The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-10-10
General Blair vs.. See. Chase
How the Head OF the Trearury Manages
Trade ON the Mississippf-Dlscrimt
tion against the Northwest. &C.

4
tion against the Northwest. &C.
Gen. Blair recently delivered in st. Loui
speech upon national affairs, from tn
closing portion of which we make some ex
tracts:
There are still other points, my friends
upon which had intended to touch. On'
among the most important land which / d.
not feel at liberty to omit to-night) is &
question which has taken some promi
nencs in our midst, in regard of the
free and unrestricted navigation Of the
Mississippi river. loud applause We
know how sensitive upon this question the
people of the Northwest have always been.
We know how it thrilled every heart when
the first gun was fired from the heights of
Vicksburg against the commerce of the
country, passing by upon the broad bosom
of the Mississippi river. We know that
every man in the Northwest, with one
voice, exclaimed, "It can never be permit
ted that the Mississippi river can belong to
any other than our people, or any other
than our government; that the commerce
of that river shall be unrestricted" That
was the unanimous sentiment OF all the
people of the Northwest. 1t was 80 well
understood that even the secessionists-
that jeff. Davis, with his congress at Mont
gomery, sought to allay what he knew and
felt would so arouse the anger Of the North
west by declaring that they did not intend
to obstruct the navigation of the Misslsslp-
pi river, or restrict its commerce; and
believe resolution is now extant, passed
by the secession conversion in the State of
Louisiana, when it itattempted to secede from
the Union, in which declaration was made
to the effect that they did not expect that
they did not wish or intend, to obstruct the
navigation of the Mississippi river. Our ar
mics were eager to rush to the field after
an embargo was placed upon the river and
its commerce, and they broke it down. The
valiant hosts of the Northwest broke
through and destroyed all distractions
against the commerce of the Mississippi
river. But, my friends, we found zoe aoere no
better of after we broke do,on Jcf Davis'S
distractions than we ,csrs before--ttat Chase
had taken JEFF. Daris's place. cloud cheers,
mingled with few Kisses
Mr.. Blair-WsH, that IS q good deal like
Mr.. Chase himself--that piece of rowdyism
and blackguardism. 1t don'tsurprise me at
all as coming from one of Mr.. Chase's
frienns, and am very glad that the friends
of the government here, who have invited
me to address them, have allowed this thing
to pass with 80 much contempt.
Voices, "Put him out Put him out3
referring to the individual who proposed
three cheers for Mr.. Chase).
My friends, if you will give me permis-
sion, l wish to say that shall contend for
the free navigation of the Mississippi against
the embargo of Chase as strongly as have
against jeff. Davis's embargo,
loud cheers and cries of "go on !" go on r')
and don't care what position or what pow
sr he holds or wields in this government
| shall discuss this simply as measure
deeply affecting the interests of our people;
and l don't believe that any argument has
been raised on the other side-l have seen
one attempted to be raised-which will JUS
tify the restrictions which have been placed
upon the commerce of this great river 1t
is we'll known that since the 4th day of
July, or, rather, since the 9Th day of July,
no enemies Of the government in any or
ganized force have been upon the MisSls-
sippi river within ono hundred miles OF
either ofits banks-that the commerce, the
products of the Northwest have been tied
up here in our midst without market ex-
cept over the costly railroads between US
and the East, have been so taxed and bur-
dened that it is scarcely novel to US that
the profits made by the railroads eat upthe
profits that should have been made by the
producer in the Northwest; and absolutely,
my friends, to show how this thing has op-
Grated, will state to you that when Banks
made his proclamation, declaring that the
direct commerce between New Orleans and
ports above should be free, and unrestricted,
and untaxed, the stock in the Erie Rail
road, running from Dunkirk, on Lake Erie,
to the city of New York, fell from lO6 to
l0l, and it was not noted. The opening OF
the Mississippi river had this effect upon
this remote railroad, which had enriched
itself by the cutting eff from US Of the free
navigation of this river. As soon as Gsn'l.
Banks declared the commerce free from
New Orleans to ports above-for ne had no
power to make it free elsewhere-as soon
as he made this proclamation we see the
result. Now | put it to this community,
put it to any dispassionate, to any disin-
terested man, whether the Northwest has
not done her full share in suppressing this
rebellion. Loud cheers, and cries, " She
hss.") And whether it is necessary that
any discrimination should be made, or ought
to be made, against the Northwest.
CHASE ONLY WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.
If they were in Davis's pay they would
call for three cheers for JEFF. Davis. Re
newed applauae.) But inasmuch as be-
long to tins city and this State, and can see
no good reason or no justifabe end to be
made by this system OF restrictions, which
are restrictions upon US, but restrictions
upon nobody else, which lets Chicago fur
nish the people of this State and won't let
the merchants of st. Louis-when | see
this network extending all over TIE coun-
try, am inclined to think that Chase is a
candidate for Lincoln's seat, and wants to
get somebody around the country to help