Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-11-19
The Great Ship Canal
ME- TING OF THE CITIZENS OF
JOLIET.

Agreeably to previors announcement, a
large and respectable meeting of the citi.
zens of Joliet assembled in the Court House
in this city, on Wednesday evening last,
to take into consideration the Importance
of enlarging the Illinois and Michigan
Canal, and to take measures for bringing
the matter to the attention of Congress at
its approaching session.
On motion, Hon. II. HowK was called to
the chair, and w. I, T. Jones and j. l..
Braden appointed Secretaries.
By request, Hon. Uri Osgood briefly and
lucidly stated the object of the meeting.
On motion, committee of FIVE was ap-
pointed to draft resolutions expressive of
the views of the meeting. The following
gentlemen constituted said committee -
7. l. Breckenridge, E. W. Crandall, Eu-
gene Daily, S. o. Simonds, and Samuel
Reed.
After brief absence, the committee re-
ported the following preamble and resolu-
tions:
WHEREAS, The sad and calamitous events
of the past six months have taught us the
uncertainty of National peace-the liabil-
ity of attack in 7iolaticn of the provisions
of treaties the most solemn and binding.
and hence the necessity of well advised and
thorough preparation for events possible
in the future, and
WHEREAS, also, In the event Of war
with Great Britain, we have not only to
defend line of sea coast on the East, ex>
tending from the Bay of Funda to the
Gulf of Mexico-on the Gulf coast from
Cape Sable to Palo Alto-and on the West
from San Diego to Vancover's Island, but
on the North have our whole line of terri
tory from Maine to Oregon distance of
over :our thousand miles-exposed to as
sault, and
WHEREAS, also. Great Britain has ex-
hibited her true line of policy for the pro-
lection and interest of her own subjects,
as well In time of peace as in time of war,
by the connection of her lake with her
ocean commerce, by means of chain Of
ship canals connecting the lakes with the
nayigable waters Of the St. Lawrence-it
behooyes US to take lesson from her ex,
ample, and open passage for our lake
commerce with the Mississippi river. its
tributaries, and the Gulf of Mexico; and
WHEREAS, At an expense the masttriy-
ial, in comparison with the great adyaDta-
ges to be derived therefrom, such line of
communication can be opened for sh:ps of
the capacity of One Thousand Tons bur-
den, from Chicago ria the Illinois river to
the Mississippi, and thus every State West
of the Allegheny and East of the Rock v
Mountains, be placed in direct water coma
muuication with the lakes in time of war.
aad in time of peace, with Great Britain
thro' the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the
advantages to be derived therefrom in shin
ping munitions of war and army and navy
supplies from the rich interior States 10
our frontier, either North or South. There.
fore,
Resolped, That we call the attention Of
the American people to the Importance of
this enterprise, and respectfully request
their cooperation in urging the work to
q fnal completion. :.
ReSolUed, That we respectfully represent
to our Senators aud Representatives in
Congress thu Importance of this work as
matter Of National defence and CONNER.
cial Importance. and that we earnestly re-
quest our said Senators and Representa-
tives to use all true and lawful endeayors
to bring this matter to the attention of The
Congress about to commence, by Resolu-
ton, Bill, or otherwise, at the earliest pos.
sible moment after the meeting of said
body.
Resolred, That the proceedings of this
meeting be published, and that copies
thereof be sent to our Senator'S and Rem
resentatiyes in Congress.
Resolred, That corlmitte of ten he ans
pointed to draft and circulate a memorial
to be presented to Congress at Its regular
session upon this subject.