, 1863-02-14
gI)leago, Grihnue.
SHIP CANALS.
Speech Ct Hen. E. B. W;a.sa5irue,
Of Illinois.

s-AA&A ~'AAHdA4-S" -
SSpaech Ct Hen. E. B. Wash5lrna,
Of Illinois, |
rx the House of Kcprc1cntettrc..s s'cb. !
ship CANAL for tho Passage OF Armed
and Nnya1 Vessels from tho MiA@:s- I
ei2Pi River to h"ke Michigan, ;ss.
Mr. W.sunuRsE-Mr. sp:asrr,' I did not
intend to truublc the Honsc with any rtmarks
haa been Of such au extraordinary character,
that would deem myself rccrcant to every
duty owe to my constituents, mud Il crime
10 the people Of the Northwest. whom l IN
lsa!t represent, did 1not speak here In thci5
nelf ST. tG geptena9 w wo ,,a aas s1t1 3asf
man who preceded him, Mr.. Valandig.tam,l
have i oscn Of this as IN "cxtraor1lintrJ
measure" can say, Mr. Speaker, that the
hostility which l.*R been developed in this
Tail 10 this grcot national and military pro-
jcct and to the interests Of the great North
| west. il Of he most extraordinary character
! that have ever witnessed during my term OF
| service in Congress- Sir. IT is no less than au
! Indication Oh tie part Of members here OF l
| disposition to refuse TO eight million people
what those eight millions haze always conce-
t ded to other parts Of the Union. We have
! cumc here and asked Congress, as an act OF
I common Justice und common right, to do for
ue what VIC have helped in all tune TO " Tor
other parts Of the country, in1which we have
Ill had Il common interest.
| argument tha, gentlemen hive pursued /
viii nu1 sa7 that they lave Intentionally mis-
rrprcsented any thing, but will say that, in
| Inv iudrtucnt, they have not stated Isirly in
one sirg'c instance, the provisions and oblects
Of this b'l It is, bir, in the first placc, great
military measure and military necessity I
| ask ecntlcmcn 70 reflect for moment on the
present condition Of the Northwestern Lakes.
! They are today without any substantial de"
fc,,s- against hostile aggression. Tho River
| st., Lawrence and its associated lakes extend
nearly S,uIu miles, longer DISTANCE than illat
! between Europe and America. The coast
li1:cs of tilese lakes arc 5000 milcs in extent,
Il grca:er distance than it is from Milne to
*zco, eco eco, nearly twice the external com.
| 11trcc Of the country, dontcd by nearly l,;'o9
| vessels. Every suEycstion 0f states..!lnsltp
ami Of p:t.iotis,n requires that We should pro.
vide every 1lta1,s in our power to protect this
gigantic public interest; L i as necessary to
coi:tr.,1 :.sd t+f.nd This commerce and the
lTnrlc Of the Northwest rs it is to defend
; yunr harboTs OIL your sea coast, for which we
have appropriated nntold millions. Aud
| wilcnSwe cos,e here mud ask Congress, rs Il
/ military measure, to enlarge our channels Of
communication So that In case Of need that
vast border may he defended, how are ~s met
hy gentlemen from Pennsylvania and from
other quaTtcrs!
| Sir, Wc nil know that, under m existing
trraty, we cnn keep no llnyal force upon the
lakes; and it Il war should break out with
Grett Britain, as 1t may do uuy day, every city
upon lhosc lakes would be exposed to the at
tacks which England might make upon us.
Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, and the queen
city Of tug lakes' Clsago, al,d in fact all the
!! entirely exposed to Il certain destruction by
! Il hostile foe. We ask this, therefore, rs !,
| military measure; aud is 1t an unreasonable
request? Was the speech Of the chairman o'
the Committee Of Ways and Means such !:
speech as might have bctn expected from tft
great leader Of the House? Was It 4 states
man like speech, broad and comprehensive
discussion Of L question Of great and para
mount interest, or was it only Il series Of jibe!
, aud leers, and Insulting illusions to my sec
/ ton Of the country, at which all laughed, d:
always all do when he says anything funny
. always feel 1t Il duty myself to iallg; ut jus
| the puint in the gentleman & speech where th'
q "gazeLc cunvs in." The gentleman did no
. eccm 10 consider the interest that We In TIL
= Of lis military bearings. lie would tarn :
: deaf car i the people Of the Northwest. H
d does not seem to know what the people Z
| MY State arc suffering to-day.
