Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-16

IL is not unusuAl Tor our be0t steamers 70
rsy an insurance Of twelve per ccnsum per
annum on the Mississippi. Ont the Missouri,
Arkansas and Red rivers. the rate 10 much
igher. The commerce in transit pays a
corresponding rate. This commerce was
estimated twelve years ago in Colonel 3. ii.
Longs report to the War Department. at
nearly twelve hundred millions Of dollars
annually. One per cent. insurance on this
immense commerce would be twelve millions
o. dollars per annum. have no means Of
asceltaining the exact amount now paid,
bu. have no doubt this is less than the re-
slity. Yet this enormous tax Of $1,000
600 does not represent. the fourth part of
what the country is annually losing by these
distractions. II only represents the abso-
lutte aunihi,ation Of that much Of the crea-
ted wealth Of the people that Is destroyed
year after year. Ii exhibits no portion Of
the uninsured property annually lost, and
none Of the still more enormous losses III
Cured by vexatious delays and exhorbtant
frcightagc, oil Of which must be borne BY
the consumers aud producers Of this vast
commerce. The patient and long suffering
consumers and producers, they who are the
sovereign people, "thc salt Of the earth,'
claiming to be the most enlightened and in
teligent people on the face Of the globe,
and yet foolishly, yea sinfully losing this
fifty or sixty millions Of their own wealth
year after year, losing twice as much as the
total cost Of removing the evil, every year,
simply because they do not, as they should
do, command their servants at Washington
10 stop this criminal waste at cnce ard save
the blush Of shame from mantling the
cheek of every thoughtful aud intelligent
American.
II the government were not government
Of the people, made By themselves and for
their own benefit. there might be scma res>
son for this disgraceful neglect. II we were
compelled to await the mandate Of some
imbecic tyrani iupousy claiming to rule
US by divine right, we might stand acquitted
of this shameful derelicton but in land
where the will of the people is the supreme
law in land where they read and reflect
= laDd who're the light of knowledge pro.
vsdes the whole realm, like the blessed ray
OF the sun, and gows ~ brightly in the
humblsst cottage as it does in the palatial
ms nsion-wc should need no other impulse
than the spirit Of the ages and our national
pride 10 urge us TO IT contamination Of this
noble enterprise.
will not ct this time occupy the attsR-
ton of the Convention with descript OF
the different classes Of instructions which
interrupt the navigation Of these rivers =
II il sufficient for tho present to state that
similar distractions have been removed
elsewhere. In fact there is scarcely riv, {
in the whole Valley large enough on which
to inanGuvrc . steamboat but what can be
made absolutely safe and navigabls. From
my own knowledge Of these distractions l
feel fully warranted in asserting that there
is not enc Of them in any of these rivera,
great or small, that engineering skill and
cunning cannot master. The human intel>
lect, that mysterious light from the infinite
wisdom Of God himself, that has revealed
20 man the curious secrets Of nature that
has taught him TO time the flight, and
weigh a. with . balance, the ponderous
spheres that move in the immAnse void OF
Of space; that has given him dominion
over tic elements and harnesscd the very
lightning Of heaven to bear his inspirations
to the extremest limits Of land or sea, is
competent to curb and direct those mighty
currents, to Danish from their hidden depths
their dreadful terrors, and make their vast
waters the faithful and submissive servants
of his will. (Applauss)
In conclusion, Mr.. President and gentle
men of tie Convention, thank YOU in he :
hal of the Merchants Exchange for the pa.
tient attention you have given their humble
| spokesman. The theme il as exhaustless
MS the river itself. and worthy Of the high
est eloquence and the gravest consideration
Of your ablest statesman. The presence OF
so many of Il c earnest men Of the country
counse!ing together upon it assures me that
the improvement OF these waters is already
decreed applause This grand and i'm
posing concentration of mental force and
energy drawn hither from all parts of the
Valley, is an eloquent illustration of that
giant stream which has for some wise pur>
pose been given into the sole guardianship
OF this people. It's restless waves are borne
to our shores by southern breexes that have
danced along its surface for thirteen hun
dred miles. Its wealth Of waters are swell
ed by pine clad bills whose northern slopes
send their sparkling rivuets to the Arctic
seas. The Appalachian chain poars forth
ITS stores 10 swell its powe., aud mingled in
its vast vo.ame are the chrystal floods that
have frightened tho jewelcd sands Of the
Rocky Mountains. (Applsusc.) You come
to "a from homes ss distant and Is various
As the sources Of that mighty river, repre-.
scnting the wealth, the intellect and the
energy OF this Empire Valley of the cont-
rent. And when the United force Of your
wisdom aud Your will is felt in in the Capt.,
tol of the Republicans, thank God, it soon
will bet VIII give an impulse and power
10 this movement that will be as resis,les
as The old Father of Waters when he gath
e!s his annual floods and moves in over.
whelming grandeur TO the ocean. LONG
and continued applause"