Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-05-31
The Memphis COnve0tion and the
river AHnnz0a.
CONVINCED


(coNTINCED
Lieut.. Msury, in the letter from which we
are making extracts, describes our trade with
Brazil as being now most valuable, and des-
ignates the Mississippi Valley as the grea,
place of consumption for her cotfer-while sh.
Is reciprocally the great consumer of the pro
ductions of the States to be represented in Oh,
Memphis Convention. Notwithstanding this
he mentions the strange and discreditabe fac
that the whole correspondence between the
two countries is carried on by way Of England
We are in this way paying heavy annual tax
to the British government and to the support
of her steam Marine. A direct line of steamers
to Para would save about half the time OF the
passage. and reap the benefit of this po,tal and
other patronage.
=. The condition of the republics lying along
,heupper waters of the Amazon and its branch.
es-with Brazil commanding the mouth OF the
river and exhibiting its free navigation Lieut..
Nj compa res TO that ofthe Mississippi Valley,
when the mouth OF the great river belongs to
another power. The republics own the up
per waters the Empire the lower, and Brazil
keeps them closed tight, Notwithstanding some
of those Republics have thrown their porte
open to the world. and invited all nations to
come up and trade with them" He proposes
to the Convention to consider whether it may
not be well for our government TO offer the
free navigation of the Mississippi to Brazil, 10
return for like privilege granted US in the
Amazon. The area Of that country can COW
er that of British India three times over, and
the Amazon is the great artery of it all yet
our gaze is away toward India and the East
Now, suppose we had Alladdin's lamp, OF
the wand Of some powerful magician, by the
touch Of which India and all the Isles OF the
East. with their inhabitants. commerce, pro
ductions, and former wealth, could be lifted
up. transported across tho seas. and set dowr
IN the great valley Of the Amazon just as the,
are. What should we have, and what would
be the effect upon the business relations of thi
country?
India would be at our DOORS aud all nation
in trading with her,wouid have TO pass them
for to all. either going or coming, they occup,
the position Of halfway houses. We should
see steamboats, at the wharves of New Or
leans and ST. Louis. of Memphis, Louisville
Cincinnati, Wheeling, and Pittsburg arriving
.iaily and hourly from, and departing as Con.
stantly to this new country.
We may imagine one Of our children stand
ing on the last of the Chickasaw Bluffs. count
ing the Amazonian boats as they pass and re
pass, and telling their cargoes
There goes one" we may suppose him e
say. "deeply laden from the Rocky Mountains
She Is 10 discharge her cargo at the foot Of tn
great falls where the Amazon takes its last eaI
from the Andes. She exchanges salutation
with one just coming up the river from East
en Peru. Her cargo is assorted one o
great value; fine wool, precious metals, spi
ces, cocoa, Peruvian bark, and great variety
of tropical fruits, both rich and rare, make ar
the assortment.
"There is one from Bolivia she has car.
60 ofcoffec and tobacco as superior to that o.
Mocha and Havana as the COTE of Brazil is to
Jack Tar's best Scotch
That one Coming down the river there is
from fhtshurg. with a shipment of glass,
hardware. and fancy articles She is bound
for the market of Quito, and is going on a
trading voyage with the eastern provinces OF
Ecuador, forgold dust cochineal. indigo, and
other dyes more brilliant by far even than the
Syrian.
"That one that is now passing her is from
the diamond region ofBraril where the rivers
also roll down their jewelled sands. bligh
with gold and precious stones
"There is one just turning into the landing
at Memphis. She is in the drug and dye
stuff trade. She has the most brilliant of Grim
sons, scarlet. and purple, with the richest as
sortment ofspices and gums that ever crossed
the ssas."