The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-22
TIE GREAT SOUTHERN MOVEMENT.
Is.~s M n. Many and the objects OF the
MeaEPiais COnvent10As

WASHINGTON, Apru 70, 1858. /
SIR In complying with your request a. to reply
to The objects Of the Memphis convention at length"
select the Pacific railway and the Amazon, because
they are pre-emnently national do not select the
subjects OF q mere local bearing, because you are
more familiar with them than am; and because you
understand them much better than do should be
more likely TO do harm than good in Offering sugges
tons with regard 4. them.
Without the aid Al any mere lookeron. you have
the energy and the viii 10 carry out all these great
works OF internal Improvements among the states.
many OF which you have already IN hand, ana all OF
which are intended for the better development Of the
vast resources thOse sections OF the country espe
oiay whose welfare it Is the particular object vi the
look with astonisbment, aud behold with amaze
nept the giant spirit of internal improvement that
is abroad and the aoh evements which II is accom-
plishDg in the South and West. Ii is vast and
mighty-they are grand-and both are glorious. All
things considered that you live in new cormhy,
that it is sparcey populated, &c-the degree OF
energy display ed by the people OF the South and
West in construction II railroads. and other works of
public improvement, has never been surpassed or
equaed IN any or country. Never has there been
exhibited SUCH osi lay III we'll directed energy,
public spirit corporate aud individual enterprise as
may be witnessed IN the States of the South
and " est.
/ therefore have not the vanity to suppose that
can soy single word 10 you with regard to your
works and schemes OF internal improvement that
would be worth so much even as the Ink of express
SION You all right there and il is wise in others
10 let well enough Alone
therefore turn to the mighty Amazon aud it's
water she'd have made il the subject of study for
years and have had the benefit OF some peculiar
sources OF information with regard TO il. They
not amount TO much, but such as they are, oifcr
you the result OF them.
Do me the favor TO pick up the first school atlas
you may see, and turn 10 the map Of North and
South America, If II have one If not, to the map OF
the world. You will there see that our continent
has AZ were been stretched out until 1t has been
nearly drawn in two, the two parts being held toge-
ther IN the middle by quite a narrow neck OF land.
After this pulling asunder the southern part appears
TO have been thrust out to the eastward forming OF
this neck OF land an elbow blight, in which lies
embosomed midway between the two Americas,
that beautiful sheet of water composing the Gulf Of
Mexico and the Caribbean sea, and which have
often described as " our Mediterranean
Keep your eye still the map, if you please, and
you will that South America is in shape beau
tfui cornucopia Consider It's mountains. that they
are away TO the west-look at the number and
tent OF It's rivers that you may understand how well
wateed the whole Atlantic slope OF that country is,
aud you will that literally aud truly, IL destined
10 DO a great horn OF plenty. It's mouth is turned
right towards Us, as though it ready to pour
out OF It's vast abundance infinite variety Of fruits;
and whenever 1t does pour these out, 1t viii empty
them into our commercial lap-that aforesaid magnl-
dceDt Mediterranean Sea OF America.
Turn steam, the emgrant and commerce, with
their influences, upon that watershed, and you will
make Of it one vast plantation, which will produce
for US all that the climate OF India affords; and being
~ our own doors, Will want from Us in return every
thing which we have to spare; and what Is it that
new settlers IN new country 10 not want!
New ork at great cost Of time and money, by
of her Erie canal and other works Of internal
improvement, has well nigh turned the Mississippi
river UPSIDE down. She has taken one OF is com
merciai mouths at least from the Belize and placed it
at Sandy Hook. The Rio de Ia Plata is nearly as
large as the Mississippi; the valley il drains i pre-
portionaly great and Tar more fertile for it i inter
tropical and a canal of few steps in length, by
Comparison will turn that Mississippi of the South
completely upside down also. bringing its mouth,
for all the practical purposes OF travel and commerce.
into the Amazon; and the two will then, for many
Dther great State be taken ty the DhV-
steal agents OF lie CreatoTtLe winds OF heaven and
the currents OF the sea-and brought to the Straits
OF FLORIDA there TO be united in their great outlet
npcn the high seas with the mouth Of our own Mis-
slssippi. What focus
The Amazon, as it now exist gives drainage to
Dix nations 1t is the natural outlet 10 the Atlantic
Of much Of Brazil, OF most Of Bolivia, Peru, and
Ecuador, and OF large provinces III New Granada
and Venezuela.
But tue empire has the strength and the position;
she holds the mouth, and will not let the republics
go up or come down with their steamboats,. They
our sisters, they want our sympathy and need
assistance their noble efforts TO introduce the
principles OF free trade upon tie Amazon. From
the other hemisphere these nations are stretching
their republican hands out over their Amazon trbuta
RES procsimng for the waters Of that river the free
dom Of the seas, and inviting the world to come up
with the steamboat and river craft the and the
emigrant and open commerce and navigation with
their Amazonian provinces-the richest piedmont
country III the world
spirit has gone abroad III ere and it is upon the
waters Of the Amazon. A little than two years
ago the federal government selected gallant officer
OF the navy, who at that time serving in the Pa
cifs, detached him from his ship, first for special
service in Lima, and afterwards directed him TO
pore the Amazon from its 10 its mouth
60 sound its depths and to gauge its capacities,
present and prospective, Tor legation, trade and
commerce.
That expedition has retarned and Lieutenant
Herndon, the officer in charge Of H. approaching the
importance of placing the information collected by
him before the public without delay ha, already
submitted his report TO the government. II ha-
been transmitted 10 Congress and that body, rightly
conceiving 1t 10 pQssess high degree OF interest,
has ordered large number OF extra copies.
The party consisted OF but two officers
Count ID Orserey, French officer, had, when en-
gagged in exploration OF the region, been
murdered but q short time before yet, not With
Standing this, the American officer, when be arrived
IN sght Of tic greet water shed, determined, with
tie gUahead spirit OF bis c0untTyn 10 divide the
pariy-to send his paDion accompanied by
young American sailor, whom he had enlisted in
Lima into Bolivia, and down the Madeira; while ne
himself, with but Peruvian, and such OF
the natives ~ he might pick up By the way, to
company him, resoyeI to undertake the nam stream
itseif. Thus accompanied LIE descended that river
on RATS and in "dug-outsi through a distance Of
three thousand five hundred miles, and found il
ygabe for vessels Of the largest class from the sea
to the Andes.
That expedition hes stirred up the people in the
Spanish republics OF the Amazon. The President
OF Bolivia has taken the lead in the matter, and
proved himself statesman 81 the first order. lie
na- thrown the Amazonian provinces o. that repub-
claimed the freedom Of the for the Amazon and
it, tributaries, and has offered prize of SO 900 TO
the master OF the first steamer that arrives there
from the ocean.
Peru has caught the same spiit-she too, is about
10 proclaim the freedom Of the seas for her Amaze
Bian water Courses She is organizing territories
there and has placed in the hands OF the executive
$500 900 for the purpose OF encouraging mm grafton
and settlement.
Ecuador, too, is moving in the same direction, and
expect the next mail TO bring me good news from
her and from New Granada also.
Miller OF Mississippi, is in Bolivia; Gushing, Of
Indiana, Is in Ecuador and j. Randolph Clay ono OF
the most accomplished diplomatists that have the
honor TO represent this government at any cours Is
an Lima These functionaries are alive TO the mpor.
lance OF this subject. They regard the opening up
Of the Amazon TO navigation, trade and settlement
Rs one OF the great questions of the age and we may
rely upon II, they VIII Dc their duty there If ~ will