, 1863-05-14
THE COMING CONVENTION

Cept anu pIactlCe are explained; and until
the Copperheads themselves can furnish
Others, these must standl
THE COMING CONVENTION.
As the time approaches tor the great
National Convention to be held in this city
on the I'd Of June, it becomes more eyi-
dent that both in the number Of those who
are to be present, and their high social and
intellectual character, it will be one Of the
largest and most influential bodies that
eyer assembled on this continent The re-
sponses received by the committee, and
the interest manifested in the subject all
over the country, give assurance that We
are to have Convention whose
voice and action will correspond with
the magnitude Of the interests at stake. 1t
is no exaggcration to say that aside from
the immediate suppression Of the rebellion,
in its influence upon the safety, the deyel-
opment and the future glory Of the nation,
10 more vital subject can engage the public
attention. The Committee on Statistics
are preparing mass Of facts, gathered
from tne LAST census, anu othef pef1ec@iy
reliable sources IN felation 70 the extent
INC resources anu Inc growth Oh the
Nortn"es1' "nlcn mus' convince inc
most sceptical that such people and
such q commerce, long since exceed
ing in value the entire foreign traf1lc
Of the nation, have right to that military
protection which the enlargement Of the
Illinois and Michigan, and the Erie canals
would afford. These millions Of people,
dwelling on and near thousands Of miles
OF lake coast, and the value Of whose trade
is told IN hundreds Of millions, have but a
single grnboat, carrying but single gun,
to defend them-and this while they now
furnish seventy per cent OF the products
that pay for the vast foreign imports of the
country. II the freedom from Immediate
complications with Great Britain,
and the regularity and safety with
which this commerce has been
carried on had not Mlled the nation
into false security, the plttance re-
qulred 10 enlarge our canals would DC con.
slde1eo a mere ooeateue' ana 1he demand
1of the 2mmeolate completlon OF the WORE
would be unanimous and Imperative.
The West has no disposition to ask for
the ahrogaion Of our commercial treaties
with Great Britain. We prefer that they
be enlarged, and' as Tar as practica5le, and
in accordance with the mutual interests o
both nations, that they approach as nearly
as possible 10 Tree tfaoe' bat surely
Great Britain WILL not complain
I'm the mattcr OF eeli-pro1ecuon we place
ourselves on an equal ioolng with hersen
As circumstances no" are, ii war were de
clared, she could IN forty, or IN sixty day:
at most' "hlle Navigation was ope'
through hcr D. lawrence canals place
neet ol g@1nboa1s upon inc lakes that "oul'
sweep our commerce from existence, an
take or burn every city between osdcns
burgh and Cn1cago. 10 prevent sncn
Calamity, the magnitude and the result
which no mortal man can estimate, thi
Convention is called, md that its influcnc
upon Congress will accomplish it, the1
can scarcely be doubt.
.n our canals were enlarged as propoEcs
the moment war was declared, tho Gover1
ment could command every non iounof.!
and every snip yard win az tnelf acc'
muateo resources between rl'tspurgn an
b. raul, anu aiso every gunpoa1 alread
anoa1, On our "esse1n l1!ers anu ~ u
tine England coulo place mel gunboats
hlngsmn' or at most al one end Of Il
Wenano canal' our neess couio DC at II
olner aau @ as os"ego 10 meet anu rep
1hem- Inc experience OF the past I"
years mas amply demonstrated the nece
Ity Oh oelne lnofougnly prepared 1or
war, with England. To be so prepare
IL A0e oA'3 su1e Nay ~ PAete4t IL