New-York tribune., 1868-08-07
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL CJNTEN
TION
THE PROCEEDINGS ON TUEsDM-THE CITIES !
AND TOWNS REPRESENTED-AN ADDRESS |
BY TIE HON. JAMES W. TAYLOR.

THE PROCEEDINGS ON TUESDAl-THE CITIES
AND TOWNS REPRESENTED-AN ADDRESS
BY TIE HON. JAMES W. TAYLOR.
Prom Our Special Correspondent
PORTLAND, Me, August 4, 1868.
Two hundred and five delegates from various
cities and towns (Which viii be found enumerated in the
list Of officers gwen below assembled in the City Hal at
II o'clock to-day and organized as Convention OF bus
ness men to consider various measures and plans now De
fore the country TO increase facilities of intercourse ana
trade between the Atlantic eaboard and the interior OF
the continents to take measures line Of rail
way across the continent at its widest part from the Al
lautc TO the Pacific seas connecting HaluaN Portland
Rutland Buffalo Detroit Chicago, and san Francisco in
an unbroken ne and to consider also the completion oI
a direct line from the st. Lawrence waters to Pugets
Sound; the adjustment, on liberal TERMS of the resa
tons of trade on the continent Of North America and
such arrangement of lines of ocean steamers sailing at
fixed hours daily from each side Of the Atlantic
Ocean and between China and san Francisco
as shall secure lines of communication by this route be-
tween Europe and ASIA as regular and convenient rs
those existing between city and city upon the same
eoutinent-on the completion of the lines of railway now
built in progress projected between the eastern shore
Of the Atlantic and the harbor of San Francisco. The
delegates are men of intelligence, ana have the conn
deuCe OF their constituents, as the list of names embraces
many prominent EchliChleh hUll @ IoI VI il y nnsi1a u l
tcgrlty ana ability. The call for this Convention was
issued about four weeks since and after the objects were
fully understood there was nearly response III neul
every city, and numerous letters received IRON eadg
dorsed the movement in fatterng terms inspired the
orginaOrs with hope. and they than satisfied
The hub OF the universe did not inclined at first
TO send delegates 10 this Convention but the Board OF
delegates and watch the Portanders II nothing
more, Boston don't wish 10 allow any more clt'S 70
eclipse in the for commercial Importance ana re-
nowB consequently half dozen gentlemen are mere
This forenoon the session lasted about hour and
half and an organization effected with more than
the dispatch, and opportunity was given to two
ID
speeches ndorsng the objects OF the Convention ana 10
show the feeling III Their communities III leRaIu 10 lne
same First of all the delegates were introduced 10
each other and after short season OF social intercourse
the Hon john Neal Of Portland President. lie IN
vted the Rev. Dr. Harms Of Brunswick Me- TO oner
Alter the Invocation the chairman made few remarks.
lie said that this not congress OF communities nor
nations After briefly stating the measures TO be con
sdered he said there business enough lor an me
cities OF the country and Portland merely wished IOr her
While the Committees which were appointed were at,
tending the duties assigned TO Them senator CODett
OF Portland. oregon was called upon 10 make an address
to be brought nearer together by railroad c9nnecO pe
tween the Atlantic and Pacnc coasts ana 10 turn le
great tide Of trade from China and Japan through The
nearest point OF shipment from the Auanuc COAST ho
had understood that Portland was the most contiguous
point 10 which that freight should dveTge. He felt
great Interest IN Portland oregon ana went "l Qtieis
years 10 develop the resources OF the state Wch ne
represented which ne Ganed' was Se one erc Oh n snS
Shipping from the Pacific coast large quantities OF cereal
ton than any other partOf inc country tefea pi0uuCls
were now shipped direct TO Europe and China and they
were opening large trade with 6OOOOOO OF people that
had been practically excluded from taihG Wlh nations
from the Pacific coast They had population OF 10000
or 10000 Inhabitants from China III the Pacific coast and
the recent treaty WIN that people "niCh Mouu alit
them TO the brotherhood OF nations They were doing
what they could in his State but the help OF older States
was needed. line Of railroad across Puget Sound was
necessity and If erected it would bring them three days
nearer Portland than any other line now completed or
projected IL would cause healthy competition when
would benefit all concerned.