j lie does not know that the avenues Of com
munication to market are 50 blocked up thl
Of col n to market, SO enormously and Outra
Z scous1y have the present channels taxed til
. | transportation Of our products. But he dl
| understand that great monopoly tn his owl
Stutt, the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, i
earning s10,oe0,C COO year, good part q
which It is taking from the pockets Of tn
:, agTiculturists of the Northwest, Docs Il
J. uot know that, besides atfording our people
Ct d. f.nsc against hostile attacks, this propose
u work would add untold wealth to tthe cout
~. r1a ia
. slssirpi and St. Lawrence? The arca Of I'll
= g former is nearly 100 O00square miles, mud ha'
u ing 4 continuous steamboat navigation (
= nearly 5000 miles.
harc been amazed to find gentlemen frol
:. Ohio and Indiaru opposing this bill, keepir
~. ~. out Of view the sturcndous incidental adva
ia tages which the enlargement Of lese ca:aa
ID would bring to The great farming interests
~ ~ their districts. will not undertake to spc:
u for them; but l will tel. you, that i we
TO t. vote against this measure, what l shon
~ n xpcct from my constituents. When 1shou
~ 20 among that hospitablc arsl intelligent pc
N; lie, and Sit down by their flresdes, as ia
M Mtsa for TO many long years, and where have cv
been welcomed By so much cordiality a,
. kindness, they would say to me, s'arc YOU t
r man whom we have voted for 10 represent
-- Congress for Twelve years, and who has
er- Gently turned up in thu House Of Rcprescn
or tiycs 10 war against. all our interests? q
ual YOU thc man who voted agaillst 1iat s..
1ca enlargement Of The canals to admit gunboa
and incidentally u give us farmers q bctt
L. outlet for our products, saving Us fifteen
- . twenty cents OF every bushcl Of wheat
u, raise, which now goes into the pockets OF I
asa great railroad muuopolists and eXtortionist
!! bo Arc yon the representative of Western
!: tercets, us we'll rs the interests Of the vii
~ country; the representative Of tho men Y
,f}. earn their bread by the sweat OF II
bro,Es, who yotcds against the ship canal b
$t.,f fIYfAsF 1-tkFn I
worthy to bc pro,ccteds' Sir, how cou!
;4slswer such questions to constituent VII
interests 1 lad betrayed? Every flr'nel
Illinois. and every Earlilcz in the northern +
:1s Of Indiana and in thc northern part OF Ohio
la'. fact In all the Northwest, works one mo
in thu year for Inc benefit of those grcat
nopolies which come here through their aft
!. tions cndrayosiur to defeat Ills g
measure for the national dcfensc and
tne.r the general ~clfatc. Sir, in behalf Of the
;tose 70, opposition. / want to deal f1i1ly With c'
IN portion of the country, as have ever d
m With Pennsylvania. liave not for the
-, -, ten years voted for every tariff which ths
nast st satate State has uskcl for aud by which
ltnis wealth las been SO largely incrcascds A.
III 10 did so in 4 national and liberal spirit,
ret. rause believed that WAS promoting tile
the general interests Of the country, VIII
promoted the particular interests Of
~ Tlc gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA
is5'.l }icknlan] inquired yesterday, with {
affected carnestncss. whether there was
member here In favor Of Tits bill. VII.
he not inquire with the same earnest
}. Ill. whether there wis amy member here in
cast. pf tue fnrtiticntion bill, Which the gentlt
t2m from Pennsylvania Mr. Sseyensl las re
M rorg cd, md which approprlatcs more than :
million dollars for for. iGcatiOns. The {
man Of tho Committee Of Ways and \
's' says tha. this Is NIL u "shail.' That
+. Language In which tho honorable leader {
House charactcrfzcs this great measure, Y
IS of more interest aud Importance Z
constituents and the people of the
west than any measure that las ever bet
fuer- fore Congress. lie calls II 4 s1lam, ant
eFship that no gunhoats could get through
.mc ' "f cunnls 10 the lukes. Sir, on that point
UiucE. IL Il lfilercHec OF opinion between Inc u
MFR able gentleman front Pennsylvania and
distinguished engineers md sclentifc
LAY. What dops Capt Ericsson hny, In . lctte1
- len l,y him last April on tile subject?
ia read lcre Ills letter, which lind In an {
W document Of this uonsc:
E,s new TonK, April IA,
Str: Attrr full consideration Of tho Sub
your inquiry. lIav0 10 stat. that AL iupsc
I'd irun trrpc .Nal feet long and twcnty Aye itc
rpustt turtrd OIL the general plan OF tic 81
rAx9. will have sufficient buoyatcy 10 eaFsy et.o
asss1 With bnIl OF $50 pounds. and carnb!o oi d
frv any vessel that ronid be put Oh ITO
Without coal ammunition, and stores, s1cl
| .oI ,,iU frnS air fret ak fnc}Ipe aud II