The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-10

pelle0 Dy steam. ne sum inNerteu III shis
shipping is over sS.0OO,0OO, and 30 long as we
are not permitted to use the river st. Lawrence
this Ss,00O,O0O is compelled to lie idle and un
productive for about one-third Of the year
while the interest on the capital thus invested
is running up to S25O,O00. If the navigation
of the St Lawrence were secured to US, a large
proportion Of this shipping would load up IN
the fall with the produce of the West, and run
down the St. Lawrence end out to sea before
the ice had closed the river During the win
ter, voyages would be made to England to the
Mediterranean, to the West Indies or to South
America. In the spring they would return
bringing cargoes from the countries they had
visited or they would bring fish from the Prov
inces, pass up the river again, and be on the
lakes In time for the summer trade.
A gentleman near me remarks THAT the
lake craft dare not venture upon navigator
80 dangerous as that Of the Gulf of st. Law
renee" To that | reply, that the men who
dare to sail on Lake Erie, where there is mel
Their depth of water nor sea-room, will not be
afraid of that gulf, nor of any other place
where money is TO be made A few years since
vessel started from Cleveland, loaded with
Western produce, and carrying some OF my
St Lawrence, by special permission then out
to sea, and round by Cape Horn to San Fran,
cisco, in safety-thus practically solving this
problem and it was not inappropriate, there
fore, that she was named the Eureka. Make
the river free TO us and thousands OF vessels
will follow in the same course.
The people living in the valley of the st.
Lawrence are of the opinion that the Govern
ment of the United States ought to make an
effort in reference to this river, as decided az
that which was 50 successfully and properly
made in'lS03, TO secure the freedom OF the
Mississippi The St Lawrence is to the North
and West what the Mississippi is to the West
and South The valley of the st. Lawrence is
not less important to the country than the val
ley of the Mississippi 1t contains half mil
lion of square miles, embracing on our side of
the line, western Vermont, northern and west
ern New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, the
northern portions of Ohio, Indiana, and Hi
nois the whole of Michigan, and part of Wis
consin and Minnesota. II already has pop
ulation exceeding four Millions and it is not
of note, in estimating it's future, that
it lies within those ATTITUDES where the densest
population of the Old World is to be found.
With the exception Of the agricultural the
most important resources of this great valley
are almost entirely undeveloped. Scarcely
anything has yet been done to open to the
world the immense mineral resources of the
Lake Superior region Around that vast in
land sea, the whole country almost seems to be
but a succession of rich ore beds; copper, iron,
and lead, are found there in greater abundance
than elsewhere in the world When the ship
ha Ea1 Io nft ha
now about being commenced, shall have been
the whole mineral wealth of this
region will be made available. Millions of tons
Of coal from Ohio and from Pennsylvania will
be carried thither, and copper and iron brought
back in return But besides the agricultural
and mineral resources of the st. Lawrence val
Icy, it is possessed of unequalled hydraulic
power, which is to be applied, and at no dis
tant day, to manufacturing purposes. To say
nothing of the various rapids between the head
waters of the st. Lawrence and it's mouth
there is Niagara, where alone seems to be power
enough to turn all the wheels in the world
Hitherto, this prodigious accumulation of power
has run to waste. This cannot be suffered
longer. The people who tame the lightning
and compel it to run on crrands will soon put
bands on this old giant, and compel him to
grind in the prison-house. There is therefore
in nature nothing wanting to make this valley
the great manufacturing region of the country
but the removal Of those commercial restrc-
tons which alone prevent the development of
its immense resources.
COAST FISHERIES, ETC.
But we have still another inducement to
adopt liberal measure of reciprocity, mas
much as on this is likely to depend satsfac-
tory adjustment of the difficulties growing out
of the coast fisheries. BY an existing conven
ton, IA we all understand, our vessels are not
permitted to fish within marine league Of thu
shores of the British Provinces, nor have the,
the privilege of drying and packing on shore
By the first Of these prohibitions they are ex
cluded from the hest fishing grounds; by tn,
second, they are prevented from securing prop
erly what they do take From both these re
strictions they would gladly escape, and it i
not surprising that both are often dsregarded
and hence Great Britain has to send ships @
war to secure to the fishermen of the Province
the enjoyment of their monopoly Our vessel
are often seized, and much irritation and som
danger grows out of it. Ii we can offer ta tn
British Provinces liberal scheme of reciprocal
free trade it is understood they will surrende
all exclusive right to take fish upon their coasts
and our fishermen will have free access TO th
best fishing grounds in the world. Should thi
arrangement be made, every family in tn
Union may be benefited, because fish may the
be obtained at lower rates and of better quail
ty Ia its national bearings, this free access b
the Provincial fishing grounds is universall
conceded to be of vast Importance. The fshin
trade thus opened will give employment to ten
of thousands of men and boys, and 70 becom
the great nursery for seamen from which on
naval and mercantile marine may always b
supplied. The Importance Of this consideration
cannot easily be oyer-estmated.
We come then, 30 the conclusion that thi
measure of reciprocal free trade with Canad
will not injure any section of tins Union, no
scarcely any of its particular interests, eve
temporarily, while it is Of vital Importance to
large portion of the country, and will, by il
direct effects or by the collateral advantage
secured in connection with it. be highly bens
fetal to the whole. So far as this mcasur
goes, it is step in the right direction;
knocks off some Of the letters with which com
MERGE has too long been bound believe tina
Sound policy requires system Of free trad
with all nations that will trade free with tn
United Statesn We think this especially tru
in reference to these neighboring Province,
settled, as they are to great, extent, by
people having the same origin, language, an
pursuits-being, in fact in many instances GU
relatives or friends, and often separated fror
US merely by an imaginary line. 1t is for tn
interest of these neighbors to trade and max
exchanges, aud they will do it. Then why nc
openly permit what you cannot and ought no
TO prevent
| know that some Of the friends of this meas
ure have doubts of its success at the prcsen
session. We are now near its close, and per
haps attention has not been sufficiently turned
to this subject. Lest these fears should prov
to bo well founded, which however | am no
willing to believe, take this occasion to "a,
| that this beneficial measure can certainly b.
secured, if those interested in the commerce o
the valley of the ST Lawrence will bestir them
selves The subject is but imperlectly under
stood, even by those most Immediately interest
ed. The press must do it's work, and the pub
lie mind must be informed and aroused. lie