The Hon. r. II. Derby OF Boston, who said he repre-
sentcd New-HampshiTe, Vermont, and Massachusetts,,
devoted about ten minutes 10 euOgzlng the mother OF
railroads." he styled Massachusetts He stated that
that state had an hundred millions invested III IlWahs
within her borders and as much more outside OF the
State 1t was the policy OF Great Britain he informed
the Convention, have military railroad near the bor
der the Lawrence and that in her ARRANGEMENTS
millions be raised upon the joint credit Of the Prov
nces and England 10 construct the said military Tall-
road. He did not 20 for military roads, and such were
not demanded by commerce in times OF peace lie al
uded to the opening OF the new line from Portland TO
Troy Greenfield Monday next and said the lnten'
ton was extend it TO Oswego ultimately, and make
direct communication with the great lakes The measures
the whole United States aud the Provinces but by Great
Britain also The remainder OF his speech was devoted
10 the consideration of claims upon England, which
he held should be adjusted and 10 the HO0slck tunnel
which he thought would be grand success, ana would
showing the need Of ship canal from Lake Champlan
down 10 the ST. Lawrence, and canal around Niagara
The Committee Permanent Organization reported the
following list Of officers, winch was unanimously accepted
by the Convention President, the Hon Samuel Merrill.
Governor OF Iowa. Vice Presldents-The Hon stephen
TObn, Mayor Of Halifax, N. s. the Hon. Thomas X.
Jones OF 81. John n. b. the Hon. A. A. Mcdonald OF
Charlottetown, p. f. l. the Hon. Wm: Workman Mayor
OF Montreal the Hon. $. NJ. Gibbs, NJ r. OF Ottawa,
Ontario the Hon ]. ID. standish OF Detroit Mich. the,
Hon. Thomas Allen OF ST. Louis, Mo- the Hon. James
W. Taylor OF St. Paul Mimi. the Hon. VIM Pitt Fessen'
den of Portland, Me. the Hon. Eli V. Brewster, Mayor
OF Dover n. H.; Gen. Peter T. WashDurn OF Woodstock,
VT; the Hon. Amasa Walker OF North Brookhed,
Mass. the Hon George Folsom OF New-Y0rk
city; the Hon. HOratlo KING OF Washington, ID. ID.
the Hon Isaac ~ Arnold of Chicago, H. and the Hon.
IT, W. Corbett OF Portland Oregon, Secretaries; The Hon
Frederick RObe OF Gorham, Me-. the Hon o. +. Fowler
Of Bristol n. H.; Jas A. Dupee, esq OF Boston, Mass;
the Hon. H. w. Backadare OF Halifax n 81 b. g. Penny,
esq OF Montreal, and John Cain, esq OF Rutland W.
Mr. Merrill made very brief speech, In when ne ac-
cepted the honor conferred upon him compliment 70
Iowa, and the Convention adjourned till 3 p. M
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The session opened with the reading OF letters apollo
giZng for nOn-atendance, and indOrsing the objects
OF the Convention, from Gov. Chamberlain or
Name Secretaries Seward, McCuoch, Browning, the
Hon. John sherman, Gov. Page OF Vermont, the Hon.
ChaTlesOwn Navy ard, and other prominent genteneD
The Hon. JAS. w. Taylor OF st. Paul. Mimi, was intro
duced and received hearty reception from the COnVen-
ton He SAID In his opening remarks that the Lake
West, held relation TO large part OF this continent
which was beyond them which was not the relation OF
allegiance. IL was tie OF friendship, the reIa-
tOn Of common interests but there wide dvergenee
Of allegiance 10 different jurisdiction It was the prop
lem this Convention 70 solve, and this fact should be
taken into cODsidera tOn The frontier should exist only
IN Here an arm or the ocean feacnlnR Tar
inland the mighty channels OF the bt Lawrence
sending rapids and falls through vast ekpanse OF inland
seas which points the Pacific This great eXpanse OF
the Atlantic should be our Mediterranean. lt was New
York which linked the waters OF the Hudson ana Lake
Erie, aud gave such great Impulse " the prosDertY