, 1863-06-03
THE NATIONAL CANAL CON-
VENTI0N.
First Days Session.
Dr.. Daniel Brainard Welcomes the
Delegates.
SPEECH Of HON. HAHNlBAl HAM
LIN, PRESIDENT Of the
CONVENTION.
LIST OF OFFICERS AND RULES
OF BUSINESS.
Speeches Of Gen. Walbridge, Of
New York, and Hon. D. D.
Drake, Of st. Louis.

more glorious day, judged by thcrmome
! ter and barometer, for the assemblage Of til,
National Canal Convention, could not hay,
| been desired by the most ardent advocate o
the Canal or lover Of fine weather. A clear
cloudless sky smiled upon the tented audi
ence, and refreshing breeze sweeping oyertht
Lake tempered the solar ardor, and rendered
the tent Life refreshingly e1durable Tho i'm
| mense delegations commenced assembling al
the tent about 10 o'clock, and fully an hou1
was consumed before they we're seated and II
readiness for the deliberations Of tile Conyen
tion..
About II o'clock, Dr.. Daniel Brainard o.
This city, in behalf Of the Board Of Trade
Mercantile Association and citizens, called the
Convention to order, and after silence was OBJ
taincd, nominated Hon. CHAUNCEY Fill.
LEY, Mayor Of st. Louis, Temporary Chair.
man Of the Convention.
REAARKs OF Major Fl1LEr.
Mayor Fi}ey, on taking the Chair tempora,
rily, addressed the Convention. He said:
GENTLEMEN OF THE national CosyEy
11oN: l thank you for the honor conferred
upon Missouri and upon st. Louis. I have
been sent here By that great commercial me.
tropolis to represent her interest In this Canal
matter. Perhaps shall be better able to give
yon the views OF the City Council and the
delegates who have come here, BY reading tc
you preamble and resolutions adopted Ds
that body in reference to this matter, than by
any statement which could make to you.
The following preamble and resolution:
were introduced in- the City Council, Of St.
Louis, By Mr: Weiss;
/ WHEREAS, A National Convention Ia about tc
assemble at the city Of Chicago to deliberate in re-
ference TO the proposed enlargement Of the nlinOi,
and Michigan and New York and Erie Casals
|. BE Il Essolrfd, BY the Common Council Of thu
city Of st: Louis, that. aB tue Representatives q
| this great commercial metropolis, We look will
much interest and anxiety to the accomplishment
zadM if.}grzser Re,ased, That the Preeiaeu
Of this Council be, aud be is hereby instructed. u
appoint five members thereof to represent the cit,
in her corporate capacity in the said Convention
and that his Honor. the Mayor, be requested to a.
IN s919psi9n 9s with tho Geleat;s 90 appointed
delegates outside Of said Council, to represent ta.
city in said Convention.
Mr Mss asd he enopsd the rsso9tioa Toa
bcr q ce@messc id appolntcd % large delegation ]
tons were unanimously adopted.
DR. BRAISAKD then nominated the Tempo
sary Secretaries Of the Convention, who wert
elected unanimously as follows: Marshal IL
Strong, Wisconsin; A. II. C1app. Of tho Buf.
flo S q. ~ EsprFs'' and ". H. McHenry, St.
Amid revercntial silence, BISHOP S1stpsoS
OF the Methodist Episcopal Church, came
forward and invoked the Divine blessing as
| follows:
He appealed to the Lord, as the Creator OF
al the word, the Sovereign Of all nations
All wisdom Is from Thee, and Tnou dost rule
in the armies Of Heaven and earth. Assem-.
bled as we are, from various cities, dletric 8
and States, about to commence deliberations
Of vast moment TO the country, and deter.
mined mine TO work present and future blessing.
Without Thy aid. no good can be ACCOM-
plished; The hearts Of the children Of men
ARE in Thy hands. We adore Thee for these
! goodly lands, mountains, plains, Lakes, riyers,
GENIAL climate md fertile plains. We bless
] Thee for the rays Of science and monuments
Of art sent abroad through the earth, aud de-
] yeloPlpg the resources Thou hast given us.
We bless Thee that Thou last pierced the
| mountains tAot the lands may be connected
together with iron bands. We praise Thee
for the diffusion Of Intelligence and the bless
ipgs Of high order Of civilization; aud we
among us until the country is in1issollubly
bound togc ther, and that art and science may
bless the land in all its parts, and that peace
may epeeaily reign In nil It's borders. Aud,
Gu, Lurd we pray that Thou maysr be with
These delegations May no sickness come
they return safely to their families, and may
they meet with a cordial greeting, without 4
| pang Of woe. May Thy blessing So rest upon
them that In the final Issue they may be found
to have consulted wi=ely, and nany they see
| That Issue happily made.
