Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-31
NAVAL DEFEEOEs OF THE LAKEa.
Report OF Mayor Senfer and Hon. 4.
c. Parsons TO President Lincoln on
the Necessity of Naval Protection for
t 10 Lake Frontier.

The Washington Republican publishes,
with editorial remarks in commendation of
it, the report of Mayor senter and Hon. R.
c. Parsons, of this city, to President Lin
coin, on tho necessity of adequate naval
protection to the Lakes and Lake frontier.
These gentlemen waited on the President
on Friday last, and presented him, in be-
half of our City Council ard Board of Trade,
resolutions on this subject passed by these
bodies, and with their report, which we ap-
pend, and which was well received by the
President. We invite the attention of our
readers to it as an able, succinct and COM
prehensive statement of the facts bearing
on the question:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: The undersigned have
been appointed, on behalf of the City Coun-
ell, the Board Of Trade, and the citizens of
Cleveland, a committee to wait upon your
Excellency and present to you the several
resolutions herewith submitted, relative to
the necessity of action, on the part of the
general government, to protect the vast ma
rine and commercial interests of the lakes
and the great chain Of lake frontier, now
exposed to danger from foreign and domes-
tic enemies aud to ask that your Excel
lency will specially request that such leg
islation bs had in the establishment of ma
val defences upon the lakes as TO give that
adequate protection to those vast inter
ests which justice and common prudence
would seem to require.
We are also charged with the pleasing
duty, on bshalf Of those we represent, Of
rendering to your Excellency their lasting
gratitude for the uniform fostering care Of
the rights and interests of the people ofthe
Northwest yon have ever shown, and to
present their cordi l thanks for the notice
recently given by you for discontinuing
the treaty in relation to the restriction Of
Naval forces upon the lakes, and in favor
of abrogating the so called "Reciprocity
Treaty"
Mr.. President, it appears to those we rep
resent that the necessity of naval 9rotsc-
ton to the vast interests of the,Lakes is but
imperfectly understood. So rapid, so mag
nifcent, and so wonderful has been the
growth of the West, in population and
IN wealth, that our legislators seem scarce
ly alive to its extent, or its claims upon the
general government.
The seven states Immediately comprising
what is known as the "Northwestp now
contain population of 5000, 900 inhabit-
ants. Within the memory of living men,
who at the time were heals of families, the
first white family in Ohio was on its way to
that state in q single covered wagon, from
Essex county, in Massachusetts Since
1880 the fertile and prosperous State of Il
linois has more thon doubled her popula-
ton, and she now boasts nearly 1900 ,OO0
of people. The growth of Indiana, Mich
Iu1zoonaS,
ly less remarkable, and these states are now
the acknowledged granaries of the world.
In regard TO the internal and domestic
commerce between the Mississippi Valley
and the Atlantic States, the late Secretary
of the Treasury, Mr.. Chase, in his report to
Congress says, alluding especially TO the
commerce passing over the great lakes and
finding its way TO the seaboard by railroad
and canal, "that the exchanges conducted
within the limits ofthe United States, have
attained to a magnitude emitting them to
the designation of commerce in the broadest
and fullest sense of that term, and to the
care and regard of the National authorities,
as commerce is with foreign countries"
We find from that report, that in 1862,
''the aggregate value of westward com
merce in that year, including the deliver
les of merchandise of all classes, at dis
tance of three hundred miles from the At
lantic seaboard, was nearly the SUN of
S6l6 ,00O, 900, and that the return freight
eastward, of inland produce and merchan-
disc passing the line of the Alleghanies,
attained the value of $552, ,00O, 900. The
total trade is threfOre 81, ,168, 900, 900:
1t will be seen that these exchanges be.
tween the East and West constitute the
most gigantic system of internal commerce
the world has ever known.
Duriug the last year the number of yes
sells engaged in the carrying trade of tho
lakes, numbered about 1000, registering
nearly, if not exceeding, SOC, 900 tons. The
value of this great fleet is estimated at over
$40, ,000, 900. The copper and iron mines of
Lake Superior alone employ about 500 ves-
sells, and are a source of inexhaustible
wealth TO the nation.
The foreign commerce of the United
States, for the year 1868, both imports and
exports, reached the sum of 1885,, ,6O4, 1876.
But, sir, it is not our purpose to occupy at
length your attention. Permit us to say,
that while our foreign commerce can be
guarded by our navy, now one of the proud
est in the world, our domestic commerce,
greatly exceeding it in value and import
ance, is, to a great extent, absolutely with
1ut protection.
Add to this the long line of lake from
.ieT, with all its cities and villages exposed
in case of war to a vigilant and powerful
,nemy, and our case is before you.
We most respectfully submit that these
yreat interests should not be neglected by
he Government. but should receive that
and care from its hand which
heir magnitude and importance impera-
lively demand. GEORGE B. SEETER,
RICHARD G. Parsons.