, 1863-06-03
:gbieago @ribn1re.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1868.


OUR LAKE DEFENSE6.
Optimism may be proper in philosophy
but in politics and business it is the creed
Of fneeation-the next Of kin to the policy
Of the destructives. In what concerns in-
transitional relations, and through them
our external defences, it may do for the
Atlantic sea-coast where strong forts and
heavy guns give security to those whose
cities lie in the rear; but in the Northwest,
along that chain Of lakes which give the
cities on their border the commercial impor-
tance ofrccognized maritime towns, optim-
ismi is the last Of beliefs to which the people
should be commended. It was never
popular 1ercaway. The West has ever
clamored for the means Of that security
which other but not less important
sections Of the Union enjoy; and
the events Of our recent history and the
late menacing attitude of that foreign pow
ct with which our relations are most init
mate, and from which, owing to contiguity
of territory, We hare unfortunately, the
most in the way Of aggression to fear, it
las become hateful. The men Of New
a.:a- 1oA aa ~" W.,. r:. NV %. .u4. .no
ing Of Boston, by an enemy, would be pro-
nounced impossible by all military author
tiles, wonder at the impatience Of the West
"n1.u uo1' .~r 49,. ~ 80 -. a7 - ~
4ne @nsae )" oe.Tuoe "~n ~ ~ oue'
-1 =, 49,. ao-.n,.;.;ae:Han ..s :.a s ~
~ s ~ ~, ~ - II. =, ~" y,
..,,.e Nv 0Aa ~ w. ." Wv -es o.as1 *.,.o
40 ..e,..N..' n.ale "e0.' ~ ~ ean,ee.eeo - ~ VIC
Losaunts " "a, WIZ oisat ,'ii's', ,'la
.,,s: ~. ~ oons,.4se sol.s'nfs,suo INV u
.a.r ~ ',sa.,. $500. = e. \, ..:e.,e "11n w. ~
.a..a sr+s ,a,ss ..as.es ~ ~ 1.-ana 60 1u0ttse
n''e o'ea .eaeu, na'e oeea unuef anatn-
'eina .ot 1ne @ea1 tlla. d. We aa'e hanl1esteo'
.1no @nr oolaness "''n WHICH We nave spo"
hea" 'ua "e vt ~ OCCASION 1of relax1ns
.An' snoit '.,7' "s nAse tnaoe. AZ Inc
Aeao u a seaies VI 1aAes which o1s1oe our
eo1ns noiu 'as I''ssess'on u oououn
n4ela "no i'oss'''c 'oe, .lnc'go ana the
'aet eount's " WHICH " Is lne'1saol5 inc
'euae na'e I'LL ln'etes' III th1s ma'tes that
WI uo' peoes1roseo W sneef' OF snolfed
oue ~ "nu expressing contempt dere
- :" t'1Ae aonast' .nciau1ng American Ter
1ltofs "'sAco " tne o. Lawrence river,
a1'noet a"'ce ~ e.sat IN extent as the At
41noc e'ae' "om fassamoquoddy Bay on
ue Not.n' 70 u,e NOUN o1 the lilo Grande
W tns oou'n ana IL Is Today though in
*eina'4ooa1 compacauons make foreign
"4f an aintnincne danger, entirely at
ne meles " enat power winch must
~ ~ 4o a.ons 'nis vast tne, there Is
aa', 4ot.'lie1 na1oor that could not be
~ su ~ LUG eae"ys crusels; tnere i
80 patie W makne halt IN
1,es.a - ..'~4 ~ .1aa l0' oue o1 eho gun
IN. ,c.a~..1 ~, %.. ~ e.4e eoala Po' Atloat
.as.:.. s - Ao A.'! ~. .aA' eou.u oae' pro-
tee.1en ~ an anous'f'aa aofce "nAe enoea-
Vof1ng1o put together the means OF defense.
Ihefe Ii not a nh71gaole channel through
winch vessels OF war adapted for the lake
serS1ce' could be put upon these inland
waters. The enemy would hold the ocean
mouth OF the outlet for the floods of half a
Continent; and We should be power
Less. lied up by trcaty stipulations
winch may not be broken, and
may perhaps be wisely continued, there is
nal one course ieft--oniy one line ofpolcy
10 DC pursued, and to TINT Chicago is COM
mltfed-the construction or enlargement
OF a channel, partly natural and partly ar
11laal, through which, when hostilities
with Great Britain are threatened, the de-
1ence OF the Lake country may at least be
equal to tie means Of attack. Is the policy
unreasonable, or shall We do violence to
the national treasury, or to the rights Of
others, If we adhere to it? Ask New York
or Boston to submit to the destruction Of
the defcnses upon which the Empire State
and New England rely for safety, and from
1ne1f uns"er ert1ta'o1-saso-111ayy-s *a.a aues'
non 1nat We pfopouno!
1Ae oangcr tnat ne point out is not allu'
sofy. In tne event OF war with England
1A1s Lake Coast would be the point OF at"
JACK; ana We are o1 those Who believe,
upon 1esumong satisfactory TO ourselves,
1nough u might make nut little figure in q
court OF justice, OF as matter OF dipio-
matte inquiry, that for this attack Great