Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-02-18


the far-of West, whose products rot and
molder away on his hands, or are burned
for fuel, offending heaven and the day
with the smoke Of blasphemous waste.
1t comes to these like a revealed benif-
cence, for it brings an equivalent for his
products, and bears his before useless corn
to the hungry remote thousands for whom
God intended it. was amazed at the log
ic of the gentleman from Ohio. That ar
gument would have forever prevented the
construction Of canal or railroad, that
pack-horses and wagons might receive
their accustomed patronage, and that way
side inns might still feed hungry men and
horses. The wise legislator would, if he
could, annihilate space between consul
mer and producer, and abolish the carrier
who lives on both, producing nothing but
devouring charges.
And beg my mourning Indiana friends,
and in this include the gentleman on my
left (AIr. Porter, also, to remember that
when we had this same Mississippi rolling
its tide of fsrtilizing mud uninterruptedly
to the sea, with the present means Of
transportation eastward all in working
order, that still the poor workers starved
in Europe. and tie poor workers burned
corn in Illinois. All the nations of the
earth rise up and condemn this state Of
things; and when we propose to improve
as we may this relation of the parties, the
gentleman from Indiana Mr.. VOorhies)
exclaims against it as a sin against nature.
| The old ways opened by the Almighty are
preferred by him. These Indianians seem
/ to think that their noble State was born of
the Mississippi as old Egypt was Of Nj
lus slime Sir, had the Mississippi been
their only outlet, Indiana would have been
a wilderness to-day, with not one hundred
and fifty thousand Inhabitants in her bor-
ders.
This constellation of the great western
States we're born of the East; and, like
the children of the Magians, their faces
are ever toward the Orient.
1 can remember when there was not a
harbor improvement from Buffalo to Mil
waukee. I can remember, too, the sneers
and jeers of the scheme Of the pondorous-
headed, deep-eyed Clinton, of connecting
the waters of Erie with the Atlantic. And
yet the prophetic voice that spoke it into
existence invoked the mighty West into
being. The dim recesses Of interminablt
forests, the great empty prairies-empty
since the dawn Of time-heard that voice
and came forth with their teeming mil
lions to realize the dreams Of old imagin
ings.
Sir, in my judgment, as Commercial
and peace measure, there now exist thu
same reasons for the works proposed by
this bill as existed for the great enterprise
of Clinton. The same forces that pro
duced that, still work with a ten-fold ener
gy; and how any man can fail to see this
Is to me incomprehensible; and how an!
man of the West, OF who sympathises will
it or who loves to see his naioI
develop and swell to her grand anC
lust proportions, can withhold his suppor
from this measure-as I fear all my col
leagues save two willis still more in
comprehensive.
Itis easy TO call this sectionaI scheme
and denoUnce it; but let gentlemen be
ware; the Northwest, now but huge out
lined giant is rapidly filling up and hard
ening and solidifying into its just proper
tions, and will soon cease to be a section
it will become the nation, and will in it
own good pleasure and time dispose Of tn
sections.
1t was to be expected that Pennsylva
MIA would oppose it solid, although she
too. rests upon the lake. Nothing ira
verses her soil from which she does no
exact tribute And her citizens for 1
whole winter, with aims in their hands
recently forced the whole travelling Nortl
to patronize her peanut vendors at Erie
the place where Perry's feet was built
The nation has cheerfully shaped its poll
cy to develop her resources. Her coal ant
iron are exempt even from taxation; ant
yet her Representatives stand here tn
"goblins Of the mines, a stupid, iner
mass Of selfish obstinacy, to wall up tn
way Of this great measure. We say t
Pennsylvania, too, we bide our time.
The unregenerated gentleman from In
diana TMr. VOorhies desires no artihcia
channels of intercourse and interest +
bind together the remote parts of the Re
public; the Water-courses Of nature ar
ample for him. Can that gentleman, IL
the blindness of prejudice, have forgotten
that it is commerce, born Of thrift am
gain, that has opened up all the beautiful
ways of intercourse between the peoples o
the earth, has been the bearer Of civiliza
ton, preceded the missionary of Christian
ity, and traficked in the arts and science
themselves 2 Under her genial care, tn
gentle and sweet amenities of domestic life
love, marriage, and family ties, hav
made alien tribes one people in blood an'
interest.
Sir, regard, in this aspect this meas
ure as one of vast national moment. w
have already deereed the construction o
the Pacific railroad. Not an argument 70
that but pleads for this. That is the grand
est national labor Of this age. 1t wed
the Orient and the 0ccident; and thei
beautiful progeny, going and coming upol
it, like the angels in the flmy ladder il
the dream of the old patriarch, shall stre1
the continent flower like, with blessings
In the fierce and organized opposition t
this measure see something ominous o
its present fortunes. Let not gentlemen
exult; it will be only postponed to bet
ter day and wiser counsels. If it fails now
transmit my labor in it to my abler sue
cessor, and those who may follow him, til
it is accomplished.