, 1862-02-05

We take the following article on the reeip~
rocity treaty and the free navigation Of the ST.
Lawrence from the La Crosse Republican. Its
suggestions are pertinent and controlling. The
entire Northwest should vigorously protest
against the abrogation of q treaty from which
so great advantages have been already derived,
and which is destined, if nnaastu1bed, to have
go large and benefccnt an influence in tho de-
ye1opment Of the West:
Tic States west Of the lakes have larger
interest at stake IN the free navigation OF the
st. Lawrence, which is secured to Us under the
reciprocity treaty, than al the rest Of the
Union. The New England States, New York
and Penn6ylya and the Southern States,
had no particular benefit to secure under that
treaty. 1t has been, still is, aud ever, will be
siness through the Erie Canal and over her
railways, instead Of allowing other routes and
avenues TO the seaboafd to infringe upon OF
custai1 her monopoly Of the carrying trade be-
tween the east and west. The Eastern Rail
road Companies and merchants are quite
willing to destroy the reciprocity treaty,
to retal;ate upon the Canadians for
their unfriendly clanor for var; and
in doing SO, call upon western men to CO.
operate in P1tting an end to treaty under
which British American produce comes into
| competition with western produce in the At
| lant1c markets; but at the same time there is
not merchant in New York OF Boston, aud
J not railroad company between the ocean
| and Canada, unmindful Of the importance Of
| securing the carrying trade between Canada
| and the scaboard market, which they propose
| to do BY allowing property, to aud from Cana-
5a and tue ocean, to pass as formerly, in
/ bond" Under this system Of . bonding
| Canadian wheat and flour would as now come
| into competition with western wheat in New
] York and Boston for export to England and
| to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the West
indies. The real object Of the anti-Reciproci-
! ty-Treaty men of New York is to get rid Of
free navigation Of the St. Lawrence, and
thereby force the produce Of the West through
New York channels. Mr.. Seward, as New
Yorker, and also as a proprietor Of Wood
! wort1's patent for dressing lumber (which Ca-
madam l911nbcr1nen tried to use without paying
the exorbitant patent tax Of one per cent for
each board dTessed), never favored tue
Reciprocity Treaty. The western people
are interested in keeping open and free every
possible avenue to the ocean. 4 little ditch
like the Erie Canal should not be the only
avenue for Our commerce to reach the sea-
board We want the great natural commercial
highways Of the Continent, the st. Lawrence
and the Mississippi, both open and with
them a multiplicity Of artificial avenues by
land and water, so that the facilities for trans
population and business in this western couu-
try. We hope no man who halls from the
west will bc 60 stupid us to encourage this
scheme Of closing tho St. Lawrence against
free navigation. The elect Of that scheme
would be to add permanently aud seriously to
the difficulties Of transportation that already
exist. It wonld place western business at the
mercy Of IN Erie Canal monopoly. We have
seen Us yet only one. western paper foolish
enough to encourage the Scheme, and that pa
per i, without exception, the most unwar.
Iantably stupid concern in the country. It is
quite unnecessary to say that We mean the
Milwaukee Sentinel. We commend the entire
question to the consideration Of western Sena,
tors, Congressman, Legislators, Farmers, Nc,
chanics and Merchants, from all Of whom there
should go to the Government in one full
chorus reu,oDstEauce against disturbing tht
free navigation Of the st. Lawrence. Let us be
! trra fr ourselves