, 1854-06-17

production of its fruits. Tie great body
of the country on the other hand. stretch
ing eastward from that range TO the Rocky
Mountains while it contains many fertile
valleys and much good land suited to the
farmer, is yet more especially grazing
country, one which, as population increases,
promises in its cattle, its horses, and above
all, its wool, to open a new and vast field
to American enterprise. But in the mean
time the staple TO the land must continue
to be the one which nature herself has
planted, in the ineXhaustible forests of
fir; of spruce and of cedar. Either in fur
nisning manufactured lumber or spars Of
the first description. for vessels, Washing
ton territory is unsurpassed by any portion
of the Pacific coast.
These resources, however, are not the
only ones which she possesses. The wa
ters, too, afford their share of wealth. The
fisheries in her rivers, in the Columbia,
which she divides with Oregon, and in the
others emptying into the Sound and the
Pacific, are bOundIcss and without, the
banks lying of the coast, and the inlcts
stretching between Nancouvcr's Island and
the main, swarm with cod, halibut, and
other valuable species, while to the north,
the Arctic Ocean, to the west the Chinese
seas, offer their field to the daring advcn-
ture of the New England whalcrs. The
policy Of the territory and Of the country
at large, is to cultivate simultaneously and
equally all these sources of national wealth:
and as the administrative officer upon
whom the honorable and responsible trust
has been conferred, of first opening the
way to their development, | desire to fur
ther that policy to my utmost ability, and
to secure to the territory in which | am
placed, so far as she may be entitled to
them, all the advantages of commerce.
The necessity of n rendezvous upon the
Pacific, within the American territory, for
American whale fishermen, is sufficiently
Obvious, as well as the importance of secu-
ring that rendezvous at some point within
a reasonable distance of the fishing grounds,
where access is easy, aud where suitable
provisions can be obtained at moderate
prices. | know Of no point which even
now unites these with other requisites, as
Puget Sound, and at the rate at which set
tlement advances, two or three years must
place competition with it at defiance. As
a private speculation for those interested
in the business, there is at this moment an
opportunity which rarely offers, and may
never occur again. But few land claims,
comparatively have been taken upon the
harbors at the lower extremity of the
Sound, and as the title to these is inchoate,
and some years will elapse before the sur
vey will secure them, position might be
acquired at small or no expense, which
would hereafter prove of immense value.
What wish to suggest is, that the cas-
tern capitalists engaged in the whale fishery
should, by their agents, select some port
adapted to the wants of the trade; locate
the adjacent lands, and create depot for
the entire business. Such one once cs-
tablished, would speedily become q rendez-
vous for seamen, and place at which pro-
visions of all kinds would seek a market.
The investment would find an enormous re-
turn in the increased value Of the property,
and the territory be in proportion benefit
ted by tho introduction Of this new re-
source and by the creation within herself Of
q maritime class Of population.
/ am confident that l need not enlarge
upon this proposition. 1t will be sufficient
to suggest it to your minds, to secure it
such consideration as it may deserve. l
will, therefore, only add, that whatever
encouragement and assistance / can offer
within the sphere of my official duties, will
be most cordially rendered. The union of
this distant shore with my old New Eng
land home, in pursuing one Of the great
est branches of trade, would be to me
sufficient result for my political ambition.
l am, with respect, your ob't serv't,
Isaac /. STEVENS,
Governor of Washington Territory.
Hon. Joseph Grinnell, and other gentlemen
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