, 1861-01-05

Trade OF 0HiCARO.
1fit were known That the cidke eupon the
Mississippi, led by st. Louis, had formed q
conspiracy to obstruct and destroy thenay.
igatfon Of the Straits Of Mackinaw, that
they had IN active and unscrn,ulous agent
employed alta largo salary from year to.
year, that they Ind expended tens Of thou
sands Of dollars II sinking old vessels aud
placing snaga intha channel, we're backed
by an unlimited amount Of money aud wcrc
determined at sll hazards 10 accomplish
their wicked purpose, would not our Board
OF Trade at once call upon all our citizens
TO vindicate the rights Of commerce, and
to preserve the connection Of Lakc Michi-
gan with tho lower lakes free and unob-
structed for all time to come Whatever
might bc the resources aud the energies df
The enemies Of Chicago, they would be met
h7 combinations still more powerful and
unyie1ding.
While free passage for our shipping 10
the lower lakes is essential to our very ex-.
'stence as city, the right to extend our
railways through all the vast and fertile
territory west ofus, and across the Rocky
Mountains to the Pacific, is Of scarcely less
importance to the growth OF our city and
the necessities Of the commerce Of the coun-
try that makes Chicago the focus Of its
trade. Involved in is ngh., and in fact
IN essential element Of il, Is the passage of
the cars by bridges over all the rivers that
cross the lines Of the railways-he bridges
Of course to be SO constructed that they do
not materially interfere with tho naviga-
tion Of tho rivers over which they pass.
This right has been maintained by the
highest courts in the land but we are sorrv
to be obliged to add, that our: Board Of
Trade and our citizens generally hare con-
t:ibuted little, perhaps nothing ofinduence,
and, SO far aswc know, not cent in money
to establish and maintain this right
The tables of our Commercial Review,
published on Tuesday last show that some
:'alrty SIX thousand tons Of freight passed
westward over the Rock Island bridge dur
ing the last year, and Of this, eight thou
sand tons were merchandise, most Of which
was probably purchased in this city. Sinty-
ore thousand tons wers moved eastward,
among which we notice about seventy
thousand live and dressed hogs, ten thou
sand cattle and 10000 bushels of wheat
and COM Scarcely any Of this trade would
have found its way to this city lad it not
been for the Rock Island bridge. Now the
right Of the bridge to be there Is as clear
and indisputable Us the right Of our vessels
to navigate the straits Of Maclinaw. It
has been SO decided, as above stated, By the
highest Judicial tribunals IN the country.
The combination, therefore, formed by st.
Louis and other cities 10 destroy the bridge
is as unjust and as wicked IS it would be
fer them to conspire to shut up the Straits
Of Mackinaw. Why, then, are our people
SO utterly Indifferent in matter 50 ritally
essential to the growth and the prosperity
/ ofthe city? The only reason We can think
Of is that the bridge is built, aud it's owners
are under bondsto the amount Of the whole
value Of their property to defend it. Pruc-
t:cally our merchants say, let them defend
i! tue best way they can, and IRE will pock.
ct all we can by their exertions.
One result Of the Bissel1 conspiracy trial
in this city, was the proof Of the fact be-
yond nil cavi1, TINT the St. Louis Chamber
Of Commerce has for several years pas'
been unceasing in its efforts to destroy thu
Rock Island bridge. What was before 3
a mere matter Of assertion, is now sett.ci
hy competent legal testimony. Derrick 4
January, ESQ, one Of the leading citizens o
St. Louis, md Chairman Of the Committee
ofthe Chambcr Of Commerce having thi!
matter in charge, testified TINT SCI, 900 hat
to his knowledge been expended in thei,
efforts to remove the bridge, and weshou1i
infer from the testimony that much NOR,
hnd been collected hy Bissel from steam
boat captains and others, and used for th'
same wicked purpose. This evidence wa,
given BY Mr. January unblushingly, in ons
ofour own courts Of justice showing be
yond question most extensive and pow
er(uf combination 10 limit and restrict th'
western commerce Of Chicago, and in fac
OF all the railways and cities east of us tt
the Mississippi River.
Mr. Blssell, the agent Of the St. Loui
Chamber Of Commerce, escaped for tn
present under the ruling Of the Judge tha
if the jury believed the location Of tn
bridge was not proved they should find 1
verdict for the defendant; but the fact thn
| most indamable material came to thi
city from St Louis, and that it was to b
usedin burning the bridge, was proved be
yond question To examine the eridenc4
on this point would make this article to,
long, and we therefore reserve it for NOR
full discussion hereafter.