Oh! Lord, we pray for tbr blessing upou
our distracted country. Bless thy seryant.
the President Of these United States, and let
the spirit Of wisdom be with his associates In
Cabinet and in council Bless the Governors
Of States, and tue members Of Congress, thnt
they may devise such measures as shall re-
dound 10 the peace If oar country. WepEay
for thy blessing upon Ill officers, civil and
military, and Oh Lord, we pray thee, let
this terrible conflict speedily come to a close,
and peace take the place Of war, upon the
principles Of equity and righteousness, and
ma may 1n We unite and Prove happy aud prosper,
together In union; mud may the spirit of
peace be preserved until ali men shall be
Joined In one universal Brotherhood. The
Bishop closed his appeal with tho Lords
Prayer, amid profound silence. :
TIE ADDRESS or wK14coME.
Dr.. Daniel Brainard then came forward, aud
delivered the address Of welcome, as fol-
lows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GEs711ms OF TIE Coz
yEST1oN:
lappear before Jon in behalf Of the Board Of
Trade Of Chicago, the Mercantile Association,
s es and the West 2ppiaaSse e Soa Ghiesso %
although not possessing TIC historical : aasosia-
tons Of the venerable tnttntions which give inter
ample Of what may be done By unalded Industry,
and se1hibits the spectacle OF an Intelligent
md fss People estsSliahinE By themselves The
within her limits the largest granaries Of the
world and numerous Important manufactures;
hut more than all. she has a population unsur..
passed in enterprise and patriotism, who unite one
and all In offering you heartfelt welcome.
9onr presence here A11s Us with joy. TO SEQ 30
many bearing honorable name; 50 many represent-
b1ed, dis Us with gratitude Which no words can
express.
The occasion which has called you together is one
oi no ordlnary character. i is not the call Of
tic artnies-it is the voice Of men shut out from
tie markets Of the world, oppressed by the e1ccs-
ess 81 he tRs whc remain
labor Of half Its rewards, dtscouraging Industry
and paral5zing enterprise. In their distress, they
mept to which they owe allegiance and to The san.
port Of which their lives and property are devoted,
aud failed to obtain that relief which they had !
tSs ws e. anehe9tgs IT, s gseRs Ias
patriotic and the powerful in word, they appeal
to y9n, gentlemen, and ak yoa to speak in their
and in a free government. win not BE- spoken il
:a 4PsS!:sss eaot the history Of this region in
city, HInois. and her sister States of tic North.
messed thcT bi.th and their growth their present
population, and Its Increase their extent and fer
ulity, their commerce and productions, with their
capacities for boundless expansion ia the future.
hll m must be fa@1Iias and to dwell upon them would
To others mosttcapable has, moreover, been COM
mitted the task Of supplying those facts By which
Intelligent ae!oa nag ss s. b bsaea a'' anu On "A'eA
The eons Of the West hare demonstrated their
loya II their patriotism and thcir courage. on eye
their actions are written. are not daned By sin
Gle blot. Their namcs are enrolled in the Sron Of
honor. along with those which time shall not ct
Ing. Centuries Even now, the southern sly is lit
up hJ the glory Of their deeds, and the nation
looks to their action for Its preservation, with
tinued applansc) Such arc the men for whom
your efforts arc Invoked.
Our fertile psairfes lay for centuries untouched
by the hand Of agricnlture-not because they were
unknown, but because they were inaccessible.
Their prosperity dates from the opening OF the
Erie Canal thi1tF,elght years ago. The Increase
the direct result and consequence Of the construc
To the genius Of De Witt Clinton, these statesowe
and greatness. Every city here is monument to
his honor. From every domestic altar where morn.
Ing prisons or evening Thanksgiving are offered to
bcncdictions upon his name ascend. The policy
which lie established has stood the test Of tins aad
secured the zeal Of success but fs results hare so
projected, enlarged and multiplied as they have I
been, are al hlled to their utmost capacity. Tho
incrcasc Of the West may be stopped, her fertile
and Colombo her bright future daJEcned, and her
people discouraged, By the refusal Of the Govern
ment to oprn those means OF accommodation upon |
which her growth and prosperity dcpcnd. Her |
commerce begins to feel the chain which fettessit:
her people already complain that the fpits Of -!
their labor arc gathered up by others, and while
carriers are enriched, consumers and producers
suffer alike, and arc Impoverished Under these |
she asks Of Congress to construct
from the Mississippi river to the Atlantic, chau-
t4f II, hR rAPrrYntr FIaa ard /