
6. The opening of CONNER .ial highways across the
lsthmus.
T. The establishment in the Mississippi valley of
a navy yard, depot and work shops, which in war
snail nave strength, capacity, and resources enough
to give us command of the Gulf of Mexico and con-
troll OF the commerce passing through it.
g. The tree navigation of the Amazon river and the
building up there of those business relations and
friedy ties which hold nations together in the bond
OF peace and friendship.
These points are taken up in detoil and alludna to
Inc navigation OF the Amazon, Lieut.. M. says:
In commercial sense, the valleys that are drained
by the Rather OF Waters" and the "Kng of Rivers"
as the Amazon ia called, are compliments of each
otheF--What ene lacks the other supplies Together
lheY Iurhlsh all those natural products and staples
winch complete the list of articles in the circle of
commerce. AS In one sense the Gulf of Mexico is
Out an expansion OF the M ssisspp river So com
merciay speaking, the Caribbean Sea is only an ex-
panson into one sheet of water tor the Amazon the
orlnoco and the Magdalena These two arms Of the
ocean are the fountains OF the quit stGeani, and the
peope OF the Mississippi valley have but to roll away
the commercial stones which he over this fountain
ana then they and their chdren's children NAV taste
OF lis sweets and drink of its riches; and there shall
be none to drive them awav
The right OF our people To 90 with their Miss;cs,nn;
steamers into the Amazon will whea exercised dyay
emlsrants to that valley, who, being there. will be-
conse our pest CUSTOMERS and soon as the proper
impulse is gwen TO their commerce. and the industrial
pursuits. we shall find there at our doors ;nstsad ~
away on the ether side of The world all The nroduc
nons OF the East Ia s1ort, the East. in one sense,
pe eiSHt or Ten QaVS' OF New
Orleans, instead of being removed to IN. ds,a,cs Of
four or FIVE months off, as ii now is. VI
Several nations. as Bolivar, Peru Ecuador, and Bra.
zl are the owners OF the Amazon and its navIpabIe
tributaries. Brazil however, is the PRINCIPAL o1ner
All the lower Amazon is hers, and she has given
none. of the upper countries as yet the right of way
through it q and from the sea ~
The question, thsn is, do the people who are re.
presented IN this conventon-nay, do the people ~
thes United States ct any value upon the righ IN
steam and trade up and down the nayioabe stPeams
oil that magnificent water shed? AT present tina conn
tryii Tor the most part a wilderness OF bowling
monkeys and noisy parrots, its boundaries are rinped
with settlements, but only here and there. when Won
leave the outskirts of the valley, end begin TO pen A.
trae INTO the interior, the traces of civilized man
to be found ~
:, 10 obtain this right is the work of diplomacy
But The States and people who have been invited
TO ms convention may by their action nfiue nc tba
diplomacy They waRt nothing but what is ri gh; and
II they ask they are also ling TO give.
Brazil may be invited to give the free ma yipaton Of
thisriver away as boon 10 civilization and make il
common TO The world. But it is not supposed that
Brazil VII part with Jewel of such exceeding great
va ue without a con sderainn
Is il worth havingi Shall ii be bouob, with q sum
OF money! Or shall the tree Navigation of the Mis-
s.sppi be offered to Brazil in exchange for tbs free
navigation OF the Amazonl " NV NV
By own laws, an English vessel or the vessel oe
any other nation at peace with u.s. ia as free In "a nm
the Mississippi river, 10 land and tahe in cargo at ST.
Louis and with it to come down again. she is TO 90
up The Chesapeake bay to Baltimore, or ths Delaware
to Philadelpha.