The New York herald., 1867-02-19
THE MIS- SISSIP PI.



the most important OF any held in the wes, ha
been in session in the hs Of the Mercantile Library
Association In this city for two days It's object Il
70 memorabilia Congress 10 take the necessary step
% improve the navigation OF the Mississippi river
30 that the facilities Of the great West may bc mor
readily opened up supplying the constantly ncreas
ing demand for prodsctions The call for the con
yention sets forth that invitations have gone out tc
m the principal points on the Mississippi
from tho Falls Of St Anthony to the Gulf
n wen AZ 10 the leading cities and towns along the
tributaries Of that stream with the view Of concentat-
ing on the occasion the wisdom and energies OF the
citizens OF the grest Mississippi Valley for further
ance u the proposed object The government OF the
United States through the War Department has just
nnished survey Of the upper and lower rapids with
the design the work Is practicable Of removing the
formidable distractions to navigation presented
points, but a. conflicting interests may oppose the
necessary appropriation for the purpose is advisable
that popular demonstration in favor OF the measure
should be maae Hence the call for the convention and
Sho extensive embraced in its composition.
The report OF the Typographical Engineers recon-
nends the construction Of canal along line Of those
mpediments the best mode for overcoming the DIM
cultes presented and taking into consideration the
paratve economy of The plan both respects money
and time there be little doubt that the suggestion
will be adopted. An appropriation Of q few millions
therefore, with the occupancy OF not more than two
years wi place tho people Of this great valley in DOS
session Of uninterrupted line of river communication
from the head waters this grand river TO its mouth
and secure them. well The advantages OF ocean
transportation.
In response this invitation there were present at
tAe opening session. delegations from all the principal
corporations engaged In transportation the promi.
nent cities and towns in the West including St. Louis
Mo ht,sbarg, Pa; Lyons Iowa; Nebraska City; Lans
adsnt Of the warsaw, Rock Island and and Gaiena
Railroad; Independence, Mo-; Canton, NO.; Lex
hal, Mo- Port Hammer, Ohio Marietta ohio; Detroit
Mch Memphis and Chattanooga, Tenn Louisiana,
m BeIlevnie Ill; Andalusa; New Albany. : Ind.
Quincy, ILL., Rock Island, ILL., Montrose Iowa President
bes MONIES Valley Railroad President Iowa Central
Jones county, Iowa; 'winonaS Mimi Hudson Wis
Madison Madison. Wis; MsGregor Iowas Red Wing MINI.
Glasgow. Mo-; Keitsburg, ILL., Grgcsyille, III stiIl.
water, Mnn: Alton H. Muscatine. Io~a; Louisville,
Iowa. BoonviIle, MO; davenport. Iowa; ninaeapois
MINI; Little Rock, Ark. St. Paul, MINI Iiberty. Mo-
xasn' M.1saw' ILL., Washington, Mo- Nashville. Tenn and
Inc ensemble Of the convention was excellent in Al.
peNsanoe most OF the delegates being men in the very
. the American business man. The aggregate wealth
represented here far exceeded that ever personined
70 any gathering heretofore held west Qf the
me object which brought these representative men
ogetRer one that closely connects itself with the col
Il
Ss he III ns wsn Ss
ss H. E ss ssSssSs sS: .nS
especially OF the great Faher Of Waters that cheap
aad face transportation TO the Gull may be ao ded for
have entitled the West TO the proud appciiation
Of the .granasy q the world" Although the improve
sonng together Of these delegates want
Ing Indications however, thas other rivers whose nav
had in he
..,,.s 'o0; g. I:Sd:I,os s these smaller
srsSans greaL N.s time upon tacking on the pro-
6I5gates inIed 4 en- would represent these
esss ;sssisss !: 0sU: 0S.::,ssis action
Psrsn,ns 70 me me nun SissL S.sS s,o - rss0
lvons reported By Toe Committee appointed 70 dfaN an
expression Of ls pt3sass Of the people Of the West
states ms%s ws S,S as aer
Al opening Of the session on Tuesday the delegates
were welcomed 70 the city Of s. Louis by his Honor
CxsrIlnYK-As the executive officer OF 81 Louis
have been requested TO cali tho River Improvement Con-
,sss SSsvensn D On
iae speedy completion OF this great western anu ana
saon enterprise In behalf OF the ncS gpaaed 70
neet these large and influential delcgauons Iiom ~
many States who have this day presented nS sra
determined accomplish the work, ana eAlena tne
members and all other strangers present .ne coroM nos
Of this ctv Forty years ago, when nrst
, 81 ,he wes,ern pank of the Mississippi river
"a Louis this great work Of improving the rapids OF the
wsi saaan hslf done believe VIII apply this
vsnton and now propose 70 begin tne work W 'e- |
suestins the Rev Truman N. Post to pray TO God to
The Rev Mr.. Post then offered up suitable prayer,
after which General VIM. vandever, OF Iowa. was CHOSEN
On aknr the chair Gen vsndever returned thanks for
se honor conferred him. and stated the object tee
convention, foows:Our object Is as lregaIe " 70
romots the best interests who have come tQ US
from afar as well Of own interests our nfst
s,ms "a 70 ccntsibuts. TO the utmost Of ability, TO
The consummaton or this grand evenf TINS great
river, In its course draining some nIseen tnousano
&c scaboard Of the counryor abe latter only covers
shrec thousand miles, while the noble Mississippi nver
on both bauks washes thirty thousand miles OF shore
carries on lis bosom amount OF commerce three lines
. great value the ontre forean commerce Of TINS
s e0Sn 'Ss States bordering upon the the
uopsr portion Of this valley and including what
scnmoncDs % with Minnesota and embracing wisconsin,
lOda Illinois and Missouri are all furnishing, oy wen
statistics S Of ,a the 20
e this great nation tApplause Nov that becomes
sr great mportanee we have T recogniaed sar,s sne
acconpsh this great object-that II not within the
compass, within the sphere and authority OF state
@ Narh wshsEs snpDy sonsh Stretching oa, il arms
sasi and wost from extremity thereof TO tho other
81 ,ho Confines Of the ocean in the west II prc-em
nenty above every other claim that be made on the
general governmen-a great national work and great
nssIona intercst (Applause) simply wish 70 aliude
70 an idea in this connection, and that is this
Doubts have existed in the minds OF many
persons In the days gone by 10 relation 70
ihe powers Of the general government concerning an
object Of such vast Importance and interest and solci
tude the people of this country but how In the light
Of the present day can there such doubts any longer
n government cannot throw its benign influence, is
protecting power and agis interest SO vast as
this Is might reasonably be questioned whether that
government possessed the powers OF seprcservation
iAppause) II is analogous 10 the power OF sef-pre-
seryaton inherent In other government
and as you have that whenever efforts have been
put FORTH from what source, threatening the
stabiihy Of this government what immense sacrnces
can be made by this people, what an immense amount
o. treasure and blood can be poured out, now then,
when We como down 10 the peaceful objects OF every
day life which calculated to cement us
Into harmonious whole from the very 70 thc
mouth OF this great Mississippi river not unite,
in hnrr - aaan1