Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-23
GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT AND COMMERCIAL
RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES
FROM rur Bosros DAILY ADVERTISER.

the 9th instant, on the SuDect Oh the improvement
of Rivers and Harbors by the National Government.
This address was delivered at the request of num-
Der of gentlemen of New York, who were DESTROYS
of calling into the public service the known ability
of Mr. Ruggles, to enlighten the community on this
subject it being one to which he has been hereto
fore called to give careful attention, while in the
discharge Of his duty as President of the Board of
Commissioners of the Canals of New York, and
upon which he had already given much important ntor-
nation in his reports
In this address Mr. Rugges has presented clear and
Ineligible view of the class of public improvements which,
being national in their character placed by the Con-
stution of the United States within the jurisdiction Of
the General Government and are consequently taken
from that Of the local government This view is Illus
rated not only by sound exposition of the principles Of
the constitution deduced from the language of the in
srument ITSELF in its definitions of the powers and duties
of Congress- but by irresistible deduction from the
condition Of the Union and of the territories Of which
is composed possessing, whole such vast CONNER
cal and productive resources. A mere description OF
these territories with their relations another and
the oceans which surround Them is enough to show
the expediency and necessity of central and
controlling power not only for regulating the
be carried between them but OF directing and SUI
perntending some common system of artificial improve
national advantages which shared for the common
benefit of the whole Such agency and control devoye of
upon the General Government, and it is singular
that theory of construction should have prevailed which
denies TO the Government the power of making such i'm
provements obviously essential to the advantageous
carrying Of commerce with foreign nations and between
the States especially the constitution in express terms
coners the power regulate that commerce. including
the power to levy mposts and duties and restrain the
State and municipal authorities from the exercise of this
power
The ndpensableness Of the exercise of such central
power not only for the regulations of the
merce of the country but for promoting and protecting
the improvements requisite for facilitating it, further
forcbly illustrated in this address by striking
comparison Of the geographical and commercial position
of the United States with that of the entire continent of
Europe This comparison and illustration embraced
in very brief compass and it formed apt intro
duction to the powerful argument Of the address, the
object of which to demonstrate the power and duty
devoved by the Constitution the National Government
TO aid the national commerce by the improvement of rivers
and harbor the charge of the national treasury We
take pleasure in copying entire this portion of the address,
and in recommending to the particular attention of the
reader We shall take another opportunity call aten
ton TO the other portions Of the address.
occupies important pOrJOn OF the eartn,
and stands among the great continental Powers of the
civilized world. Embracing twenty degrees of latitude
IN the temperate Of the North American continent
and stretching through ny sixty degrees longitude
from the Atlantic TO the ic it the whole con-
tnental expanse within those vast limits In territorial
area it is now nearly large Europe but running
down to the very verge Of the tropics, il has much
greater variety Of climate and culture and far exceeds
the whole Of Europe in every element Of continental
strength
1t has ready than Europe to the two
the great highways Of the globe and lying degrees
the Equator its geographical position any great
national or commercial struggle, viii be much more
venient and commanding.
But in almportant respect it very far exceeds
Europe for it has what Europe has not one vast un-
broken chain OF naygabe waters overspreadng its
terror, and nearly covering its whole territorial area
binding all It's portions in commercial and political unity
and thus concentrating to degree the world
where else the national power Of continent
In the providence Of God this great portion the earth
has been committed to Let us, therefore, look
at it alittle more infinitely, and what it contains
We find il TO be about three thousand miles wide of
which two thousand spread out in one vast plain
lying nearly midway between the two oceans This plain
separated by the Allegheny Mountains the east from
the Atlantic and by the Rocky Mountains on the west
from the Pacific The remaining portions Of the Cont
nent which comparatively mere fragments consist
of belt, less than two hundred miles WIDE be-
tween the Alleghanies and the Atlantic and broader
belt about eight hundred miles wide between the Rocky
Mountains and the Pacific.
IL ]
nearly level with the surface of the earth that the river
and all its tributaries susceptible of unbroken nav
Cation The great valley which they drain is only Of
unequaed agricultural fertility, but in its unrivalled
capacity for inland commerce. it possesses the vital ee-
ment which must make it dominant the central Of
empire.
The great problem, therefore, for u.s. the American
people, 70 work out TO this valley by ade-
quae means Of commercial intercourse first with the At
| lantic, and, in due time the Pacific
The first step IN the process has been accomplished.
Employing parts Of the system great chain Of lakes
which lie on the northeastern border Of the valley
have constructed artificial channels which connect the
Mississippi in unbroken line of navigation with the
Atlantic, that streams Of inland trade secure from
foreign aggression, and, yet from local interference
flowing throughout all territory lying east of the
Rocky Mountains.
The history Of this nation which now covers little more
than two hundred years. discoses two important facts.
First that Providence has undoubtedly designed to build
up this Western Hemisphere great homogeneous
Power and the next that the naygable waters of the
United States, and the constitution Of the United States
the great instrumentaes by which that design
is to be effected Our history forms part in that great
progress but it has carried to point from which
clearly survey the past and to extent discern
| the future.
Without attempting any minute historical detail we may
say, generally that America civilized by several
European nations Of different tongue and Spain
seized the south France the north England the middle
which itself subdvided into thirteen separate colo
MES and Holland and Sweden each attempted snatch
part, but displaced. For than a hun
dred France not only kept its portion but added to
it the whole Of the Mississippi valley Men vet lv-
ing who have the territory occupied by this
ton divided among these three European Powers. In
1863 France surrendered its portion to England, and
twenty years afterwards in 1783 England surrendered
to its thirteen colonies then become States all between
the Atlantic and the Mississippi By subsequent nego-