The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-12-03

lsn9kao1u 1kas aE9elQfs urged thes 1E Wes
IN 4Aepi58 wish tho spifis OF The age 20
which those inHal license lava were op-
posed. and that it was the result of an
enlightened commercial sentiment. Do
mestio free. trade 10 70 come. aad might
as we'll be accepted now The resolution
was favored by Messrs. Opdyke and
EOhittenden. OF New York; Ropes, of
Boston, and others. and opposed by
Messrs. Gano. Of Cincinnati; Dore, Of
Chicago. and Hastie, OF Charleston,
8. c. It was adopted by Al TO IL.
RICHMoND, December 2.-The Board
OF Trade held a morning session. Mr..
Lawrence. President OF the National
Tobacco Association, was introduced to
the Board. Delegates from the Memphis
Board OF Trade were registered. The
business programme was then taken up
and the tenth propositfon-uniformi
In corporation laws-referred to the Ex-
ecutive Council.
The eleventh propositions govern
mental department of commerce-called
forth the following resolution, which
was adopted, that Congress be requested
to establish new department., to be
known as the Department of Commerce,
to which shall be referred questions con-
neoted with our foreign and domestic
trade and transportation, and that a
committee be appointed to memorialize
Congress to that effect. The proposition
originated with the Baltimore Board,
and was endorsed in speeches by Messra.
Opdyke, Of New York; Wetherall, of
Philadelphia; Hall, of Chicago; Ropes.
OF Boston; Cook, of Cincinnati, and
others. 1t was argued that the Treasury
Department had its bands too full to at
20 70 khn
country. The commercial community
wanted department. on footing with
other departments of the Government,
with some eminent mercantile man aG
its head. In Great Britain, this had
been done, and John Bright, President
OF the Board of Trade, had been put at
its hend-the merchants of this country
wanted man of their own way OF think
ing to lay their wants before Congress-
AS things are now, the mercantile and
manufacturing interests Of the country
are in particular charge of professional
men, who are not familiar with their
wants. It was time to lay politicians
aside, at least, in these matters. The
resolution was adopted almost unani-
mously.
The Cincinnati Board of Trade, Corn
and Flour Exchange of Richmond, and
Commercial Exchange of Petersburg,
were admitted to the Board. The twelfth,
thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and
sixteenth opositions-referring to the
improvement by the General Govern
ment OF the Ohio and Mississippi rivers,
and bridging the same-were referred to
a committee, to report. The seventeenth
proposition-asking the regulation of
railway freight charges by Congress
was postponed until tomorrow.
The eighteenth proposition is from the
Chicago Board, and urges the construc-
ton, under charter from the General
Government. of double track railway,
to he used exclusively for the transpor-
tation OF freight from the centres OF the
chief source OF supply Of grain and
produce: in the West, to the Atlantic
seaboard. Mr.. Richards, of Chicago,
addressed the Board in support of the
proposition. He showed that in the last
year two-thirds more freight was carried
from Chicago Eastwart by rail than by
water. In ten years from now. not one
bnshel of grain would pass Eastward
through the Erie Canal. The Ohio and
Mississippi now carry less freight than
grows along their borders. The rail is
fast doing away with water transporta-
ton. which is too slow and not cheaper
than rail. He was replied to by MFR.
Monroe. of Dubuque. in advocacy of the
superiority of water lines.
Mr.. Taylor, of st. Paul, moved to
amend the proposition, 80 as to provide
for railroad from Snn Diego, Califor-
mia, along the general route of the thirty
fifth parallel to Norfolk. Mr.. Walbridge,
of New York, offered as substitute, o
resolution requesting Congress to exer-
else whatever constitutional power it
possesses in the passage Of a national
railroad law. authorizing five grand
trunk railroad freight lines between the
Mississippi and the Atlantic sea- board,
at such points as capitalists may guaran-
tee to commence and complete these
undertakings. He said it was the inten-
ton of Congress. before the war, to
have given the South Pacific Railroad;
but the rebellion intervened. and now
that the country was as homogeneous as
it had been discordant, the intention
should be carried out. If the South did
not get it now. let it again and again
present its petition; the North intended