, 1863-03-16
Revival Of t1se Nsatiomzs1 Ca11aE
EnfsarEe1rscnts-


The intelligent and well directed action 1'.'1 q
meeting on Thursday last, in respect 70 INC
increased facilities, SO much needed, LOT tnc
vastly Increased commerce of the Northwest
GIN Stntes, can hardly fni1 to exert q regiElns
and State, hui especially OIL the great interior,
now so deeply and Justly ngsrIeved " nc
recent temporary defeat In the House Of re.
prcsentatiycs ofthe efficient measures OF reiiel
proposed by the States Of New fork and llli~
nois. The unanimous movement in the Cham-
her Of Commerce shows very distinctly that
the friends of those measures, IN thai poay,a "
least do not ut NIL regard their temporary re1cc"
lion By the slender majority in the House, SO
strangely composed, in part, Of tx q @ tue
York, as being final and i7rcVocahle. On the
contrary, they plainly announce that the pro-
jcct is to be renewed and prosecuted with un-
diminished zeal and vigor, and its great na-
tional merits presented TO the next Congress
with such additional evidence Of its national
ing manifestation Of public opinion through
out the country, rs to render further resist
next to impossible.
The fact is perfectly notorious, that the
small majority eventually formed to defeat
the bill, was secured mainly By the gross and
willful misrepresentation Of the cost of the
proposed works, and By assertions, equally
unWarrantable and interruptions, Of their
want Of capacity, and in particular in respect
to the rant ef scatt7r on the Erie Canal!
To effcctuall} disabuse the public mind. and
to secure sound and intelligent public opin-
ion on the whole subject-the very rcmark-
able proceeding has Just been instituted, Of i
call ola national convention, signed by ninety
ight members Of the last Congress, inviting all
the friends OF the measure, and especially all
the Chambers of Commerce, Boards OF Trade,
Agricultural Societies and business associa-
tons throughout the country, to meet at Chi
cago on the first Tuesday in June next-for
which assemhlage every flcility will undoubt-
and otherwise.
Within three days after the call, it vas
unanimously accepted by the Chamber Of
Commerce Of this city, which promptly ap-
pointed 9 committee of twenty-five Of its
members to attend the convention in It's be-
han; l;, The Imitation viii doubtless meet u
similar response from mot If nof all Of the
cities OF this State, anl4 probably of New Eng
land, rot to mep.4o ION the movement, in mass,
Of the great >, est itself
4 sece. I'D resolution was also adopted by
eor chamber Of Commerce, OH the motion Of
Mr. s. B. Ruggles, to earnestly and imnedi-
ately demonstrate against any action OF our
new locks on the Erie or the 0sweyo Canals
and hc might have added Of the Champlain
Canal-of the scanty dimensions Of those
now existing, which admit the passage only
of boats less than IS feet broad and 9s feet
long, and carrying but :, 600 bushels Of wheat
any new locks on those canals shall be suti-
clnt to pass boats 25 feet broad and 200 feet
long, and carrying IL IL ie: les. - 90 bushels.
Such an enlargement Of our canal l0GAs,
without any alteration in the channel, now
deep and broad enough, 1t vas clearly shown
to Congress, In behalf OF the State Of New
York, would practically save in transporta-
Z bushel on the wholecereal crop Of the West,
already exceeding one hundred millions of
bushels yearly passing through the lakes-a
saving which would Of itself, in 4 single year,
very nearly reimburse the whole cost Of tho
proposed engagements in New York and
Illinois.
In face Of such a fact, and the enormous ad-
vantages so easily gained, and their immense
y Increasing importance in the future, and in
view ofa National Convention assembling un-
der such auspices, aud its ability to secure
speedy success, it would be infltuat:on in
deed for the State to yield tt, any hssty teel
building any more Of its canal locks to
be used for this vast Western trade, Of
the scanty size now existing. Such an
act would be a practical and suicidal
abandonment Of all idea Of any further i'm
proving our great channel Of transportation,
and q distinct declaration that New York did
not really need any Increased facilities, b. :.
was ready to acQuiescc in the vigorous r. a.. a.
1lrcs which the widespread West wor - 4sas ,'1s
doubtedly commence for obtaining ~, su eoedr az
enlargement ofthe Weland CAM al ~ ~ spssus an!
struction Of the Ottawa Caos 1,M thsa" ths cuI
those capacious Canadian r. =, .1au aha"Isr
and better route to the , t,sntit. 't' = e'"p''
It cannot be possible that tasnu a;;,,or ,,,oh =,
o1' S''"'' 1'e : 'a'0'' &C can SO stultny itself: