, 1862-03-14

y corresponding OF LHe ihcIfeSOr, 1oHa,
Asars makes the following correct aad timely
suggestions it, regard to The effect Of the ILL
nojs ship ca,lal upon the Earrlers and CONNER
eia1 Interests ofIoGa. His opinions arc based
ul,oii ol7ious facts but it is mainly as a war
measure that the whole country East and
Vest siiiouId demand the carly completion Of
this greet national enterprise. The safety Of
the immense commerce ofthe lakes, as well
as the fact itat tho lake marina could, in case
Of emergency, be placed upon the ocean,
sEcull lie sufficient rea5c1s for TIC favorable
action Of Congress. 4 foreign war should not
find us il the helpless condition we we're in at
Tire outbreak Of the rebellion.
.c writer in the lHe1.s says:
Illc bill row pending before Congress pro-
I7'.seE 10 sppTopJiatc Eice a:::s c 1u.r!cr mil
lions Ct dollars for the construction Of a ship
canal from Ctlcago, Oh Lake Michigan, to tue
mississippi River It is to be one hundred and
sixty feet in width, tho locks to be three hun
arcG and sixty feet long, and seventy feet
wide The depth Of the water ut all TINES
to liz sufficient to pass steamboats, and vessels
from the lake to tile Mississippi river, drlwing
not ices than six feet OF water. There does
not seem to be luUcI doubt but what Con-
gress, 1T its present scssion-on the ground
Of Il military necessity-wiH pass the bill.
probably bc completed within two years. Ono
Of the advantages resulting fro:n the construc-
tlon of such Il work would be great reduc-
tion in the cost of the transportation Of the
produce Of Iowa to al Eastern market. At the
present tin., the cost Of transporting a bushel
Of wheat from the Mississippi river to Lake
Michigan, by rail, is about fourteen cents.
With That improvement, the cost by water
from McGrcg6r to Chicago would NOT exceed
four ccnls- It would save to the farmers Of
Iowa, annually two millions Of do!lars-a sum
Which would go far towards the payment Of
the Increased faxes that Iowa will be called
upon to pay as her proportion Of the war debt.
Commercially, the Mississippi will then have
its mouth on lake Michigan, instead Of the
| Gulf Of Mexico.
It will cause the erection Of numerous and
substantial warehouses along the river, in
| which will be stored, during the winter
montlls, the wheat and -four Of tho country,
| ready to be sent forward on the opening Of
| navigation. Let us hope that the Iowa Dele
| cation III Congress will do all they can to OBJ
t lain the pasEage OF the bill
The Shareholders and the President.
| We stated in OUT remarks Oh the Presidents S
message the other day, that tive had reason
| to believe that Mr.. Lincoln had had assurances
Of support from eminent citizens Of the bor-
der States.'' The National I,tte1tgcncer after
quoting the Essn;ng Hsst, adds:
"We suppose ourselves to be violating
no confidence wle, We saT that our contenl.
poraTy has good reason for the belief that
the President, in the policy he
recommends, has received earnest
and numerous assurances Of support from
that class of persons in the border slayehold-
ing States who arc most immediately inter.
ested in the proposition brought to the notice
Of Congress. VIC allude, Of course, to slave.
holders, and especially 10 shareholders resid
ing in the States Of Maryland and Delaware
many among the most influential of whom
have not only signitied their acquiesccnce ir
the project, but have urged it upon the favor
| able consideration of Mr. Lincoln. The Pres
idcnt, in his message, whatever may bt
thought by some Of its expedicncy or practl
cabilty, has merely responded to the wishe:
and representations Of i portion, at least
among the population most directly concern
| cd in the mcaEurc-' >,