Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-06-22

river the freedom of the seas, and inviting the
world to come up with the steamboat and river
craft, the ak and the emigrants, and open com
merce and navigation with their Amazonan
provinces, the richest piedmont country in the
world A spiritha gone abroad there, and 1t
is upon the waters of the Amazon.
A little more than two years ago the Federal
Government selected gallant officer Of the ma
w who was at that time serving in the Pacific.
detached him from his ship. first for special
service in Lima, and afterwards directed him
mouths, to sound its depths. and to guage its
capacities, present and prospective, for navi
CATION, trade and commerce.
That expedition has stirred up the people in
the Spanish Republics of the Amazon. Vhe
President of Bolivia has taken thsaGs.
matter, and proved himself a state
first order. He has thrown the Amazon pro-
vinces of that republic open to the commerce
of the world; he has proclaimed the freedom
OF the seas for the Amazon and it's tributaries:
and has offered a prize of $4,000 to the mas
ter of the first steamer that arrives there from
the ocean.
Peru has caught the same spirit; she too is
about to proclaim the freedom of the seas for
her Amazonian water courses. She is organi-
zing territories there, and has placed in the
hands of the executive 900 for the pur'
pose of encouraging immigration and settle
ment.
Ecuador. too, is moving in the same drec
ton and expect the next mail to bring me
good news from her, and from New Grenads
also.
Miller from Mississippi, is in Bolivia; Cush
ing, of Indiana, is in Ecuador, and j. Ran
dolph Clay, one of the most accomplished di
plomatis that has the honor to represent thi
government at any Cour. is in Lima. Ihes
functionaries are alive to the Importance o
this subject They regard the opening of tn
Amazon to navigation trade and settlement a
/! one of the great questions of the age; and W
may rely upon it they will do their duty if W
will do ours here.
The measures that propose are, that W
!, lay the foundations Of direct trade and clos
commercial relations with Brazil and the AT
? lantic slope of South America generally, an
with the Amazon in particular, and that W
set about it now.
The point to which the Convention shoul
address itself is the free navigation OF tn
Amazon, and the establishment of line
mail steamers between Para, at the mout
of that river, and Norfolk or Charleston
or some other Atlantic port of the Souther
States.
Brazil herself has just, come out Of Ion
and perplexing war with Bueons Ayres-or
of the objects of which was this very questie
ss to the free navigation of a river QW4ed
mofe nations than one. The LA*K1 ~
= that river Brazil owned some Of ifs tribu
aries, the Republic its mouth; and she foug
re it open, and so forced her way down, wi
the high hand and strong arm
Bot, upon the Amazon. the Republics ov
the upper wate-s-the Empire the lower-al
Brazil keeps them closed tight, notwithstan
ing some of those Republics have thrown thu
, posts open to the world and invited all natio
to come up aud trade with them.
Brazil knows that according to all the pri
ciples of right, the navigation of the Amaz
should be Free Shall We force it openf
" Lee: us try diplomatic suacioa; for it may
- opened peaceably; and we desire. above
i, things, to cultivate the relations of peace a
friendship with the nations of this continen
-, Let us do what. as good citizens, go
,s neighbors. and good men, we rightfully ms
a., to touch the waters Of the Amazon with I
la magic but real influences of steam, its fore
-, with the ak 81 its waists with the plough; Tor
n doing this we establish the foundation OF co
,o merce with country that is alone capable
e,. sustaining the entire present population OF
ia. world.
f,l The future Of these United States, so far
;co commerce with Europe may effect it, is char
IAN ING so far as our relations with the markets
the Pacific may bear upon it, is vast; but,
~, so far as it is touched by the Amazon, it
,u- dazzling.